ebook discovery, library edition
August 25, 2022 7:24 AM Subscribe
We're immoderate readers and we love owning books, and we've decided we can save a couple hundred dollars a month by leaning heavily into our public library. But I'm having a hard time going from "If its for sale I can read it" to "Only if the library has it." How do I find things I want to read that my library actually has?
Discovery in Overdrive‡ appears to be essentially non-existent, my library's web site is no better.
I keep putting author names into Overdrive but mostly get, "Yeah, that's a real author, but we have none of their books" as a response. Most of my favorite authors are MIA. (Though I already own most of the books by my favorite authors, so I'm looking for authors who inhabit the same neighborhood.)
I tried a few book recommendation tools and spent a couple hours flitting between them and my library getting many more misses than hits.
Tell me there's a better way than spending an entire evening switching between a dozen tabs and handful of apps to find one thing I can read. How do you do it? (Yes, there's going to the library in person and browsing the shelves. That's often difficult for reasons.)
‡ For the sake of keeping it simple, let's skip complaining about the artificial scarcity that Overdrive forces libraries into.
Discovery in Overdrive‡ appears to be essentially non-existent, my library's web site is no better.
I keep putting author names into Overdrive but mostly get, "Yeah, that's a real author, but we have none of their books" as a response. Most of my favorite authors are MIA. (Though I already own most of the books by my favorite authors, so I'm looking for authors who inhabit the same neighborhood.)
I tried a few book recommendation tools and spent a couple hours flitting between them and my library getting many more misses than hits.
Tell me there's a better way than spending an entire evening switching between a dozen tabs and handful of apps to find one thing I can read. How do you do it? (Yes, there's going to the library in person and browsing the shelves. That's often difficult for reasons.)
‡ For the sake of keeping it simple, let's skip complaining about the artificial scarcity that Overdrive forces libraries into.
I don’t use overdrive, just Libby, so I might be misunderstanding but within Libby I can browse various categories and they “shuffle” books for me as well as often having guides like “Books with romantic POC leads.”
Or I suppose the question is asking how to browse the physical library catalogue online at home?
posted by raccoon409 at 7:31 AM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Or I suppose the question is asking how to browse the physical library catalogue online at home?
posted by raccoon409 at 7:31 AM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
My local library has ebooks available using a number of different services, not just Overdrive/Libby, which is confusing from an accessibility/customer service standpoint but I suspect is rooted in the topic of your (‡) footnote so I will elide that.
If your library is like mine, you may have to figure out how to use multiple systems in order to effectively browse your library's complete ebook collection. I'd talk to your local librarian about this.
posted by gauche at 7:34 AM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
If your library is like mine, you may have to figure out how to use multiple systems in order to effectively browse your library's complete ebook collection. I'd talk to your local librarian about this.
posted by gauche at 7:34 AM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Is your public library listed here? I haven't used that browser extension, but it "lets you instantly see book and e-book availability from your local library" and there may be other similar tools that would help.
posted by brainwane at 7:36 AM on August 25, 2022 [8 favorites]
posted by brainwane at 7:36 AM on August 25, 2022 [8 favorites]
This sounds like a discussion to have with your friendly local librarian, who can guide you through the library's resources, including options for requesting purchases and interlibrary loans. (Though that's redundant, as I've never met an unfriendly local librarian.) If it's difficult to go in person, you can all or (in many systems) chat online.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 7:49 AM on August 25, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 7:49 AM on August 25, 2022 [4 favorites]
I've found requesting that my library buy a item that I want to be fruitful, albeit slow. I've never tried it for e-books, so I don't know how different it is (I think e-books are sometimes significantly more expensive than physical books for libraries?), so the success rate might be lower, but it seems worth a shot.
posted by wesleyac at 7:52 AM on August 25, 2022
posted by wesleyac at 7:52 AM on August 25, 2022
If your library participates in interlibrary loan or other kinds of resource-sharing arrangements (consortia, shared card eligibility with nearby libraries, etc.), and there's a good chance that it does, this can be another avenue for getting titles that you're interested in.
posted by box at 7:59 AM on August 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by box at 7:59 AM on August 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I use both Libby (library audiobooks) and Audible (paid for audiobooks) and for me, using libraries instead of bookshops requires a conscious change of mindset. It's a move away from "These are the books I want to read and the only books I am prepared to read, how do I find them?" into having a totally open mind and just be willing to try all kinds of stuff and see how it sits.
I guess it's taking:
How do I find things I want to read that my library actually has?
and reversing it into:
Looking at what my library actually has and then deciding what I might be prepared to try.
I think it works best if you a. Are the type of person who is happy to abandon books that don't stick for you, rather than ploughing through them miserably to the end. b. Are also happy to supplement your borrowing with at least a little spending so that you can get a sprinkling of the books you really desperately specifically want, alongside your freeform grazing at the library.
It might seem frustrating at first, but it can also be relaxing, less target-oriented, like a kind of gentle mental grazing which occasionally turns up great delicacies that you wouldn't otherwise have discovered.
As to how I do it... I surrender myself to Libby's categories; its browsing suggestions; searching vague topics of interest; a bit of searching for names of authors I've borrowed before as they seem to have a higher hit rate; maybe even just punching in a word and seeing what comes up; exploring genres; trying the suggestions made when something I search for doesn't come up; getting into work by local authors, who are stocked in higher concentrations (luckily I live Scotland and there's a lot to choose from - Tartan Noir FTW).
I've not used Overdrive for a while so can't remember which of these ways of browsing it offers you, but basically... just accepting the scattergun nature of the thing. It might seem like a long way round to find stuff you might like to read, but perhaps no more time-consuming than cross referencing multiple tabs to try and find entries on a pre-determined book list.
posted by penguin pie at 8:04 AM on August 25, 2022 [5 favorites]
I guess it's taking:
How do I find things I want to read that my library actually has?
and reversing it into:
Looking at what my library actually has and then deciding what I might be prepared to try.
I think it works best if you a. Are the type of person who is happy to abandon books that don't stick for you, rather than ploughing through them miserably to the end. b. Are also happy to supplement your borrowing with at least a little spending so that you can get a sprinkling of the books you really desperately specifically want, alongside your freeform grazing at the library.
It might seem frustrating at first, but it can also be relaxing, less target-oriented, like a kind of gentle mental grazing which occasionally turns up great delicacies that you wouldn't otherwise have discovered.
As to how I do it... I surrender myself to Libby's categories; its browsing suggestions; searching vague topics of interest; a bit of searching for names of authors I've borrowed before as they seem to have a higher hit rate; maybe even just punching in a word and seeing what comes up; exploring genres; trying the suggestions made when something I search for doesn't come up; getting into work by local authors, who are stocked in higher concentrations (luckily I live Scotland and there's a lot to choose from - Tartan Noir FTW).
I've not used Overdrive for a while so can't remember which of these ways of browsing it offers you, but basically... just accepting the scattergun nature of the thing. It might seem like a long way round to find stuff you might like to read, but perhaps no more time-consuming than cross referencing multiple tabs to try and find entries on a pre-determined book list.
posted by penguin pie at 8:04 AM on August 25, 2022 [5 favorites]
I'm not sure how to get you up and running right away, but moving forward, requests are the way to go. When you think of a book you want to read but don't need to have this second, request it or put in a hold for it! Eventually the requests will come in (my library gets most of the things I request, though it can take some time) and then you'll have a steady stream of incoming things without actually having to be constantly managing it. This does require a certain willingness to read whichever of your holds happens to come in that week, so personally there are still some short-list authors I know I want to read ASAP, and I still buy those books.
I don't do any discovery with my library ebooks at all but I still have a solid half dozen library books out at a time just because for a long time now I've been adding holds and requests as they think to me, so now I'm never without something ready for me to read.
Maybe there's an interim stage here while you still buy books for the next month or so while you set up this stream of incoming holds and requests, and then start to transition away from buying new things.
Also, you're probably not limited to your home library. Chances are pretty decent that you can get free access to other libraries in state; for example, I live in Pittsburgh and set up in-state reciprocal access to Philadelphia's ebooks. If you're willing to spend some money, but probably still less than you'd spend buying books if your book budget is anything like mine used to be, you can pay for out-of-state access to some additional libraries. I pay a small annual fee for access to the Houston library, for example, and used to do the same for the Brooklyn library. With multiple libraries at my fingertips, each serving a different population and with different people making the buying choices, there's a better chance that if I want some specific book, *one* of my libraries will have acquired it.
posted by Stacey at 8:21 AM on August 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
I don't do any discovery with my library ebooks at all but I still have a solid half dozen library books out at a time just because for a long time now I've been adding holds and requests as they think to me, so now I'm never without something ready for me to read.
Maybe there's an interim stage here while you still buy books for the next month or so while you set up this stream of incoming holds and requests, and then start to transition away from buying new things.
Also, you're probably not limited to your home library. Chances are pretty decent that you can get free access to other libraries in state; for example, I live in Pittsburgh and set up in-state reciprocal access to Philadelphia's ebooks. If you're willing to spend some money, but probably still less than you'd spend buying books if your book budget is anything like mine used to be, you can pay for out-of-state access to some additional libraries. I pay a small annual fee for access to the Houston library, for example, and used to do the same for the Brooklyn library. With multiple libraries at my fingertips, each serving a different population and with different people making the buying choices, there's a better chance that if I want some specific book, *one* of my libraries will have acquired it.
posted by Stacey at 8:21 AM on August 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
Where do you live? Is it possible for you to get one or more accounts at reciprocal libraries in neighboring jurisdictions? Even though the Overdrive app is being discontinued in favor of Libby, the Overdrive web site still has a functional search that doesn't limit you to what's in a single catalog. If you have multiple library accounts, though, you can use Overdrive's web-based search tool or Worldcat and search multiple catalogs at once. From there you can click through to the specific library that has what you're looking for. I've found that Worldcat misrepresents the availability at one of my area libraries, but it's less frustrating than having to repeat the same search at multiple libraries hoping for a hit.
Libby's search limits you to one catalog at a time, which honestly makes the UI for Libby a bit stupid. Libby's search won't show you a title at all if the library you're actively searching doesn't have it, so if you've got multiple libraries configured you may have to repeat your search multiple times until you find a given title in a library's catalog. Once you've found a title within one library's catalog, though, Libby does have an interface that lets you check availability and potential wait times for holds at all your configured libraries, and you can place holds at multiple libraries for the same title.
Admittedly all of the above assumes you already know what you're looking for, and not that you're searching for recommendations based on other factors. A couple of the libraries where I have cards have lists of books selected by librarians that seem to cycle out on their home pages in Libby, so if your own library (or libraries) are lacking those lists, maybe you could speak to a librarian and request that they start making them?
posted by fedward at 8:27 AM on August 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Libby's search limits you to one catalog at a time, which honestly makes the UI for Libby a bit stupid. Libby's search won't show you a title at all if the library you're actively searching doesn't have it, so if you've got multiple libraries configured you may have to repeat your search multiple times until you find a given title in a library's catalog. Once you've found a title within one library's catalog, though, Libby does have an interface that lets you check availability and potential wait times for holds at all your configured libraries, and you can place holds at multiple libraries for the same title.
Admittedly all of the above assumes you already know what you're looking for, and not that you're searching for recommendations based on other factors. A couple of the libraries where I have cards have lists of books selected by librarians that seem to cycle out on their home pages in Libby, so if your own library (or libraries) are lacking those lists, maybe you could speak to a librarian and request that they start making them?
posted by fedward at 8:27 AM on August 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
It reads like you want to go from exclusively buying physical books to exclusively reading digital books--is borrowing physical books from the library not an option?
To increase your options you can check around your state and area and see if you are eligible to join other library systems--I'm a member of four libraries and some have books that the others don't.
On Chrome there's an app called Library Extension--you plug in your library and it will tell you on the book page where it's available so you don't have to check multiple sites.
I also suggest making requests, even though it can take a while.
posted by girlmightlive at 8:30 AM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
To increase your options you can check around your state and area and see if you are eligible to join other library systems--I'm a member of four libraries and some have books that the others don't.
On Chrome there's an app called Library Extension--you plug in your library and it will tell you on the book page where it's available so you don't have to check multiple sites.
I also suggest making requests, even though it can take a while.
posted by girlmightlive at 8:30 AM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Seconding brainwane's comment about Library Extension. It works so well for all 3 libraries that I use in Libby and I love that it shows me books, ebooks and audiobooks all as separate entries.
I keep large wishlists in Goodreads and in Libby, so I can check either one and see the availability. Even if something is available, I only check it out if I know I will have time to read it.
posted by soelo at 8:35 AM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
I keep large wishlists in Goodreads and in Libby, so I can check either one and see the availability. Even if something is available, I only check it out if I know I will have time to read it.
posted by soelo at 8:35 AM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Nthing Library Extension for both public libraries I use.
I got into the habit of looking up every book I run across (from recommendations, relevant subreddits, and blogs) on Amazon before heading to the library websites, and the extension tells me whether or not the library has it, and if it's currently available or checked out.
posted by telophase at 8:48 AM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
I got into the habit of looking up every book I run across (from recommendations, relevant subreddits, and blogs) on Amazon before heading to the library websites, and the extension tells me whether or not the library has it, and if it's currently available or checked out.
posted by telophase at 8:48 AM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Yes Library Extension works well in Goodreads. I use Goodreads for book discovery and maintaining a big list of books I want to read. There's even a beta feature (turned off by default) for showing info on my list of books in Goodreads. Otherwise you have to click through to each book page.
posted by Nelson at 8:58 AM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Nelson at 8:58 AM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Yet another rec for Library Extension. On a few rare occasions, you get false hits, i.e. when books share a title, but if your current book discovery method involves checking Amazon or Goodreads, then Library Extension fits in seamlessly.
Also, jumping off fedward's point about reciprocal libraries in neighboring jurisdictions, you can also just straight up pay for access to a bigger city/county's library system if your library is lacking in selection. Brooklyn Public Library used to offer this but no longer does, however, the Florida Orange County library system still does, as does the Houston Public Library.
posted by yasaman at 9:45 AM on August 25, 2022 [4 favorites]
Also, jumping off fedward's point about reciprocal libraries in neighboring jurisdictions, you can also just straight up pay for access to a bigger city/county's library system if your library is lacking in selection. Brooklyn Public Library used to offer this but no longer does, however, the Florida Orange County library system still does, as does the Houston Public Library.
posted by yasaman at 9:45 AM on August 25, 2022 [4 favorites]
If you’re happy to buy ebooks at a lower price, you might want to sign up for EreaderIQ. You can track price drops for specific titles and/or authors.
posted by elphaba at 9:55 AM on August 25, 2022
posted by elphaba at 9:55 AM on August 25, 2022
I was just working on a list of libraries that offer paid non-resident cards, but I see I've been beaten to it. A few more not listed so far: Fairfax County, VA charges $27/year, San Diego Public Library charges $32/year, and Salt Lake City Public Library charges $80/year. The Brooklyn Public Library used to offer non-resident cards but terminated its program in July.
posted by fedward at 9:55 AM on August 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by fedward at 9:55 AM on August 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
If your local library/system offers hoopla, you might try that. It's my understanding that libraries are buying access to its quite large collection, paying per circulation/download rather than purchasing individual titles like Overdrive/Libby. Besides books in eAudio and eBook formats, it also has movies, music, comics. At least for many of the authors I've been searching, it appears they have considerably more eAudio than eBooks, which is fine with me right now as that's what I've mostly been wanting, but YMMV.
There aren't holds or the like - if it's in the collection, you can check it out. There are limits to how many items you can check out per month, set by your local library. My library's is 8 per. Not sure that any library is actually loading records for the whole collection into their catalog since it's so large, but they do offer libraries a rotating small-ish sampling of popular titles which can be confusing. Best to just search their web page or in the app.
Be aware that searching their collection is quirky to say the least. I've found that you really need to use their Advanced Search option, and it can be weird even there - for example you need to search for authors in first name last name order(!?!) or get no hits. It's quite unsophisticated and sometimes requires a bit of persistence to retrieve what's actually there. And of course, sometimes it's not.
posted by ClingClang at 11:01 AM on August 25, 2022
There aren't holds or the like - if it's in the collection, you can check it out. There are limits to how many items you can check out per month, set by your local library. My library's is 8 per. Not sure that any library is actually loading records for the whole collection into their catalog since it's so large, but they do offer libraries a rotating small-ish sampling of popular titles which can be confusing. Best to just search their web page or in the app.
Be aware that searching their collection is quirky to say the least. I've found that you really need to use their Advanced Search option, and it can be weird even there - for example you need to search for authors in first name last name order(!?!) or get no hits. It's quite unsophisticated and sometimes requires a bit of persistence to retrieve what's actually there. And of course, sometimes it's not.
posted by ClingClang at 11:01 AM on August 25, 2022
My local library offers Hoopla, Libby, and Axis 360; the library website will check availability on those. The Internet Archive offers time-limited checkouts of books they have physical copies of through their OpenLibrary site.
I added my library and OpenLibrary to my bookmarks for books shopping, to nudge myself when I'm price shopping across a number of sites, because Amazon isn't always best.
posted by Pronoiac at 11:58 AM on August 25, 2022
I added my library and OpenLibrary to my bookmarks for books shopping, to nudge myself when I'm price shopping across a number of sites, because Amazon isn't always best.
posted by Pronoiac at 11:58 AM on August 25, 2022
Both of the libraries I use have a “your lucky day” category in Overdrive where they list some in-demand books that you can check out immediately without waiting for a hold to come in. (They also have a physical shelf like this in each branch.) I don’t see the exact same thing on the Libby app but they do have a way to browse things that are available now. I find ebooks to be very much easy-come, easy-go, so I take a chance on these and then just return them right away if they’re not to my liking.
posted by expialidocious at 12:01 PM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by expialidocious at 12:01 PM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
If your library participates in Hoopla I’ve found that the ebooks there are different than what i’d available in Overdrive/Libby and it’s slightly more browsing friendly.
posted by MadMadam at 12:38 PM on August 25, 2022
posted by MadMadam at 12:38 PM on August 25, 2022
This is really simplistic and you have probably checked already, but in Libby (and therefore possibly in Overdrive?) the settings in your preferences changes how it displays books. If you have your preferences set to Available Now, for example, it won't show you if they have any ebooks by the author you're searching if all of them are checked out. I switch back and forth on that one - sometimes I just want something to read right then and I don't much care what whereas sometimes I know exactly what I want - and it always trips me up. So if you're getting a long string of "yes this author exists no we don't have any of their books" try going back through your preferences.
I pretty much agree with Penguin Pie about how to browse for stuff in Libby. You kind of have to open your brain up to just taking what might be there - go from, I only want to read THIS book to huh that looks interesting I will give it a try and see. Sometimes I just go to a subject heading and start browsing alphabetically by author last name. I think I read almost every fantasy novel in the Oregon system that looked even slightly interesting up to L that way - it started crashing around L, probably because my iPad is too old.
For specific books, if I know I want to read it and it's available at all, I put it on hold. For reasons I do not understand, I can only hold 6 items in Libby. My holds are always full. Then I just browse through subjects / genres randomly to find things to read right then. I am a pretty omnivorous reader and I have made my peace with tossing a book back in the pool if I can't get into it quickly, so that helps.
posted by mygothlaundry at 12:52 PM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
I pretty much agree with Penguin Pie about how to browse for stuff in Libby. You kind of have to open your brain up to just taking what might be there - go from, I only want to read THIS book to huh that looks interesting I will give it a try and see. Sometimes I just go to a subject heading and start browsing alphabetically by author last name. I think I read almost every fantasy novel in the Oregon system that looked even slightly interesting up to L that way - it started crashing around L, probably because my iPad is too old.
For specific books, if I know I want to read it and it's available at all, I put it on hold. For reasons I do not understand, I can only hold 6 items in Libby. My holds are always full. Then I just browse through subjects / genres randomly to find things to read right then. I am a pretty omnivorous reader and I have made my peace with tossing a book back in the pool if I can't get into it quickly, so that helps.
posted by mygothlaundry at 12:52 PM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Some great suggestions so far. I’ll just add that I’ve had a good experience searching overdrive by Publisher (usually a canned search link in the details section of any book). Many — though not all — publishers have some consistency to what they publish, so it can really help discovering “more like this”.
posted by alb at 1:39 PM on August 25, 2022
posted by alb at 1:39 PM on August 25, 2022
As others have said, it would be good to know what area you are from and what app you are using to know what is the best way to suggest search methodologies. I live in Massachusetts which has a state wide consortium, which means you can join all the libraries and search each in Libby, albeit they don't make it easy, there is also a web based catalog that gives one the ability to search all libraries for ebooks in one spot.
posted by momochan at 1:48 PM on August 25, 2022
posted by momochan at 1:48 PM on August 25, 2022
Do you have a child aged 13-21? If so, they can get access to a Brooklyn Library account for free e-books on demand, no waiting. And that child, presumably, is part of a shared family Kindle library and then you could also read the book.
posted by QuakerMel at 2:20 PM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by QuakerMel at 2:20 PM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Try looking for "subjects" in overdrive after you tap the three lines at the top right. After you pick a subject you're interested in (science fiction, thriller, etc.) you can sort by popularity, release date, date added, author, title, etc. Obviously sorting by release date gives you the most recent stuff.
posted by Clustercuss at 3:17 PM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Clustercuss at 3:17 PM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
The best people to answer this question work at your library - Overdrive/Libby can have some different configurations based on the library subscription. (But Penguin Pie's tip about browsing Libby is also good - your library curates those collections, too.) They may also have options for you like The Palace Project. Other than that, in a related vein to Internet Archive you can check out Project Gutenberg for out of copyright/classic texts. Happy reading!
posted by PaulaSchultz at 7:46 PM on August 25, 2022
posted by PaulaSchultz at 7:46 PM on August 25, 2022
I also use Library Extension with GoodReads to find books; I love it and have it set-up for 2 libraries, so on the GoodReads page it will show me the availability for each including wait time: https://i.imgur.com/JIn9VtE.png
If you do get used to browsing on OverDrive (by subject, etc.), there is also an extension called "Goodreads Ratings on Overdrive", which will show you the GoodReads rating right beside the OverDrive Rating area on the book page, which is also clickable and will carry you to the GoodReads page for the book where you can get more info. https://i.imgur.com/1ZEMkDQ.png
posted by Laura in Canada at 6:35 AM on August 26, 2022
If you do get used to browsing on OverDrive (by subject, etc.), there is also an extension called "Goodreads Ratings on Overdrive", which will show you the GoodReads rating right beside the OverDrive Rating area on the book page, which is also clickable and will carry you to the GoodReads page for the book where you can get more info. https://i.imgur.com/1ZEMkDQ.png
posted by Laura in Canada at 6:35 AM on August 26, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kingdead at 7:30 AM on August 25, 2022