Library eBook Checkout vs. Kindle Unlimited

Photo by Sean Kelly. Text added.

Lately, every time I try to find an eBook to read through the library I notice that the title is 'checked out' and I have to put it on hold. This kind of model for eBook lending, which is the main model for the platform 'Overdrive,' can be frustrating to library users. The lending platform 'Freeding' uses a different model involving credits. Each patron is allotted a certain number of credits and newer or more popular titles cost more. With this model, at least you are never placed on hold, but it limits the patron in how many titles they can check out.

This has made me wonder if there was another service out there that could fuel my eBook hunger.

Enter Kindle Unlimited. 

I just recently stumbled across this service and signed up for the free trial. The service costs $9.99 a month for unlimited access to their selected eBook collection. Here are my thoughts after using the service for a little while.

Not a great selection - yet.

Similarly to Amazon Prime Video, Kindle Unlimited seems to have only the dregs of content available. There are no new titles and a limited selection of other 'popular' titles. This may change over time, however. Netflix started out with not so great online content and now it is the reason I don't have cable TV. There is still a lot of garbage on Netflix, but they are constantly adding new things and have great original content. Right at this moment however, I would not pay for Kindle Unlimited based on the selection.

Has eBooks and eAudiobooks.

It has both! Which is pretty great. The selection is not the best yet, as previously mentioned, but you also get a free three month trial membership to Audible when you sign up for your first paid month of Kindle Unlimited. Audible has an amazing selection of audiobooks to download, so there's that.

No limit to how many you can rent.

This is more than I would ever need, personally. I can read 3 books and listen to 1 audiobook at a time, but that's my limit. And I normally read something like 4-5 books a month max. If you share your kindle with another person, you may be able to use the unlimited books more to your advantage. There is also the fact that you can access the eBooks from the Kindle app. I don't know if/how they are going to address this issue, but this seems to open it up to sharing the service with others. You and 10+ friends might be able to share the one service provided you log into the same account on a tablet or smart phone. Hmm. Not that I would try that, Amazon!

Now we can compare to this to the Library eBooks.

It's free!

Well, sort of. You are already paying for it with your taxes, so you might as well use the service.

Selection can vary greatly.

In all likelihood, your library has a pretty amazing selection of eBooks and eAudiobooks. However, some publishers still refuse to to give libraries good deals (or any deals) for their books, so there are also some big holes in the collection. But the bigger problem is holds. When I seek out an eBook title, I want it now. I don't want to place it on hold and wait for a 'copy' to become available.  It's a part of the digital culture to gain immediate access to information. This artificial limiting of the library collection makes zero sense to anyone ever. It's not just you.

There is normally some kind of limit.

I am lucky in that Seattle Public Library has a limit of 25 titles at any one time. There is no way I would ever need more, as previously outlined. Some libraries have smaller limits. I had an account for a library that allowed only 3 titles at one time. Another library used the Freeding service, which gave you 5 credits a month. With new and popular titles costing 3 credits, you essentially end up with 1 book a month. That's pretty restrictive.

In conclusion.

Neither of these options are the catch-all "I will never buy another book again" solution. It's nice to have the free library service either way. You can check to see if the library has a title you want to read and if not, no big deal. You can purchase the eBook or find a print copy. Maybe once the selection is better for Kindle Unlimited, it will be worth looking into. Otherwise at $9.99 a month, it may not be worth it if I can't find titles I actually want to read.

Best,
Amanda

What Makes a Good Digital Branch?

The digital branch for most libraries is their website. The library's main website serves as a portal to online databases, eBooks, and other resources. The way that this digital information is organized determines how successful a digital branch becomes. Too many times I've been navigating a library website and thought 'why on earth is this laid out this way?'

I'm guessing the answer is 'because this is what we are used to, which means it is what our patrons are used to.' I find that an unsatisfactory answer. If there is a way to make something better, why don't we?

The major driving force behind the organization of a digital branch is making information easy for patrons to access. To do this, we have to think like a patron. What information do I want when I go to a library's website? I feel like there are a few must haves:

1. Quick information about the physical library.

From: Seattle Public Library

This includes address, phone number, email, hours, etc. You have no idea how frustrating (and how common) it is to not have this information in an obvious place. Most commercial websites have this info either at the very bottom or off to the right. If this information is not in either of those places, you are frustrating the navigator. If your library has various locations, PLEASE have a Locations tab. Don't make me go into the About and then into Contact and then into other subcategories. This guessing game is no fun and, while it only takes me a a minute to find, it may take your patrons longer and they may give up.

2. Catalog search bar.

From: Seattle Public Library

Chances are, this is what your patron is after. I've seen this hidden under many tabs such as About, Library Services, Library Materials, and sundries. Why not just have the catalog search bar at the top of the page clearly labeled?

3. Library calendar.

From: Frisco Public Library in Frisco, Texas

Library websites are notorious for terrible calendar features. One sure fire way to confuse your patron is to have multiple ways to access the calendar or to have multiple calendar views. Pick one, simple calendar and put it in an obvious place, like, say, a calendar tab.

4. Digital collection.

From: Frisco Public Library in Frisco, Texas

This is the big one. So many times I've heard people say 'I didn't know the library had eBooks' or 'I didn't know that library had online language learning' and so on. Looking at most library websites, I can see why. Where is the big, obvious tab that says DIGITAL RESOURCES or EBOOKS?

If a library website has at least those things, hooray! But there is more you can do than just make a website that works. To create a useful digital branch, there should be other features.

1. Online reference chat.

From: Arlington Public Library in Arlington, Texas

I am a huge fan of the online reference chat. It brings the reference desk into people's homes and allows them to get information seeking assistance from their digital branch.

2. A bibliography of the databases and electronic resources organized by subject.

From: Seattle Public Library

Listing the names of the databases from A-Z is not terribly helpful. If you organize by subject and list a brief description of the resource, people might actually use them. Screen captures of the resource or maybe the resource logo would also draw attention.

3. Patron e-resource user guides.

From: Frisco Public Library in Frisco, Texas

So you now have a big obvious link to your eBooks. Great! Confused patrons are now on Overdrive's website and not sure how to proceed. While Overdrive has a few guides of their own, it could be useful to find or make better ones that are more specific to your library. Videos are great and so are step-by-step pdfs with screen shots.

4. Videos, videos, and more videos.

Have a youtube account with book reviews, technology training, and early literacy tips. My suggestion here would be to find your most tech savvy staff member and have them be your 'video specialist'.

There are plenty of cheap and free video editing software, but as a librarian with a BFA in Video, I can't help but insist that you invest in something good-ish. I use Final Cut, but I wouldn't suggest that for libraries because I think it has too many features you would never use.

Adobe Premier would be my suggestion (and really if you can get the whole creative suite with Photoshop et al, that would be best). If this is too pricey for your library, Windows Moviemaker or iMovie will do for the basics.

For equipment, I think it is brilliant to use iPhones or iPads for everyday videos like book reviews. And screen capture software like Camtasia is best for software and database training (a free option is Screencast-O-Matic). However, I highly recommend renting nice equipment for important videos. Say your library is having an Open House or you want to make some killer Summer Reading videos.

Borrowlenses.com is a good place to get the latest camera equipment shipped right to you. This way you don't drop $1,000 on a nice camera that becomes obsolete in two years. I've used them before to get equipment to shoot by cousin's wedding video and I highly recommend. Just make sure you have someone who knows what they are doing order the equipment. You wouldn't want to forget ordering the actual camera lens or get the wrong microphones.

Here is a video I helped them make at the Frisco Public Library:


In conclusion, let's make library digital branches more accessible. But don't just stop with these ideas (or start with them if think they are a bad fit for your library). I'm a huge fan of assessments. Poll your patrons. Gather analytics from your current website. Create a better digital space for your patrons.

Best,
Amanda