ebooks at the Library Kindles One of the newest developments in reading is the electronic book, or ebook. An ebook is a digital copy of a book that can be read on a Kindle and other digital devices. While the Kindle does not always provide the same reading experience as a true book, it can be very convenient. A Kindle can hold hundreds of ebooks (Kindle Books) in less space than a single hardback book. A wide variety of Kindle Books are readily available from Amazon (www.amazon.com). Many libraries are also making Kindle Books available through their online catalogs. Patrons can search for available titles, check them out with their library card, and then download them to their Kindle. If you have a Kindle ereader, such as the basic Kindle or Kindle Paperwhite, you will need a computer with an Internet connection and a web browser to find and checkout your Kindle Books. If you have a Kindle Fire, you can use its web browser to find and checkout your Kindle Books. The Ohio Digital Library Begin by going to the Ohio Digital Catalog at www.ohioebooks.com. Be sure to bookmark the page to make it easier to return to it. (You can also locate, checkout, and download Kindle Books through the regular library catalog at http://ohio.ent.sirsi.net/client/wcm, but the process goes a little more smoothly when using the Ohio Digital Library.) Your view of the Digital Library may differ from those shown in this handout depending on whether you are using a computer or a Fire in portrait or landscape mode. The screen shots below were taken from a computer, but should appear the same on a Kindle Fire in landscape mode. If you are using a computer, use a single left click whenever the handout says tap. Options Browsing Menu View More Featured Collection 1
A Menu button, Account button, Help button, and Search box are found in the options bar at the top right of the Ohio Digital Library page. Menu Tap this button to hide or display the Browsing menu (see below). Account Tap this button to view and manage your holds, checked out items, and settings. Help Tap this button if you need help with the Ohio Digital Library. Search This box enables you to perform quick searches for titles, authors, or subjects. See the section on searching later in the handout for details. The Browsing Menu appears in the blue area below the options bar. This menu allows you to browse the catalog by category (ebooks, Audiobooks, etc.), genre (Mystery, Western, etc.), or subject (Art, True Crime, etc.). If you do not see the Browsing menu, tap the Menu button on the options bar. Featured Collections are displayed below the Browsing Menu. These may include new items, currently available items, and other items of interest. The selections change regularly. Locating a Kindle Book There are several ways to look for Kindle Books. Use whichever method works best for you. Menu Button Search Box Advanced Search Views Page Selectors Book Jacket Title 2
Browse the Featured Collections 1. Scroll down the page to see all the featured titles. They are grouped by collections, such as New ebooks. 2. Tap View more to see additional titles in a collection. 3. Tap a book jacket and then more or the item s title to view detailed information about it (see Search Results below). Browse by Category 1. In the Browsing Menu, tap a genre under ebook Fiction or subject under ebook Nonfiction. 2. Scroll down to browse the available titles. 3. Select your preferred view format using the view controls. Cover view is the default. You may prefer List view as it provides more details about each item. 4. Use the page selector buttons to navigate through the pages of results. They are located at both the top right and bottom right of the search results. 5. Tap a book jacket and then more or the item s title to see detailed information about it. Notice that the Browsing Menu disappears when you are browsing. Tap the Menu button in the options bar and it will reappear. Use the Search Box 1. Tap inside the Search Box at the top right of the window. 2. Type a title, author, subject, or keyword(s) into the search box. 3. Tap the Spy Glass or tap Enter (Go) on your on screen keyboard. 4. The results will be displayed in the lower part of the web page. Use the Advanced Search 1. Tap Advanced Search located underneath the search box in the upper right corner of the page to go to the Advanced Search page. 2. Fill in the desired search fields. You do not have to fill in all of them. For best results, select Kindle Book as the format. 3. Select Show only titles with copies available located at the bottom left of the page if you only want to see checked in ebooks. 4. Tap the Search button at the bottom of the form. Choose Kindle Book Available items only Search 3
Checked Out Checked In Search Results ebooks have been very popular and it can often be difficult finding a title that is checked in. Unless you selected Show only titles with copies available in the Advanced Search, you will may find that most of the ebooks displayed in your search results are checked out. You can quickly tell which titles are available by looking for the dark book symbol in the upper right corner of the title s cover picture (Other formats have different symbols: headphones for audiobooks, notes for music, and a film clip for movies). If the book symbol is black, the title is available. Whenever you perform a search, select a browsing category, or expand a featured collection (click the View more button), you are presented with a page of results. This page displays all matching titles displayed in the Cover view. At times there may be many pages of results, which can make it difficult to find the exact title for which you are looking. Fortunately, the results page also includes filters and other tools to help you narrow your search. Sorting Type Currently Available Jacket Title Filters Search Box Refining Your Results There are a number of ways to refine your search results. You can use each of them individually or in combination to refine your results. 4
One of the first things you may want to do is select ebook at the upper left corner of the results. This will limit your results to just ebooks. This can often cut the number of results in half. You can elect to view only the titles that are currently available by selecting the Available Now button near the top left of the screen. Tap All Titles to once again see all the titles in the catalog that match your search criteria. Sort Order The results are initially sorted by Relevancy; the ones that most closely relate to your search terms are listed first. However, you may find one of the other sort orders more useful. Relevancy The titles are listed with the ones most closely related to your search term(s) at the top. This is the default. Title You can sort the titles alphabetically either A Z or Z A. Author You can sort by the author s last name either A Z or Z A. Release Date This sorts the results by the date the titles were originally published as an ebook with the newest ones first. This date may not be the same as the date the book was original published as a hard copy. Added to Site This sorts the results by when the titles were added to the catalog, with the oldest ones first. Most Popular This choice sorts the results based on how often they have been checked out. Filters Filters are probably the most powerful tools available to refine your results. Many filters can be used in combination. A few, though, limit the other filters you can use in conjunction with them. Format Use this filter to limit your results to Kindle Books. Subject This limits your results to a specific subject, such as travel, or genre, such as romance. Publisher Use this filter to select your favorite publisher. Language The majority of ebooks are in English, but some are also available in other languages. Rating Ratings are set by readers. Readers can give titles one to five stars, with five stars being the best rating. Not all ebooks have been rated. Device You can select your device from the list and then only the format(s) that are compatible with it will be displayed. This is a good choice if you do not know which formats your device supports. Interest Level This filter allows you to select the targeted age group. ATOS Level This is a numbering system used to rate the readability of a book. The higher the number, the more difficult the reading level. Lexile Measure This is another rating system for book readability. Again, the higher the number, the more difficult the book. Reading Level This filter limits the results to those appropriate for a specific grade level. 5
Your selected filters are displayed near the top left of the page. To remove a filter, tap the X in front of it. Detailed Information for a Title In the search results, tap the book jacket and then more, or tap the title of an item to see detailed information about it, place a hold on it, or to check it out. In some cases, you may be asked to sign in before you can view the full details. Formats Read Sample Subject or Genre Copies See More The top half of the details page displays the book jacket, title, author, and a brief description of the ebook (tap the chevron beneath the description to read more). You can tap the author to see additional books written by him or her. On the right side of the page is displayed the Available Formats. Be sure Kindle Book is listed or you will not be able to read it on your Kindle. The Subject categories and/or Genres to which the ebook belongs are listed next. These are links that will display other titles in those categories when tapped. The number of available copies (ones that are checked in) and the total number of copies available in the library system are shown at the bottom of the right column. A large blue Borrow or Place a Hold button is prominently displayed to the right of the book jacket. Beneath the book jacket is a Sample button. When you tap this, a sample, usually all or part of the first chapter, opens in your web browser. If you scroll down the details page, you may see additional information such as a full description of the ebook, author information, and reviews. Place a Hold If a title is checked out, you can place a hold on it. This will add your name to the list of people who are waiting for it. You can have 15 items on hold at any one time. 6
1. Tap the item s title or tap the book jacket and then more of the item of which you want to place a hold to go to the details page. (If you do not need to view details about the item, you can tap its book jacket and then tap the Place Hold button.) 2. On the details page, tap the Place Hold button. You will then be directed to the Sign In page (If you are already signed in, go to step 9). 3. On the Sign In page, tap [select library] to see a list of available libraries. 4. Select Washington County Public Library System (SEO) from the list. 5. Enter your entire library card number. Do not include any spaces. Library Card PIN Sign In Remember Me 6. Enter your PIN (usually the last four digits of the phone number you used to get your library card). 7. If you wish, select Remember my login information on this device and you will be able to sign in faster the next time. 8. Tap the Sign In button. 9. Check all the information on the Hold Confirmation page to be sure it is correct. 10. For added convenience, select Automatically borrow this title when it becomes available. 11. Tap the Place Hold button at the bottom of the page. 7
12. On the next screen you are given the option to return to browsing or view your holds. When the Kindle Book becomes available, you will receive an email notification. If you did not select Automatically borrow this title when it becomes available, the ebook will be held for you for 72 hours. If you do not check it out within 72 hours, it goes to the next person in line. You can only have ten items checked out at any one time (thirteen if you include magazines). Therefore, if you already have the maximum number of items checked out and do not wish to return any of them, you will have to skip the hold. If you select Automatically borrow this title when it becomes available, your item will automatically be checked out to you unless you already have ten items checked out. Claim Your Hold 1. Return to the Ohio Digital Library (you can tap on the link in the email you received). 2. Tap Sign In at the top right corner of the page. 3. Choose your library and enter your library card number and PIN. 4. Tap the Sign In button. 5. Tap the Account button in the upper right of the page. 6. Select Holds on the right side of the page. (If you selected Automatically borrow this title when it becomes available when you placed the hold, select Bookshelf instead of Holds and go to Step 10.) 7. Locate the Kindle Book that is available (it will have a Borrow button next to it). Account Borrow Holds Cancel Hold 8. Tap the Borrow button. At this point, the title is checked out to you. (If you no longer want it, tap Cancel Hold instead of Borrow.) 9. You will automatically go to your Bookshelf. 10. Locate the item in your Bookshelf. 11. Tap the Download button next to the item. 12. Select Kindle Book from the drop down menu. Kindle Book 8
13. Tap Confirm & Download at the bottom of the format menu (it appears after you select a format). Once you download a title, you cannot change its format. 14. You will automatically be taken to the Amazon web site. 15. If you have more than one Kindle, select the one to which you want to send the book from the dropdown menu under Deliver to: located in the green box on the right side of the web page. 16. Left click the orange Get library book button. You may be asked to log into your Amazon account. 17. Turn on your Kindle and be sure it is connected to a WiFi network. Library Kindle Books can only be downloaded over WiFi. You cannot download them over 3G or 4G networks. 18. Your book should be automatically downloaded to your Kindle. Select your Kindle As mentioned earlier, you can only have 10 digital items checked out at a time. This includes ebooks, audio books, music, and videos in any combination. (You can also check out an additional three magazines.) Most items have a 21 day lending period; however, some items, especially popular titles, may have a 14 day lending period. When the lending period ends, the item is automatically returned. Once an ebook expires, you can no longer open it. In some cases, you may be able to renew your item. If there are no holds on the item, a Renew button will appear next to the item in your Ohio Digital Library bookshelf three days before the expiration date. Tap the button to renew the item. (It is not renewed until it actually expires.) Borrow a Kindle Book 1. Tap the item s book jacket and then more, or tap the item s title to go to the details page. (If you do not need to view details about the item, you can tap its book jacket and then tap the Borrow button.) 2. On the details page, tap the Borrow button for the ebook (You may have to sign in first before the Borrow button appears.) 3. If you are not already signed in, you will be requested to do so. 4. A confirmation will appear with details about the item you just checked out. If you change your mind, you can return the item at this point. Go to Bookshelf Return Item 9
5. Tap Bookshelf to proceed to the download screen or tap the X in the upper right corner of the confirmation to close it and continue browsing. (The notice will close automatically after a few seconds.) 6. Go to your Bookshelf to download the title. 7. Tap Download and then select Kindle Book from the drop down menu. 8. Tap Confirm & Download at the bottom of the format menu. (It appears after you select the format.) Once you confirm the format, you cannot change it. 9. You will automatically go to the Amazon web site. 10. If you have more than one Kindle, select the one to which you want to send the book from the dropdown menu under Deliver to: located in the green box on the right side of the web page. 11. Left click Get library book button. You may be asked to log in to your Amazon account. 12. Turn on your Kindle, and make sure it is connected to a WiFi network. Library Kindle Books can only be downloaded over WiFi. You cannot download them over 3G or 4G networks. 13. Your book should be automatically downloaded to your Kindle. Manage Your Ohio Digital Library Account You can view your account information by selecting the Account button in the upper right of the page. You will be asked to sign in if you have not already done so. Select Bookshelf to see what you have checked out, when they are due, re download items that you currently have checked out, and access your OverDrive Read books. You cannot return an ebook early from here unless you have not yet downloaded it. Tap Holds to check on the ebooks for which you are waiting, suspend holds, or cancel holds you no longer want. Tap Lists to view your lists. These include lists you have created for yourself and lists that have been created for you by the Ohio Digital Library. We do not cover lists in this handout. You can set your default lending period to 7, 14, or 21 days by going to Settings. Reading Your Kindle Book When you check out a library Kindle Book, it should appear in the Books content page on your Kindle. If you do not see it, try syncing your Kindle with your Amazon account, by either turning it off and then back on, or by tapping Sync in the settings menu. If it still does not show up, check your WiFi connection. Finally, be sure you are using the same Amazon account on your device as the one to which you downloaded the ebook. Begin reading your Kindle Book by tapping its icon. Swipe right and left or tap the right side or left side of the screen to move from page to page. Tap the screen to bring up a menu of reading display options. Tap the Home button to exit your book. When you return to it, you will begin where you left off. See your Kindle s manual for full details on its use. 10
Returning Kindle Books Early You manage your Kindle Books through your Amazon account. Your account shows the books you have checked out or purchased and gives you options for managing them. If you wish to return a Kindle Book early, you must do it through your Amazon account. Returning Kindle Books Early 1. Go to www.amazon.com. 2. Point to Your Account to the right of the search box. 3. Select Manage Your Content and Devices from the menu that appears. 4. Log into your Amazon account. 5. Locate the book you wish to return in your list of titles (look for ones that say Borrowed). 6. Point to the Actions button to the left of the title. 7. Select Return this book from the menu. 8. Confirm your choice and then wait for your account to be updated. Library Kindle Book Actions Return Book 11
Reading EPUB Books on the Kindle Fire The Kindle Fire is capable of not only reading Kindle Books but also ebooks in the EPUB format (another popular format for ebooks found in the library collection). In order to checkout and read EPUB ebooks you must first install the OverDrive app. This is a free download from the Amazon App store. Once you install the Overdrive app you will be able to checkout EPUB ebooks from the library. See the handout ebooks at the Library: Digital Tablets and Smartphones for instructions on how to use the Overdrive app. OverDrive Read OverDrive Read is a feature that allows you to check out and read an ebook on your Kindle Fire without needing to download it. The only software required is a web browser. The first time you start to read an OverDrive Read book, you must be connected to the Internet. Afterward, if you download the book to your web browser, you can continue to read it even when no Internet connection is available. Checking Out OverDrive Read Books 1. Go to the Ohio Digital Library. 2. Perform a search as you normally would. 3. Select OverDrive Read from the Format Filter on the left side of the page or on the Advanced Search page. (You can skip this step if you want, as most ebooks are now available in the OverDrive Read format.) 4. Select a title. 5. Click the Borrow button. 6. Sign in if requested. You will automatically go to your Bookshelf. 7. Tap the Read button to the right of the title s book jacket. 8. Your OverDrive Read book will automatically open in your default web browser. 9. Bookmark the page so you can easily return to the book. Be sure to bookmark the page so you can easily return to it. If you do not bookmark it, you will need to sign into your Ohio Digital Library account, go to your Bookshelf, and tap the Read button to return to it. Using OverDrive Read Reading ebooks with OverDrive Read is done in much the same way as any other Kindle Book. Swipe right and left to move between pages. Tap the page to display an Options bar at the top and a progress bar at the bottom of the page. The Option bar provides four choices. Search Menu Readability Settings Bookmark 12
Search Tap this to search for a word(s) within the ebook. Menu Tap this to open the menu pane along the left side of the screen. The menu pane gives you access to a table of contents, your bookmarks, readability settings, and Offline Access. Readability Settings Tap this to change the text size, brightness, and book design. Bookmark Tap this to bookmark the current page. OverDrive Read also provides a dictionary. Press and hold a word for a moment to view a definition of it. Reading OverDrive Read Books Offline 1. Open a web browser on your Kindle Fire. 2. Navigate to the Ohio Digital Library catalog. 3. Log into your account. 4. Go to your Bookshelf and open your OverDrive Read book. 5. Tap the screen to display the Options bar at the top of the screen. 6. Tap the Menu button to display a menu pane along the left side of the screen. 7. Tap Offline Access near the bottom of the menu. 8. Tap the Download button and wait for the book to download. 9. Create a bookmark for the ebook. 10. Using the bookmark open the OverDrive Read book while connected to WiFi and sign in using your library card and PIN if requested to do so. 11. You can now read the ebook even if you do not have an Internet connection. Remember, you must use the bookmark to open the ebook when reading offline. Download You may delete the bookmark once the book expires or when you are finished with it. If you downloaded the book for offline reading it will eventually disappear on its own. Using OverDrive Read books offline has some limitations. Depending on the size of the book, you may not be able to download all of it into your web browser. This is especially true for books that have a lot of illustrations. Also, the book may be purged from the browser s cache (the memory area where the book is stored) before you finish it. This might happen if you reset your browser or save other web pages for offline viewing. You can return OverDrive Read books early by clicking the Return Title button which appears below the Read button on your Ohio Digital Library bookshelf page. However, if you download the ebook to the OverDrive app on your device, the Return Title button will no longer be available. In this case, you have to use the OverDrive App to return it early. Transferring Kindle Books over USB Some older Kindles cannot download Kindle Books over WiFi. For these Kindles, you must download the Kindle Books to your computer first and then transfer them to your Kindle using a USB cable. 1. Using your computer, locate and checkout a Kindle Book as you normally would. 13
2. On the Amazon page, left click the Get library book button. 3. On the thank you page, left click the Download now button. 4. The Kindle Book will be downloaded to your computer. Remember the folder to which it was downloaded (usually the Downloads folder or the Desktop). If you are given a choice, save it to your Desktop. 5. Connect your Kindle to your computer using a USB cable. 6. Open File Explorer (select Documents in the Start Menu) if it does not open automatically. Documents 7. Select Kindle in the Navigation pane along the left side of the File Explorer window. 8. Drag the Kindle Book file from the folder to which it was downloaded on your computer to the Document folder on your Kindle. 9. Disconnect your Kindle from your computer. 10. The book should now appear on your Kindle. Further Reading Fire Tablets for Dummies by Nancy Muir. 2015 Kindle Fire HDX by Nick Vandome. 2014 Kindle Paperwhite for Dummies by Leslie Nicoll and Harvey Chute. 2014 14