# Do you use your library for e-books? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 26, 2014, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-your-library-for-e-books/679749 "2014-01-26T14:41:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-your-library-for-e-books/679749/21 "2014-01-27T03:30:17Z")
I frequently check out e-books on my laptop (I have a kindle app). I’m bemused that so many people complain about excessive quantities of romance novels-- either my library is fortunate and doesn’t have that problem, or I’m more tolerant of romance novels than some of you (likely both, actually). ---
**Author:** ![theR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@theR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theR)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-your-library-for-e-books/679749/22 "2014-01-27T03:33:05Z")
I have borrowed over a hundred e-books in the past two years from my library. They don’t have as large a selection as I would like and their printed books have a much larger selection, but they’re getting better. My library uses Overdrive. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-your-library-for-e-books/679749/23 "2014-01-27T03:51:41Z")
> [@Blackberry](#): > > You don’t need Kindle format books, you guys, they’re easy to convert with the program Calibre. I have a Kindle and I still get all mine as epub. > [@doreen](#): > > Are your libraries using Overdrive? Because I can sort fiction by a bunch of categories under “subject” (although that’s probably not the best word.) It would be better if I could choose multiple subjects in the same search, but I don’t really think anyone would really want to filter out _only_ the romance books. Okay, once again, Dopers have improved my life. I’d heard about the Calibre program and had even downloaded it, but when it didn’t work on the first library book I tried (the file wouldn’t copy over to my Kindle), I assumed it wouldn’t work on borrowed books. With your encouragement, **Blackberry** , I tried it again just now. The file still wouldn’t copy onto my Kindle directly, but I was able to save the .mobi file and email it to my Kindle. A little extra inconvenience, but now I can read Thomas Pynchon books from the library! And, **doreen** , you’re absolutely right! My library does use Overdrive, but I hadn’t really tried searching just, say, “Literature”. A few bodice-rippers still show up, but this will come in handy when I don’t have a lot of time. Thank you both! ---
**Author:** ![Helena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c68b51/32.png) [@Helena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-your-library-for-e-books/679749/24 "2014-01-27T05:49:15Z")
I have cards at three different library districts in the area. Lots to choose from, and I can do it all from home! ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-your-library-for-e-books/679749/25 "2014-01-27T13:29:31Z")
I like physical books more, but I like library e-books especially when I’m traveling. I don’t have to carry a lot of books with me, and as soon as I finish one I can download another. My library uses overdrive, but another library uses Cloud Library which seems much easier to me. Overdrive is just really clunky. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-your-library-for-e-books/679749/26 "2014-01-27T13:47:37Z")
I bought a tablet in May and most of my reading since then has been borrowed ebooks. My local library is part of the [SEO library consortium](http://servingeveryohioan.org/home/participating-libraries/), which gives me access to a lot of books. I use the online reservation system to put myself in the queue for popular books, and browse and search for instantly available books on various subjects. I usually read at home using the “read in your browser” option. When I go on trips I download and read in the epub or Kindle format. ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-your-library-for-e-books/679749/27 "2014-01-27T14:27:05Z")
> [@koeeoaddi](#): > > All the time! And my library’s selection is getting better and better. I also download audiobooks from them when I can find ones that aren’t only offered in the evil Windows format. You might be interested to know that [Overdrive recently announced](http://blogs.overdrive.com/front-page-library-news/2014/01/22/overdrive-announces-plan-for-audiobooks-to-be-solely-available-in-mp3-format/) that they will be discontinuing the evil Windows format and supplying all audiobooks in mp3 format. Yay! I borrow lots of ebooks from my public library. If you are having trouble finding books to borrow, it’s the publishers who are to blame, most of the major publishers have resisted and refused to allow library borrowing of their titles. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-your-library-for-e-books/679749/28 "2014-01-27T14:40:10Z")
So tell me why, if you have a bunch of people who _read books_, as in actually _read_, my library’s instructions for using e-books is strictly on _video_. I don’t want to watch a talking head, just give me bullet points on how to do this. ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-your-library-for-e-books/679749/29 "2014-01-27T15:09:39Z")
I check out both kinds of books from my library. It is much easier to check out e-books since I got a Nook HD because I can do it directly through the Overdrive app. I struggled some with using Adobe Digital Editions and getting books on my Simple Touch. My library is part of a regional system, so the e-book selection is decent and getting better all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-your-library-for-e-books/679749/30 "2014-01-27T18:49:26Z")
> [@Pai325](#): > > Yes, I do when I can find something. My library, too, offers mostly romances and kids books, but I’ve found a couple of other books that I like. My library’s sci-fi section has a god-awful preponderance of _Star Wars_ novels. About a quarter of the entire Fantasy and Sci-F collection has the _Star Wars_ logo on the front cover. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-your-library-for-e-books/679749/31 "2014-01-27T19:02:26Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > My library’s sci-fi section has a god-awful preponderance of _Star Wars_ novels. About a quarter of the entire Fantasy and Sci-F collection has the _Star Wars_ logo on the front cover. Yes! I forgot to mention that. I like science fiction, but not those. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-your-library-for-e-books/679749/32 "2014-01-27T19:07:01Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > My library’s sci-fi section has a god-awful preponderance of _Star Wars_ novels. About a quarter of the entire Fantasy and Sci-F collection has the _Star Wars_ logo on the front cover. It might be a cliche, but old ladies do most of the ordering in libraries, and most old ladies have no use for sci-fi. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-your-library-for-e-books/679749/33 "2014-01-27T19:46:14Z")
Depending on your public library, though, there are ways to become one of the people doing the ordering. Failing that, if they get enough requests for your kind of books, most libraries will fill them. My sister lived in a remote community of 4,000 in northern BC, and it was a snap for her to volunteer for a couple of hours a week, which got her on the committee doing the ordering. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-your-library-for-e-books/679749/34 "2014-01-27T20:43:09Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > Depending on your public library, though, there are ways to become one of the people doing the ordering. Failing that, if they get enough requests for your kind of books, most libraries will fill them. My sister lived in a remote community of 4,000 in northern BC, and it was a snap for her to volunteer for a couple of hours a week, which got her on the committee doing the ordering. That is extremely uncommon. Public libraries in the US don’t let volunteers do the ordering. Suggestions, sure, but the actual ordering, almost never. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-your-library-for-e-books/679749.md?page=1)