Tag: ebooks

Afternoon Update: New Library E-Books In Digital Catalog Today & Map App For Nooks Available Today

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, just a quick library e-book and Nook update for this afternoon!

New Library E-Books In Digital Catalog Today: For all those e-book fans out there – you may want to check our Digital Catalog for new e-book titles this evening as according to our Digital Catalog administrator a “ton of e-content” has just been ordered for the system-wide Digital Catalog! And that ton of items includes the Southeast Steuben County Library digital content order for August which includes e-books and a smattering of videos including several fitness/how-to-get-in-shape videos.

And it usually takes about 6 hours for new digital content to appear in the Digital Catalog so you may want to check the Catalog around 9:30 tonight or tomorrow morning to see the ton of new titles! (And remember new titles appear first in the entire listing of titles so you may want to click on the “View all eBooks” link found under Collections – located on the left hand side of the Digital Catalog homepage).

And if you’re not familiar with it, the STLS Digital Catalog* (which is the collective Digital Catalog for all the libraries in the Southern Tier Library System) may be accessed by going to the Library’s homepage found at: SSCLIBRARY.ORG and then clicking on the STLS Digital Catalog link.

Map App For Nooks Available Today: And on the Nook news front, Barnes & Noble has beat Amazon in the race to get a map app on its color e-readers. Barnes & Noble has collaborated with a Berlin company called Skobbler to produce the app. And the app, which is called Skobbler’s ForeverMap 2 app, is available in both a free and paid ($4.99) version via the Barnes & Noble app store today.

Here’s a link a PaidContent article on the subject and of course the B&N app store can be accessed directly from your Nook Tablet or Color Nook:

http://paidcontent.org/2012/07/30/barnes-noble-tablets-get-maps-before-kindle-fire/

Enjoy the rest of your afternoon and evening!

Linda R.

*If you have an Apple or Android tablet or smart phone – there is an app that will allow you to download free library e-books to your respective device – it is called OverDrive Media Console and can be found in both the Android and Apple app stores. And if you have an e-reader, there isn’t an app for e-books but you can still download library e-books and put them on your e-reader! If you have a Kindle just find a Kindle e-book in the Digital Catalog, click on the Add to Cart link for the e-book and follow the prompts. If you have a Nook I recommend that you either stop by the library and ask the staff about the check-out procedure, we have free handouts that offer an overview!, or, click on the link for the Library’s YouTube page found on our homepage and access our video Nook tutorial as the process for getting free library e-books onto a Nook requires multiple steps – and of course you can always ask the staff! Call the library at: 607-936-3713

4” iPod Touch, iPad Mini & DOJ Rejects Apple’s Criticism of E-Book Anti-Trust Suit

Linda Reimer

4” iPod Touch: According PC Magazine an Asian tech manufacturer has said that Apple will be unveiling not just a new iPhone with a 4” screen in September but also will upgrade the iPod Touch which too shall have a 4” screen.

So those of us who have been waiting to upgrade our iPod Touches can plan on finally doing so this September. Here’s the link to the PG Magazine article tilted Rumor Points to 4-Inch iPod Touch Display:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2407543,00.asp

iPad Mini: CNET is reporting that Apple is indeed getting ready to debut a 7” mini iPad in September. September is the month Apple usually releases iPhone and iPod Touch upgrades so September does seem like a good bet for this new product to be unveiled!

Here’s the link to the CNET article titled iPad Mini to debut in September, says analyst:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57478520-37/ipad-mini-to-debut-in-september-says-analyst/

DOJ Rejects Apple & Publishers Criticism of E-Book Anti-Trust Suit: The U.S. Department of Justice has rejected criticism from Apple and seven of the largest publishers in the U.S. that argues that its E-Book anti-trust suit against Apple and those seven publishers: Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette, Simon & Schuster, Penguin, Macmillan & Pearson, is unfair and benefits the e-book seller Amazon.com. Apple and the seven publishers have argued that prior to 2010 Amazon had a monopoly in e-book sales and they state they did not collude to raise e-book prices via the so-called “Agency Model” of selling books. The DOJ rejects the criticism and counters that Apple and seven of the largest publishers in the U.S. did indeed colluded to raise e-book prices – as just after those eight companies adopted the Agency Model in 2010 e-book prices rose dramatically – seemingly overnight.

Here’s a link to a Wall Street Journal article on the subject titled U.S. Defends E-Book Antitrust Case Against Apple, Others

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120723-710446.html

Linda R. 

Great iPad Accessories & Did You Know You Can Buy Bluetooth Headphones That Allow You To Make & Receive Phone Calls? And The Library Now Has Circulating E-Readers!

Linda Reimer

Great iPad Accessories: CNET, the knowledgeable and popular tech review site, has a great article and slideshow showcasing some accessories you can buy that make your iPad an even greater device that it is to begin with – and that is saying something!

These accessories include the Apple TV ($99) (not really a TV instead it is a hockey puck sized media streaming player), a Bluetooth (wireless) keyboard case, a Camera Connection Kit ($29)so you can plug your digital camera directly into your iPad, an HDIM Connector ($39.99), a  Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover ($99) which connects to your iPad and allows you to use it like a lap top — by typing on an attached keyboard and more!

The article is titled Must Have iPad Accessories and here’s the link:

http://reviews.cnet.com/2300-31747_7-10011949-1.html

Did You Know You Can Buy Bluetooth Headphones That Allow You To Make & Receive Phone Calls? I didn’t! I have a Wireless pair of headphones that I’ve used for years that allow me to listen to wireless listen to music while walking around the house or taking the trash out to the curb. However, I didn’t realize that headphone technology has advanced to the point where you can actually buy a pair of wireless (Bluetooth) headphones that have the built-in capability to allow you to make and receive phone calls and wirelessly stream music! And you can stream music to these headphones not just from your home theater system but also from your smart phone or tablet! Cool stuff! And it is certainly time for me to upgrade my headphones! I found a link to the article which is actually titled Best Headphones Under $100 within the CNET article on great iPad accessories. And notably, not all of the headphones featured in the article are the wireless kind – but two of them are the Creative WP-350 Bluetooth and the MEElectronics Air-Fi AF32. And in relation, Amazon sells both those wireless headphones for less than $70.

And here’s the link to that article:

http://reviews.cnet.com/2300-6468_7-10011889.html?tag=mncol

The Library Now Has Circulating E-Readers: And here’s some big news from the local library front! As of today, our library offers patrons the option to check out circulating Nooks that are pre-loaded with books. We will initially have 10 circulating Nooks that patrons may check out and take home or on vacation! The

Nooks are pre-loaded with three e-books each in specific categories as follows:

 

Nook 1: Popular Fiction:

E-Book 1: Betrayal by Danielle Steel

E-Book 2: Private Games by James Patterson

E-Book 3: The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark

 

Nook 2: Popular Non-Fiction:

E-Book 1: Steve Jobs by Water Issacson

E-Book 2: Imagine: How Creativity Works by Jonah Lehrer

E-Book 3: The Power of habit: Why We Do What We Do In Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

 

Nook 3: Popular Young Adult E-Books:

E-Book 1: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

E-Book 2: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

E-Book 3: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

 

Nook 4: Critically Acclaimed Titles:

E-Book 1: Escape from Camp 14: One Man’s Remarkable Odyssey From North Korea To Freedom In The West by Blaine Harden

E-Book 2: Immobility by Brian Evenson

E-Book 3: A Day In The Life Of A Smiling Woman by Margaret Drabble

 

Nook 5: Science Fiction & Fantasy:

E-Book 1: Joe Golem And The Drowning City by Mike Mignola

E-Book 2: Unholy Night by Seth Graham-Green

E-Book 3: Wind Through The Keyhole by Stephen King

 

Nook 6: Popular Fiction 2:

E-Book 1: Fifty Shades Of Gray by E. L. James

E-Book 2: Fifty Shades Darker by E. L. James

E-Book 3: Fifty Shades Freed by E. L. James

 

Nook 7: Mysteries:

E-Book 1: Elegy For Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear

E-Book 2: Beastly Things by Donna Leon

E-Book 3: One Red Bastard by Ed Lin

 

Nook 8: Non-Fiction 2:

E-Book 1: Krupp: A History Of The Legendary German Firm by Harold James

E-Book 2: The President’s Club: Inside The World’s Most Exclusive Fraternity by Nancy Gibbs

E-Book 3: Why Nations Fail: The Origins Of Power, Prosperity, And Poverty by Daron Acemoglu

 

Nook 9: Romance:

E-Book 1: The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst

E-Book 2: A Turn In The Road by Debbie Macomber

E-Book 3: Redwood by Robin Carr

 

Nook 10: Action, Adventure & Thriller:

E-Book 1: Ashes To Dust: Thriller by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

E-Book 2: Scarecrow Returns by Matthew Riley

E-Book 3: The inquisitor by Mark Allen Smith

 

You can check out available e-readers at the Circulation Desk and can request one of our circulating e-readers (Nooks) through StarCat.

And here are a few of the general rules regarding patron usage of the circulating e-readers which are taken from the Library’s official circulating e-reader policy:

Circulating E-Reader Basics:

  • Circulating e-readers may be checked out by patrons of the Southeast Steuben County Library.
  • E-Readers circulate for two weeks and may be renewed for an additional two weeks if there isn’t a hold (request) for the e-reader
  • E-Readers must be returned to a library staff member at the Circulation Desk during the library’s business hours. They cannot be returned in the book drop or to another library in the system.
  • Patrons must fill out an E-Reader Policy Agreement form, at the Circulation Desk, before checking out an e-reader.

The entire circulating e-reader policy may be viewed at the Circulation Desk – ask the staff for details or feel free to call the library if you have any questions about our circulating e-readers! Our telephone number is: 607-936-3713.

You can also email me with questions! My e-mail address is REIMERL@STLS.ORG

Linda R.

Promoting Your (E-)Book, The Challenges of Making Classic Films Digital & Kindle Fire News

Linda Reimer

I’m going to start out today by mentioning a totally non-tech related fact! Today is the 245 anniversary of the birth of the sixth president of the United States– John Quincy Adams! I’ve always been a huge history fan and have found the story of the Adamsfamily, particularly the father and son presidents John and John Quincy, to be very interesting. In relation, the library has on DVD the HBO John Adams mini-series and the classic 70’s series The Adams Chronicles so if you’re in the mood for a bit of history you might check out one or the other of those titles! You can access the library catalog and place requests, otherwise known as holds, by going to our website and clicking on the Library Catalog link. Our website is found at: SSCLIBRARY.ORG

Promoting Your (E-)Book: And getting back to the topic of tech, I came across a neat E-Content article this morning titled Promoting Your Ebook: The Importance of Knowing Your Audience. And the article sheds light on how our advancing technology is changing what is required of authors who wish to get their works out into the hands of the public.

In essence, the article illustrates the point that if you are an aspiring author you need to get your work out in the digital format – as an e-book. And largest reason for that fact is  because, e-books are the best selling book format today. And that fact is well illuminated by Association of American Publishers stats that are quoted in the article. Those stats relay the fact that adult e-book sales for the first quarter of this year totaled $282.3 million dollars and, in contrast, adult hardcover book sales totaled $229.6 million which means that e-book sales have overtaken the sales of hard cover books.

Here’s the link to the article:

http://www.econtentmag.com/Articles/News/News-Feature/Promoting-Your-Ebook-Being-in-the-Right-Place-83662.htm

The Challenges of Making Classic Films Digital: NPR offers a cool article today titled In High-Def Shift, Are Studios Blurring The Picture?, which discusses the challenges  preservationist face as they convert films to the digital format. It seems in transferring a film from the standard format to the digital format*1 some of the coloring, lighting and shadowing, which of course set the mood for the scenes that make up a film, is changed; colors become brighter and clearer and shadows are eliminated or greatly reduced. Thus the challenge preservationists face is to convert the film they are working on to the digital format, and then, recreate the shadows and darker, murkier shades of coloring based upon the original print of the film so that they come as close as possible to creating a digital copy of the film that mirrors the original director’s vision of the work.

Here’s the link to the NPR article:

http://www.npr.org/2012/07/11/156138386/in-high-def-shift-are-studios-blurring-the-picture

Kindle Fire News 1: On the Kindle Fire front there are two pieces of news! Firstly, the tech rumor mill is a buzz with word that Amazon will be releasing a new and improved Kindle Fire sometime this summer.  The all things tech review site CNET features an article today on that subject titled Amazon Kindle Fire 2 tablet rumor roundup.

Here’s the link:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-57467854-251/amazon-kindle-fire-2-tablet-rumor-roundup/?tag=mncol;txt

Kindle Fire News 2: And the second bit of Kindle Fire news is that the procedure for getting free library e-books onto a Kindle Fire has changed. It used to be that you could open the web browser on your Kindle Fire, access the library’s Digital Catalog and find e-books to read  and then simply check them out through the web browser on your Kindle Fire. This procedure has changed. You now need to go to the OverDrive website and download the mobile OverDrive Android app*2 to your Kindle Fire – and then you can download library e-books through the app itself which will subsequently appear on your Kindle Fire’s carousel.

Here’s the link to the OverDrive page that features the mobile Android download:

http://www.overdrive.com/software/omc/

Linda R.

*1) By the “digital format” I mean that the movies will be able to be accessed via computers and/or the Internet.

*2) Just FYI in case anyone doesn’t know this – the Kindle Fire is an Amazon tablet disguised as an e-book reader…

Algonquin E-Book Sale for Fans of the Great Outdoors!

Linda Reimer

Summertime is the prefect time to read books about the great outdoors whether they are books about gardens, birds or simply books that focus on the flavors of nature! And in keeping with that natural theme Algonquin Books is offering gardeners, birders and lovers of the outdoors in general a super low price on seven of their prime e-book titles:

1. The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey,

2) Settled in the Wind by Susan Hand Shetterley,

3) 100 Birds and How They Got Their Names by Diana Wells,

4) The Earth Moved by Amy Stewart,

5) From the Ground up by Amy Stewart,

6) Lives of the Trees by Diana Wells

7) The Writer in the Garden by Jane Garmey.

The e-books are on sale through the end of July and can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo, Google and Indiebound.

Here’s a link to the Algonquin Books blog that offers an in-depth summary of each book:

http://www.algonquinbooksblog.com/blog/lucky-7-e-books-july/

And just a reminder the Southeast Steuben County Library will be closed on Wednesday in observance of the 4th of July. Regular hours resume Thursday, July 5th. 

Have a great 4th of July everyone!

Linda R. 

Library E-Books Part II: A Bit About DRM & How to Download Free Library E-Books to a Kindle

Linda Reimer

A Bit About DRM: Before I jump into the subject of how you download free library e-books to a Kindle;  I have to point out that the process you use to download free library e-books to tablets, smartphones, e-readers, Macs and PCs is a bit different depending upon which device you are downloading library e-books to.

And you may wonder why that is – Why are there so many different ways to download library e-books?

And the answer to that is that the main reason is because of something called Digital Rights Management software. Digital Rights Management software, or DRM for short, is built into e-books by publishers. It is an anti-piracy tool and the intent is that it is supposed to make it hard or impossible for people to illegally copy and distribute e-books. However, the practical side of the equation for patrons of public libraries is that DRM makes it more difficult to download library e-books to e-reading devices than it is to buy e-books from an e-book seller. And the difference is because some how the DRM software has to be unlocked from the library e-book you’re downloading so you can read it – think of the book as being in jail and unlocking the DRM springs it so it can travel to your e-reader!

In contrast, if you buy an e-book from a bookseller, and assuming you already have done the prep work of setting up an account with the bookseller, than the download process is simple – you click a button that says “buy” and then enter a user ID (usually an email address) and your password and boom! The e-book downloads to your e-reading device in just a few seconds. It is literally that fast! And library e-books too download that fast – once you go through the process of unlocking the DRM software.

How to Download Free Library E-Books to a Kindle: And as far as DRM goes, Kindle owners have it easy! The download process for all Kindles, except the Kindle Fire and the first generation Kindle*1 is this:

  1. Go to the library’s website found at SSCLIBRARY.ORG
  1. Click on the link that says “STLS Digital Catalog” – it features white lettering in a green box and is located on the right hand side of the page about half way down the library’s home page – you may have to scroll down a little bit to see it…
  1. Search for an e-book  you’d like to read that has a Kindle version
  1. Click the Add to Cart link (and the My Cart page will display)
  1. Click the Proceed to Check Out link on the My Cart page (and the Sign in page will display)
  1. Select the Southern Tier Library System (instead of Penn Yan Public Library) from the drop down box in the Library field*2 (just click on the down arrow to the right of the word Library.)
  1. Enter your Library card number in the library card number field.
  1. Enter your PIN number in the PIN field (this is by default the last four digits of your telephone number)
  1. Click the Log In button on that same Sign in page (The Check Out page will display)
  1. Click on the Confirm Check Out button (on the Check Out page and the download page will display)
  1. And on the download page click on the Get for Kindle link – this will send you to the Amazon website to a page titled “Get Your Digital Library Loan” page; on the Download page click on the orange “Get library loan” link located on the right hand side of the page
  1. You will then be prompted to enter in your Amazon log in information (this is the email address and password that you use to purchase items from Amazon and/or buy e-books for your Kindle); the Please chose a device page will display and assuming you just have one Kindle registered to your account simply click on the continue button to send your library e-book to your Kindle
  1. Turn on your Kindle (And assuming you have a 3 G connecting Kindle or, if you have a Wi-Fi connecting Kindle, you are in range of a wireless (Wi-Fi) network – than your library e-book will almost instantly appear on your Kindle and you’ll be able to read it. If you have a Wi-Fi Kindle and aren’t in range of a wireless network – then the e-book will download the next time you take your Kindle somewhere where there is a wireless Internet connection – like our library! Come and visit us and you can download library e-books
  1. And read your e-book!

And if you read through that multi step process than you can see there are few more hoops to jump through, courtesy of publishers, to obtain library e-books – but the process to download Library e-books to Kindles doesn’t really require that many steps just a few more than if  you were to purchase an Amazon e-book.

*1. And Regarding the Kindle Fire and First Generation Kindle and the Kindle Fire:

The Kindle Fire: If you own a Kindle Fire than you are lucky! Currently the Kindle Fire is the only e-reading device that offers you the ability to check library e-books out to it – directly from the Digital Catalog! So all you have to do is turn on your Kindle Fire, be in range of a Wi-Fi network, go to the STLS Digital Catalog (the link is on the library’s homepage found at SSCLIBRARY.ORG), find a book you’d like to read and follow the log in process outlined above (follow steps 3-14) and the library e-book will appear on your carousel

The First Generation Kindle: The download process for the first generation Kindle, those are the ones from 2007, is a longer process that the 14 step process listed above. However, you can indeed download library e-books to a first generation! There is more pre-work involved but it can indeed be done. You have to have your own internet connected computer, download a piece of software called Adobe Digital Editions from our website and set up the software on your PC and then plug your first generation Nook into your PC before opening a web browser and going to the Digital Catalog, accessed through the library’s homepage, to look for a book to read. And the in essence what happens is that the e-book downloads to your computer and loads into the Adobe Digital Editions page where your first gen Kindle will be displayed as the e-reader you have plugged into your computer.

2. Field – when I say field you can insert the word box – field is computerese but I mean the box you can type in or select and option from…

And did I mention before that you can call the library and set up an appointment to go through the library e-book download process with a tech staff member? You can! Call us at 607-936-3713! You can even come in and check out the e-reading devices and tablets the library has for in-house use – just in case you’d like to window shop before you buy a e-reader or tablet.

And on a related e-reader subject very shortly, you’ll even be able to check out pre-loaded e-readers here at the library – and those are very simple to use because there is no download process – the e-books will already be on the e-readers!  And circulating e-readers will be coming in July so I’ll discuss that topic in more depth as soon as our pre-loaded e-readers are available to circulate.

And tomorrow I’ll discuss how you download library e-books to tablets and smartphones via the OverDrive app. And on Friday we’ll go over how you download library e-books to Nooks – so stay tuned!

And please feel free to visit our Youtube page and check out our How To Download Library e-books videos! Just remember the one little change in those very in-depth, step-by-step how to videos is that the E-Books and Audio Books link found on our homepage (that’s the one that you click on to access the Digital Catalog) is now called “STLS Digital Catalog” to illustrate the fact that the Digital Catalog now offers a handful of video and music titles to download as well as e-books and audio books.

Here’s the link to our Youtube page:

http://www.youtube.com/user/SESTEUBENCOLIBRARY/videos?view=1

Linda R.

Library E-Books Part I

Linda Reimer

Another big related e-reader question we field at SSCL and one that most public libraries field today – is “Do you have e-books in your collection?”

And that answer to that question is a resounding yes!

We have e-books in our collection that you can download to any PC or Mac and also to a variety of e-reading devices. So if you have a PC or Mac you can simply download the required e-reading software to your desktop or laptop and check out e-books that way!

And of course you can also check out library e-books, free of charge, to Apple, Android and Windows smart phones as well as to tablets like the iPad and Galaxy 2 S. And you can additionally check out library e-books to most dedicated e-readers including all of Amazon’s Kindles and all of Barnes & Noble’s Nooks.

If you have an Android, Windows or Apple tablet or smart phone then as the expression goes – there is an app for that! Most public libraries, including ours (The Southeast Steuben County Library in Corning, NY) use the OverDrive platform to offer their patrons e-books and so the app is called OverDrive Media Console and the app artwork features a big thin O over a blue background – the app can be found in the Android Marketplace and Apple’s App Store.

And tomorrow I’ll talk about how you download free public library e-books to Kindles! (And on Thursday I’ll talk about how you download library e-books to Nooks…)

And if you really, really want to know how you download library e-books to your Kindle or Nook and don’t want to wait for my blog posting on the subject – check out the library’s YouTube Channel – here’s the link:

http://www.youtube.com/user/SESTEUBENCOLIBRARY/videos?view=1

The how to download library e-books videos are quite new and offer a step by step explanation of how you download library e-books to Kindles or Nooks. I will point out one little change though from what the videos say – to access our Digital Catalog you used to have to go to the library’s home page found at SSCLIBRARY.ORG and then click on the green E-Books & Audio Books link located on the right hand side of the page – that link description has been changed because we recently added downloadable videos (mostly for kids) and a handful of downloadable music to the Digital Catalog – so now that link features a green background and says in white lettering “STLS Digital Catalog” so if you simply remember that and follow the instructions in the videos then that too will guide you through the e-book download process.

If you have any questions about this blog posting let me know!

Linda R.

P.S. Here’s a direct link to the library’s Digital Catalog should you wish to book market it:

http://stls.lib.overdrive.com/3E699B37-8D82-45C1-98CB-4581E895D69E/10/536/en/Default.htm

And you may also want to check out the library’s Facebook page so here’s the link for that:

https://www.facebook.com/SoutheastSteubenCountyLibrary

And on a non-tech note Michelle Wells, our very creative head of Adult Services Director, has a great literary- storytelling-writing focused blog called Story Musing which is also a great blog to check out! And here’s the link for it:

http://storymusing.blogspot.com/