Open Internet Lending Library?

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by dordale

Thomman--I have library cards to several libraries here in Northern California and one to the New York Library as well. All of the libraries I belong to use Overdrive for the eBook service. I can check out eBooks (audio books as well) from their site, download them, transfer them to my Sony reader (iPod/mp3 player for audio books) and read/listen offline. The books will expire in 14 or 21 days, at which point I will no longer be able to access them.

dordale

I think the point that Thomman was making is that not everyone has access to a library that offers ebooks. I live in a rural area that is not serviced by a public library at all. I would love to see an ebook library created that has no geographical restrictions.

[ahi]

Originally Posted by KarenH

I think the point that Thomman was making is that not everyone has access to a library that offers ebooks. I live in a rural area that is not serviced by a public library at all. I would love to see an ebook library created that has no geographical restrictions.

That might be the impossible part...

- Ahi

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by dpierron

- in a real-world library, you'll have to pay an entry fee even if you don't request a book ;

Where in the world do libraries charge entry fees? That's a concept I've not come across before. In the UK, libraries are funded by the tax-payer, but are then completely free to use.

[ProfJulie]

I think it's an excellent idea and something I was thinking about and researching a couple of years ago. The idea of an internet lending library is to make books available to folks across the internet and overcome the geographic limitations and restrictions of a local, public library system.

Fictionwise has set up something similar to what you describe, but their collection is quite limited. If you belong to Fictionwise's Buywise program, then you can check books out of their library. When I was exploring their site to learn more about their program I think I remember seeing something along the lines of, "if their lending library does not have a book you want to read, you can purchase it from them at a discounted price and then immediately donate the book to them," but I can't find anything about that now on their website.

The problem I see with the concept is how one would transfer the DRM rights for a book to a lending library. With Fictionwise's model, any books you'd want to donate to the library would be bought from them and donated to them before the book is read (essentially, you never own the book). Then after the book is donated, you can check the book out of their library.

Fictionwise licenses their lending library technology called Libwise to libraries for this purpose.

[ProfJulie]

Originally Posted by ziplizard

I would think that shipping costs and costs of replacing books (I'm guessing most people would donate paperbacks and not library bound books) would be high enough to keep people to sticking to libraries instead of Netflicks Book Edition.

But I could be the one who's nuts :P

If you are looking for a paper book lending library or for the times a book you want to read is not available in an electronic format, check out BookSwim - the "netflix" of paper books.

[thomman]

@bob
I may be missing your point too What i would like is a place where I can get a membership regardless of where in the world I live, where I have a huge collection of books (unlike the ebook lending libraries I found in MobileRead wiki), and where I dont have to spend a fortune subscribing to it.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, the public libraries in many states (in US) have tie-ups with Overdrive or netlibrary. But the problem is they give membership only to "local residents" (which is understandable, because books are bought using local tax money). My local libraries have tie-up with netlibrary, but they need an internet connected computer to read it (which is useless with the ebook readers, and when I am on the go)

Fictionwise and libwise are good, but there is no concept of public contribution there, and I think that's a major reason why the books are still limited there. In an open library, it will be like you place your books on a public bookshelf, instead of one in your basement. May be it is about libwise becoming libwise II

[ProfJulie]

Or maybe an entreprenuerial collection of readers pool their cash to license something like libwise and create an internet lending library....

[Sydney's Mom]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Where in the world do libraries charge entry fees? That's a concept I've not come across before. In the UK, libraries are funded by the tax-payer, but are then completely free to use.

I think the entry fee is the property tax.

[ahi]

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

I think the entry fee is the property tax.

Hmm... do they require proof of residency? Do they continue to check that you meet residency requirements every now and then? (Or could you get a library card while still meeting residency requirements, then move to France, and continue "abusing" the library system on your frequent/infrequent visits back to the US?)

- Ahi

[Xenophon]

Originally Posted by ahi

Hmm... do they require proof of residency? Do they continue to check that you meet residency requirements every now and then? (Or could you get a library card while still meeting residency requirements, then move to France, and continue "abusing" the library system on your frequent/infrequent visits back to the US?)

- Ahi

For many US library systems, the test for getting a card is either a driver's license or other official ID with your address on it OR a piece of mail (like a bill) addressed to you. In either case, they check that you live inside their service area (which usually matches the boundaries of the taxing entity that supports the library). Library cards expire once every few years. Renewing your card requires showing up in person and showing evidence of residency.

You don't have to pay property tax directly, however. Folks who rent don't pay property taxes directly. Rather, their landlord pays the property tax (and presumably includes it in their rent).

Xenophon

[ahi]

Originally Posted by Xenophon

For many US library systems, the test for getting a card is either a driver's license or other official ID with your address on it OR a piece of mail (like a bill) addressed to you. In either case, they check that you live inside their service area (which usually matches the boundaries of the taxing entity that supports the library). Library cards expire once every few years. Renewing your card requires showing up in person and showing evidence of residency.

You don't have to pay property tax directly, however. Folks who rent don't pay property taxes directly. Rather, their landlord pays the property tax (and presumably includes it in their rent).

Xenophon

Hmmm...

Seems reasonably secure from abuse by francophiles.

- Ahi

[thomman]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Where in the world do libraries charge entry fees? That's a concept I've not come across before. In the UK, libraries are funded by the tax-payer, but are then completely free to use.

I know many countries where they do have entry fee (not property tax - a formal library entry/membership fee). In US, it is, as Xenophon said, not an entry fee, but a valid photo id proving that you live in the service area. So if your local library does not have a tie-up with overdrive/netlibrary to checkout ebooks, you are out of luck(other than a few online versions - as documented at the mobile read wiki)

[mikaelalind]

I am starting to realise just how lucky I am to live in Sweden. Most of the libraries have e-books. And all of them have access to the same e-books, thanks to Elib. This mean that as long as you have library card from anywhere in Sweden, you can borrow e-books. No matter where you live at the moment .

[ahi]

Originally Posted by mikaelalind

I am starting to realise just how lucky I am to live in Sweden. Most of the libraries have e-books. And all of them have access to the same e-books, thanks to Elib. This mean that as long as you have library card from anywhere in Sweden, you can borrow e-books. No matter where you live at the moment .

Haplessly at the mercy of francophile Swedes! Mwuhahahaha!

Is there a Swedish national initiative to make eBooks available? What sort of books can you easily get? Just classics, or contemporary literature as well? The Hungarian Electronic Library has a lot of books, even some fairly recent still-copyrighted stuff (though fewer "blockbusters" from that category), both classic and contemporary and all free.

- Ahi

[ectoplasm]

I've been looking for something like this since I first obtained my Kindle. I previously had a library card from another state and they had a fair selection of ebooks that I could download. Currently, my local library has zero ebooks.

If I happened to live in New York, I could get a library card and have access to over 13000 ebooks. Cleveland has a similar number. Other libraries have less, often none at all. It's a shame that I get nothing because I live in a particular area.

A universal ebook lending library would be very interesting to me. Overdrive does this for existing libraries:
http://www.overdrive.com/products/library.asp

Patrons would have to pay to support the system somehow. Maybe members could buy an ebook through the library as a proxy, automatically take it out for loan, then when the lending period expires, the library would own it and the donator would receive credit for X number of new check-outs. Or maybe just a flat rate for X number of check-outs similar to the Netflix model.

Overall I think it's a good idea.