MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - if you don't read library ebooks , why not?

haertig · 09-23-2021, 02:39 PM

A lot of the negatives of libraries mentioned above I have agreed with in the past. But I found several ways around the problems.

Problem: Selection. That has never been an issue for me, since I am a slow reader and there are tons of books I have never read. I don't require the newest releases that have the waiting lists.

When I do want a new release, I do much better at finding it without a long wait by being a member of multiple library districts. I know that not everybody has this luxury, but I do. I am currently a member of eight different library districts (each district being composed of multiple different libraries in different towns). This is one of the benefits of living in a metro area (I would rather live off by myself in the woods, but that's not my situation).

Problem: Books coming available at the wrong time (when you're in the middle of another book). My libraries use Overdrive, and I handle this by always using Amazon's "Download and Transfer via USB" option. Then I sideload it to my Paperwhite that is always, ALWAYS, in airplane mode. So the rented ebook sits there on the Kindle for as long as needed. I haven't had to make use of this long term storage method for a while, but I assume it still works. I don't see why it wouldn't, because with my PaperWhilte always in airplane mode, it never updates it's firmware either, so I wouldn't expect the behavior to change.

Problem: The book I'm reading is in a series, and the library does not have all the books in the series. This is mitigated by being a member of several library districts as well. You are not guaranteed to find 100% of the books in a series, but with multiple libraries to work with your odds are much better.

The biggest thing I guess is keeping the Kindle in airplane mode. Another benefit of this is that it eventually runs out of ads, and your ad-supported Kindle becomes an ad-free Kindle.

You can do the same thing with library audiobooks, but it's actually simpler for those. You don't need to stay in airplane mode. A good thing, because I listen to audiobooks on my tablet or cellphone and you don't want one of those stuck in airplane mode. Audiobooks from Overdrive download in MP3 format. Library audiobooks in MP3 format do not contain DRM, so there is none of that to worry about. When you download an audiobook, after the library loan period expires, the MP3 files will be removed from your tablet/phone at some point in time (assuming internet connectivity). But all's you have to do is when you initially download them, MOVE or COPY them to a different directory and then they will stay there until you get around to listening to them, they won't automatically be removed. You will have to remove them manually when you are done with them.

First you have to find where Overdrive stores the audiobooks, so that you can move/copy them. On my device, the default Overdrive storage location is:

<internal_storage>/Android/data/com.overdrive.mobile.android.mediaconsole/files/Overdrive This default location is the same on all three of my Android devices that I use Overdrive on, and they all run different versions of Android. But yours may be a different location - I don't know that it is always guaranteed to be where I have found mine.

There, you will find a directory for each audiobook. Just move/copy that directory to some other place. Then tell SmartAudiobookPlayer, or whatever local audiobook app you use, where the files are. You will need a "file manager" application on your Android device to do this move/copy. There are several of those (free) available to install. I have no idea how to do this on an iPhone. Apple is so tightly controlling that you probably don't even have access to a file manager, so you may be out of luck. But you can research it on your own to see if it's possible.

Note: There is a setting in Overdrive where you can specify a different download directory (I have seen this setting mentioned online, but have not verified it myself). But this change only goes into effect for future downloads, existing downloads are not automatically moved. I haven't bothered to change the default download location. I know where it is, and that's good enough for me.

09-23-2021, 02:39 PM	#22
haertig Wizard Posts: 1,754 Karma: 26012554 Join Date: Sep 2017 Device: PW3, Fire HD8 Gen7, Moto G7, Sansa Clip v2, Ruizu X26	A lot of the negatives of libraries mentioned above I have agreed with in the past. But I found several ways around the problems. Problem: Selection. That has never been an issue for me, since I am a slow reader and there are tons of books I have never read. I don't require the newest releases that have the waiting lists. When I do want a new release, I do much better at finding it without a long wait by being a member of multiple library districts. I know that not everybody has this luxury, but I do. I am currently a member of eight different library districts (each district being composed of multiple different libraries in different towns). This is one of the benefits of living in a metro area (I would rather live off by myself in the woods, but that's not my situation). Problem: Books coming available at the wrong time (when you're in the middle of another book). My libraries use Overdrive, and I handle this by always using Amazon's "Download and Transfer via USB" option. Then I sideload it to my Paperwhite that is always, ALWAYS, in airplane mode. So the rented ebook sits there on the Kindle for as long as needed. I haven't had to make use of this long term storage method for a while, but I assume it still works. I don't see why it wouldn't, because with my PaperWhilte always in airplane mode, it never updates it's firmware either, so I wouldn't expect the behavior to change. Problem: The book I'm reading is in a series, and the library does not have all the books in the series. This is mitigated by being a member of several library districts as well. You are not guaranteed to find 100% of the books in a series, but with multiple libraries to work with your odds are much better. The biggest thing I guess is keeping the Kindle in airplane mode. Another benefit of this is that it eventually runs out of ads, and your ad-supported Kindle becomes an ad-free Kindle. You can do the same thing with library audiobooks, but it's actually simpler for those. You don't need to stay in airplane mode. A good thing, because I listen to audiobooks on my tablet or cellphone and you don't want one of those stuck in airplane mode. Audiobooks from Overdrive download in MP3 format. Library audiobooks in MP3 format do not contain DRM, so there is none of that to worry about. When you download an audiobook, after the library loan period expires, the MP3 files will be removed from your tablet/phone at some point in time (assuming internet connectivity). But all's you have to do is when you initially download them, MOVE or COPY them to a different directory and then they will stay there until you get around to listening to them, they won't automatically be removed. You will have to remove them manually when you are done with them. First you have to find where Overdrive stores the audiobooks, so that you can move/copy them. On my device, the default Overdrive storage location is: <internal_storage>/Android/data/com.overdrive.mobile.android.mediaconsole/files/Overdrive This default location is the same on all three of my Android devices that I use Overdrive on, and they all run different versions of Android. But yours may be a different location - I don't know that it is always guaranteed to be where I have found mine. There, you will find a directory for each audiobook. Just move/copy that directory to some other place. Then tell SmartAudiobookPlayer, or whatever local audiobook app you use, where the files are. You will need a "file manager" application on your Android device to do this move/copy. There are several of those (free) available to install. I have no idea how to do this on an iPhone. Apple is so tightly controlling that you probably don't even have access to a file manager, so you may be out of luck. But you can research it on your own to see if it's possible. Note: There is a setting in Overdrive where you can specify a different download directory (I have seen this setting mentioned online, but have not verified it myself). But this change only goes into effect for future downloads, existing downloads are not automatically moved. I haven't bothered to change the default download location. I know where it is, and that's good enough for me.