I am a librarian who is passionate about knowledge. This blog is a way to keep track of all the wonderful sources I am learning about or find haphazardly.
When searching for a platform vendor, especially for your second vendor, it's important to fill the needs of the library or the areas lacking from the vendor you currently have. Much like dating, finding the right vendor can be tricky. Yes, they will call you after the video demonstration. No, they won't blow you off.
There are many choices out there but my library decided to focus on the following three: iLibrary by Ingram, Axis 360 by Baker and Taylor, and 3M Cloud Library by 3M. We currently have OverDrive, so the three new platforms were compared to it. At the end of this post I will include resources I used to help evaluate the platforms and the report I sent of why RCPL should choose 3M. The report was made in July.
How to get ahold of platform vendors:
You can always try their website. Like most websites vendors have a "Contact Us" page or sometimes a form to fill out. A complication I did not expect was how hard it would be to contact 3M. When I filled out the contact form I received an e-mail stating that my form did not reach them. I followed the link from my e-mail and it just looped back to the form that didn't work.
Networking is another great way to reach vendors. I contacted a person on LinkedIn that responded to posts in several library groups. By networking to him about 3M, I had a regional representative from 3M Cloud Library contact me within days. Don't forgot to network and ask other libraries their opinions on platform vendors. Those libraries that already have the platform know the daily tips and headaches.
What I've learned from dealing with vendors:
I've found the staff at platform vendors to be very helpful and willing to answer all my questions. If you have never dealt with platform vendors there is no need. Platform vendor companies would not choose people who aren't friendly, because then they wouldn't make as many sales. And though the sales reps are personable, they are still trying to make a sale. So when it comes down to it, selecting a vendor comes down to what the library needs, not the person who is your rep.
Several changes since my report in July:
Penguin joined Random House, bringing the big six down to the big five. OverDrive has gone through several strong changes: there is now a clear agreement with Penguin Random House and MacMillan, meaning there are a LOT more high demand publications available; and with OverDrive One, patrons can switch from one device to another by creating an account.
My draft report for why RCPL should choose 3M Cloud Library:
The following statistics were gathered by reviewing the Material Request folders for eBooks that were not available at time of request. The percentage is not 100% as some items were found when I did a search after the publication date, that was not available during request. Anything that was not found with all three platforms was removed from the list. The list totals 60 titles or authors during a time period of March through July of this year. Of 60 items, OverDrive had 15 items or 25%. Baker & Taylor’s Axis 360 had 27 items or 45%. And the clear winner was 3M Cloud Library with 44 items out of 60 items or 75%.
It’s clear to see that if we add another platform vendor that we will be able to add more titles that our patrons would want, including those found on the New York Times Best Sellers list. I propose that we look into opening a second platform with 3M as they have all six major publishers (Penguin, Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette, and Macmillan). 3M is able to easily download eBooks using only one app and does not require an Adobe ID (making our patrons create an account outside of their library card). Since this is a “cloud” library, a patron can start reading on their phone then pick it up on their computer, tablet, or eReader device- without losing their spot. Since 3M gives ownership of titles to us (pending publisher approval) we are able to transfer the eBooks to another platform. We are also able to create a download station at the library, regardless if patrons have Wi-Fi or internet at home, so everyone will be able to come into the library and download some eBooks. A download station is something that OverDrive will not allow us to do without spending thousands of dollars. Plus, with our Sony eReaders, patrons would be able to easily download- and perhaps we could have an extension of this for the homebound patrons (with eBooks preloaded). Some authors that we are missing right now that 3M has: J.R. Ward, Robert B. Parker, Stephen King, Charlaine Harris, J.D. Robb, John Green, Lori Armstrong, Ann Rule, and more.
Pros
All 6 major publishers
1 app for all devices to download
Cloud- stop and pick up from another device where you left off
We own items- can transfer to another platform
Download station
Log into app once, no need to keep re-entering your library card number.
Cons
No Audiobooks (in the works)
Not many picture books (talking to publishers)
No Amazon/Kindle books (works with KindleFire, Amazon has an agreement with OverDrive)
ALA TechSource- Report for comparison. This resource is nice but since technology of platforms change so quickly, it is best to directly contact vendors.
When searching for resources to add to your kids, tween, or young adult section, there are no shortage for results. However, finding resources that children will enjoy and use can take a little research. After all, with today’s economy, free is best—but if you have to spend money, it’s best to spend it wisely.
The School Library Journal, in June of this year, published an article entitled, Are Ebooks Any Good? Below is part of a paragraph that explains two free sites:
“Storyline Online, sponsored by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, has many well-known picture books read by celebrities such as Betty White, James Earl Jones, and even Al Gore. And theInternational Children’s Digital Library, a nonprofit website created eight years ago by researchers at the University of Maryland at College Park, offers nearly 4,500 free books in 54 languages from more than 200 countries, complete with an iPad-friendly interface and an iPhone app.”
I have done a search for kids and young adult resources that public libraries are currently implementing. From ebooks to audio books, scanimation to language learning, there is a lot to choose from. After listing the sources that can be added to your public library I have included a section of only free resources. Now that people have iPods, eReaders, tablets, and personal computers, this blogs shows you what you can really do to involve your children life with books and learning resources.
Warning: Further research is needed when using the free resources. Though I have search for completely free resources, that may change over time or become limited/restricted.
“TumbleBookLibrary is an online collection of TumbleBooks – animated, talking picture books which teach kids the joy of reading in a format they'll love. TumbleBooks are created by adding animation, sound, music and narration to existing picture books in order to produce an electronic picture book which you can read, or have read to you.”
“Introducing BookFlix, the new interactive literacy resource that builds a love of reading and learning – online! BookFlix pairs classic fictional video storybooks from Weston Woods with nonfiction eBooks from Scholastic to reinforce reading skills and develop essential real-world knowledge and understanding.
Perfect for use in the classroom, school library, and public library, BookFlix is accessible to every child – early readers, reluctant readers, and English Language Learners.”
“Libraries and One More Story make a great team. While our online library can never replace the enormous value public and school libraries and their librarians offer to communities, One More Story provides a unique and independent literary experience for children who are not yet fluent readers.
Librarians immediately recognize the quality and diversity of titles in the One More Story library and appreciate the simplicity and purity of the reading experience One More Story offers. Young readers will love the books and the choice to listen to a narrator read aloud, or to mute the soundtrack in the I Can Read It mode and read the book themselves, clicking on unknown words to hear them spoken.”
“MeeGenius features beautifully illustrated and engaging eBooks with Read-Along Technology, so that budding readers develop word recognition by seeing words while hearing them pronounced.”
“MightyBook helps kids discover the joy of reading with hundreds of animated, read-aloud story books and songs that are as entertaining as they are educational. Sample the books on these pages, and see for yourself.”
Current languages: Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, German, Russian, English, and Hebrew.
“Little Pim is an award-winning foreign language learning series for young children.
Our series makes language learning easy, fun andeffective.
Little Pim features our unique Entertainment Immersion Method™, which combines animation and real kids to teach simple words and phrases for everyday activities.
Little Pim is available in 10 different languages, and includes videos, apps, music, books, flash cardsand more.”
How It Works- “Created by Rufus Butler Seder, an inventor, artist, and filmmaker fascinated by antique optical toys, Scanimation is a state-of-the-art six-phase animation process that combines the “persistence of vision” principle with a striped acetate overlay to give the illusion of movement. It harkens back to the old magical days of the kinetoscope, and the effect is astonishing, like a Muybridge photo series springing into action—or, in terms kids can relate to, like a video without a screen.”
Video of Rufus Butler Seder explaining Scanimation and how he came up with the idea (only a minute and a half long).
“Star Wars fans young and old will love this book. Watch in amazement as the most memorable scenes from the saga come to life before your eyes. See Obi-Wan battle Darth Maul, the Millennium Falcon zooming away from the exploding Death Star, Luke riding his Tauntaun, Yoda twirling his lightsaber, and more - 12 iconic scenes in all. It's movie magic without any electricity or wires or even internet. (Gasp!)”
“There are original stories with color illustrations for young children as well as older children and young adults. Children's Storybooks Online seeks to combine education and entertainment to amuse and engage children's imaginations. There are riddles, mazes, coloring book pages and a page with children's links that have won Children's Storybooks Online Award for excellence.”
So that every child, regardless of what language they know, can have a book to read.
“The ICDL Foundation's goal is to build a collection of books that represents outstanding historical and contemporary books from throughout the world. Ultimately, the Foundation aspires to have every culture and language represented so that every child can know and appreciate the riches of children's literature from the world community.” Full Book List (English)
“by researchers at the University of Maryland at College Park, offers nearly 4,500 free books in 54 languages from more than 200 countries, complete with an iPad-friendly interface and an iPhone app.” (Are Ebooks Any Good?)
“This is a listing of sites that legally offer free books, for reading and listening (audio), for children. This page is geared towards younger children. I recently added a page of site listings forFree Teen and Young Adult Books Onlinefor older children.
All of these sites listed have content that is legal for them to distribute. If you find that any site listed is offering content that can not be legally transferred, please let me know in the comments below.”
Listing by Genre- Links to pages here for different book genres (17)
Online Local Libraries- These sites have links to local libraries which have much content for members.”
Libraries: “On the advice of anonymous poster that most public library systems offer free ebooks, audiobooks, and music downloads to their customers for free, I did some checking and found that there are a large amount of offerings available through online libraries. It appears most, if not all, require a local library card. These are sites that have links to local library sites.
LibWebis a good search source for local libraries online. A good selection of US and worldwide locations.
Public Librariesvery good for US, looked not as thorough as LibWeb on worldwide.
Internet Public Libraryalso has some links, but I found the above two to be superior set ups.”
“Free Kids Books is a growing library of unique children’s books and literary resources available for download in a user friendly pdf format.
We aim to provide easy access to great free children’s books and resources, for the enjoyment of reading and writing, and to promote improved literacy standards, and thus improved lives.”
Books are separated in to categories for toddlers, children, and young adults, we felt this easiest since reading levels vary significantly between countries, especially those who English is not a home language. Toddlers books contain very few words, children’s books are picture books of short length, and books for young adults are chapter books with an occasional picture.”
Currently a list of 136 free audio books available to download and enjoy. This is linked to the children’s books but there are 1,000 or more books available.
“Children and their parents have for years enjoyed attending storytimes, checking out books and participating in a number of other educational, entertaining and participatory programs at the various locations of The Public Library of Charlotte Mecklenburg County. StoryPlace, an interactive web site, came about to provide children with the virtual experience of going to the library and participating in the same types of activities the library offers. In the summer of 1999, a team of Children's Librarians and Specialists got together with in-house web developers to begin development on this exciting site. In the Spring of 2000, StoryPlace premiered with its first section, the Pre-School Library, completed. “
“All audio books on BooksShouldBeFree.com are in the public domain. This means that no one holds a copyright on these books and therefore anyone including BooksShouldBeFree.com is free to distribute them. Enjoy these free audio books and use the share button on BooksShouldBeFree.com to tell your friends about all these great public domain audio books.”
“Online Audio Stories is the sister site of Tales of Time.
www.talesoftime.co.uk produces great quality audio stories and each story is layered in hundreds of sound effects and accompanying music for a better and more enhanced audio experience.”
“Light Up Your Brain is about inspiration, creativity, and the fun of being a kid. I’ve assembled some great audio stories, games and links to outside resources.”
“I do want to remind you that, if you click on links within the games themselves, you may be taken to sites that are not appropriate for young children. So, both parents and kids, please be aware of that. We can only control what’s on our own site.” (http://lightupyourbrain.com/)
“Hi, I’m Kayray and I love to read out loud. In this podcast, I’ll read to you from some of my very favorite kids’ books. I’d rather read than edit, so I don’t edit my recordings; you get to hear the mistakes and everything (there aren’t usually very many). Just pretend I’m right there reading you a bedtime story!”
“Kids.LearnOutLoud.com is your audio and video learning resource for Kids & Teens.
Browse thousands of Educational Audio Books, MP3 Downloads, and Podcasts for Kids!”
If you watch a horror movie and yell at the tv character to run out of the house, do you find yourself yelling at the romance heroine in books to stop whining and be stronger? Well Jennifer Connors has a great series that allows historical romance fans to have a modern woman as the heroine. Sometimes that completely changes the stories, but isn’t that what the readers want? Less cheesy and more mystery?
I found the Lesson Series on Amazon.com offered for free and took a chance. Since then I have read the rest of the series (at a reasonable price of $2.95 each from the author’s website) and joined Jennifer Connors’s Facebook Page.
Although the time period changes with each story line the main character, played by the original heroine Ginny, helps the reader transition from one story to the next. Which is true for romance writers. It is hard to create a following unless the writers are able to adapt to the needs of the readers. Connors is a good example of how authors can flourish in an ebook environment. The books are also available in paperback.
Complete list of books inLesson Series(as of 01/21/13):
In the battle of e-readers, Kindle (from Amazon.com) may have come out first for the general population but Nook (from Barnes and Noble) has become preferred due to their colored screen and ability to borrow books from libraries. Regardless if you have a Kindle, a Nook, or another e-reader, everyone is able to download ebooks. Including those of you that do not have e-readers. This can be done by downloading an application for smart phones or computers to read free books via Amazon and Barnes and Noble. More good news for Kindle owners- later this fall Kindle will allow books to be borrowed from libraries through OverDrive. The information about this news announcement can be found here from Amazon.com (from April). Use this link to see if there have been any further updates, or to read what Amazon is currently saying about their Kindle Library Lending.
Please ask your local libraries about their rules and policies, as it will vary by e-reader, library, and distributor (whether the library is going through OverDrive or another company). Below is a list of websites that can be used to download free ebooks. Remember to make sure:
The price is still at $0.00 because pricing may be free for a limited time only.
Some libraries are able to lend e-readers. Feel free to ask if your local library have this available or suggest that they consider this option.
When buying an e-reader make sure it is what’s best for you. Here are two reviews that can help before purchasing: From PC World, Top E-readers and from TopTen Reviews, eBook Reader Review.
Further tips can be found on Cnet.comhere for "How to get books for your Kindle or Nook".
“2. Swap books with strangers. Some books are equipped with a "lending" feature. Amazon and B&N probably intended that lending would be used among friends, but clever Web sites likeBookLending.comand eBookFling.comlet users list their ebooks and swap inventory with anyone else.”
For information about lending Kindle books, clickhere.
And finally, if you do find a free ebook and wish to have it converted from one format to another, so you can read the book on your eReader, you can use converters such asCalibre. However, this will not work for all types and circumstances. For an understanding of the various formats of e-books please read Wikipedia's explanation, found in "Comparison of e-book formats". Warning: Wikipedia may not be a completely reliable source, please remember to use this link as a jumping point for research, as it is an open source that could change at any time).
Internet Archive is a non-profit dedicated to offering permanent access to historical collections that exist in digital format. Provides over 2.5 million free ebooks to read, download, and enjoy.
“Open Library is an open project: the software is open, the data are open, the documentation is open, and we welcome your contribution. Whether you fix a typo, add a book, or write a widget--it's all welcome.”
“Free ebooks to download to your PC, Kindle, Android, iOS or other portable device. Choose between ePub, Kindle, HTML and simple text formats…We carry high quality ebooks: All our ebooks were previously published by bona fide publishers.”
