Posts Tagged ‘ public libraries ’

Penguin Pulls eBooks From Public Libraries Dropping it Down to 1 of the Big 6 Publishers Playing Nice With Libraries

November 22, 2011
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Penguin Pulls eBooks From Public Libraries Dropping it Down to 1 of the Big 6 Publishers Playing Nice With Libraries

Yesterday the big news online was Penguin Groups decision to withhold new titles from OverDrive, meaning new Penguin titles are no longer available for library patrons to check out. Additionally Penguin has requested that OverDrive no longer allow library patrons to check out existing Penguin titles on Kindle devices and apps. Penguin’s Official Statement emphasis added by me Penguin has been a long-time supporter of libraries with both physical and digital editions of our books.  We have always placed a high value on the role that libraries can play in connecting our authors with our readers. However, due to new concerns about the security of our digital editions, we find it necessary to delay the availability of our new titles in the digital format while we resolve these concerns with our business partners. Penguin’s aim is to always connect writers and readers, and with that goal in mind, we remain committed to working closely with our business partners and the library community to forge a distribution model that is secure and viable. In the meantime, we want to assure you that physical editions of our new titles will continue to be available in libraries everywhere. OverDrive’s Official Statement (which of course came after the Penguin

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Why Amazon’s Lending Library is Not a Threat to Public Libraries

November 4, 2011
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Why Amazon’s Lending Library is Not a Threat to Public Libraries

I had no idea that Amazon’s announcement would signal the end of the world, or at least the end of public libraries, or as my friend & colleague Andy puts it, the library apocalypse or I would have included this in yesterday’s post. First let’s talk numbers about the Amazon Lending Library* Prime costs $79 a year, that’s roughly $6.58 a month. You must have a Kindle (not an app) to use the Amazon Lending Library, those start at $79. There are 5,000 titles available, (here’s a breakdown by genre) None of the six largest publishers in the U.S. is participating. You get one book per month, that doesn’t roll over. Now library ebook/book numbers (I’m not even going to get into other library services and the availability of a real live person to help you) No additional cost, its covered by taxes You can use any number of devices for ebooks and no device at all required for print Untold numbers of titles available 3 of the largest US publishers allow ebook titles in libraries, all allow print. Unlimited books per month Now let’s talk some other numbers. 12% of U.S. adults own an ereader. Not a Kindle, an ereader, which includes all other dedicated ereaders.

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Amazon Announces Kindle Lending Library for Prime Members

November 3, 2011
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Amazon Announces Kindle Lending Library for Prime Members

If you have been paying attention you knew it was coming. The Kindle Lending Library from Amazon. If you own a Kindle, yes you have to have a device not an app, and a Prime Membership you can now borrow books from Amazon. More Info Kindles start at $79 Prime Membership is $79 a year. You can only borrow one book per calendar month. Right now there are about 5,000 titles. The book currently being borrowed can be read on multiple Kindles. devices, as long as they are registered to the same eligible account, but cannot be read on Kindle reading apps. One book can be borrowed at a time, and there are no due dates. You can borrow a new book as frequently as once a month, directly on your registered Kindle device, and you will be prompted to return the book that you are currently borrowing. If you have already borrowed a book in that calendar month, you are not yet eligible to borrow a new book until the next calendar month. There is no “roll-over” or accrual of unused borrowing eligibility. My 2 cents: Honestly I see this hurting publishers and authors far more than libraries. Sure

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Public Library eBooks on the Amazon Kindle – We Got Screwed

September 28, 2011
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Public Library eBooks on the Amazon Kindle – We Got Screwed

Don’t get me wrong, as a consumer I was celebrating as much as the next guy (or gal) last week about library ebooks (from OverDrive) FINALLY being available on the ever popular Amazon Kindle. I love my Kindle, I’ve written about it. The few textbooks and pdfs I’ve put on it make me love it more. But…. But as a librarian and an ebook activist (if I do say so myself) I have to say we got the short end of that stick my friends. I have been working an expansion of my May blog post for Library Renewal where I raised some concerns : new concerns have started to creep in as I think through the long term implications for this deal. Amazon is getting access to a LOT of information about libraries, even if it is anonymized, and it is making me wonder if we should have done a better job negotiating our deal. I applaud OverDrive for working with Amazon to get ebooks on the Kindle (and Kindle apps); however, I can’t help feel they should have worked a harder deal for the information we will need to ensure that libraries have a future in the ebook business. Let’s

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Top Ten Links Week 19

May 16, 2010
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My personally selected top 10 from the links I shared on Twitter from 5/7/2010 thru 5/13/2010 1. kindness is one of the simplest things that make the biggest different How to Be Kinder: 11 Fine Tips If you only read one thing from this post read this one. We could use a little more kindness in the world and its far too underated. Don’t just look at the list go read the whole article. Be grateful for what you got. Express it. Minimize judgments. Take it easy with the criticism. Try to understand the other side. Make positive observations about people. Remember the small and kind gestures. Remind yourself. It’s easy to forget. Awash yourself in the positive memories of the times when you were kind. Take the smarter and higher road. Be kind to yourself. 2. Internet Archive Launches Library for the Visually Impaired With 1M Books via @ALA_TechSource The 1 million+ books in the Internet Archive’s library for print disabled, are scanned from hard copy books then digitized into DAISY — a specialized format used by blind or other persons with disabilities, for easy navigation. Files are downloaded to devices that translate the text and read the books

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photo by Beth Tribe

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