For all the Warren County residents who opened up a colorfully wrapped Christmas present this year and found a shiny new iPad, iPod, iPhone, Android phone, Kindle Fire, or some other portable computing device, e-reader or Internet capable phone, Magness Library has the perfect solution for obtaining free reading materials for these devices.
New owners of these devices will find they can actually check out e-books and audiobooks using their Magness Library cards. There is even some music and video available for download.
The service is called Regional eBook & Audiobook Download System, or READS. To access the website visit the Magness Library website at magnesslibrary.org and click on “Links,” on the home page which will take you to a page where you can link to the READS. Web page.
The site will direct users to download a software package, called OverDrive Media Console, for their chosen computer and mobile device. The software runs on the major portable device operating systems including:
• Android
• BlackBerry
• iPhone / iPad / iPod Touch
• Windows Phone 7
The OverDrive website has a convenient page which lists all of the currently supported devices which includes everything from the Aluratek LIBRE eBook to the Barnes & Noble NOOK and even the newly released Kindle Fire.
The online library includes books in a wide range of formats, including for both Windows and Mac, including:
Windows:
• Kindle Books
• Adobe EPUB eBooks
• Adobe PDF eBooks
• Open EPUB eBooks
• Open PDF eBooks
• MP3 Audiobooks
• WMA Music
• WMA Video
Mac:
• Kindle Books
• Adobe EPUB eBooks
• Adobe PDF eBooks
• Open EPUB eBooks
• Open PDF eBooks
• MP3 Audiobooks
Magness Library director Brad Walker says five member of the library staff will be going for training this week to learn how all the devices work.
Walker said READS. has a wide variety of books available, including recent best sellers from authors like Dean R. Koontz, Stephen King, Patricia Cornwell and James Patterson.
Like a physical book, the eBooks have a set lending period, which varies between formats, but is generally around 14 days. On most devices there is digital rights management software which will disable the book automatically once the lending period is over. But of course it can be checked out again.
Due to copyright the online library must have purchased the book, so there are only so many copies of each volume available. As a result there may sometimes be a waiting list for popular books, just as there is in a physical library. However, the website will notify the reader’s account by e-mail when the book is available for download.
To checkout and download books all you need is:
• A valid library card
• Internet access
• A computer or device that meets the system requirements for the types of material you wish to download
• The free software for the computer or device on which you wish to use the materials available at the site.
According to Walker, all you need to get a library card is two forms of ID. For adults one of those needs to be a valid Tennessee drivers license. The other can be any form of ID. that has your address, such as a voters registration card. And Walker says for those who don’t have a drivers license there are other forms of I.D., like a local utility or other bill that may suffice.
For more information on the READS program come by the library or call 473-2428.