Here are some thoughts on reading only books borrowed from my local public library and reading them on my kobo ereader (I have the Clara BW model.)
01 - No longer purchasing ebooks - I no longer see value in purchasing ebooks since I rarely re-read books and they would only sit in my ereader or in my accounts. As far as I can understand, when you purchase an ebook, you're buying the rights to read it and that's it. You can't re-sell them because that would require transferring digital rights which frankly, I don't quite know how. But if I really love a book, I might purchase a paper version but I haven't read any books that I love lately.
02 - Library availability
- I have to consider availability from my library when I choose what
books to borrow and read. I can request my library to purchase certain
books but I rather not since it takes so long for them to fulfill the
request and most likely, they wouldn't make the purchase for tons of
reason which most likely budgets.
Public libraries have to
purchase rights to ebooks (for a period of time) to loan them out so
that right can expired so availability is not a permanent thing for
ebooks. I'm wondering why libraries aren't given the privilege to
purchase ebooks for indefinite use. It's not like they are making
profits loaning them out. But I suppose publishers/authors wants to make
money too.
Also format availability - For example, for a series,
book 1 may be available in ebook and audiobook formats but book 2 may
be only available in audiobook format. I don't understand this but this
hadn't changed in years. I think if you're an audiobook reader, you are
likely to have more books available than if you're an ebook reader.
03 - I now waste more time searching for books to read than actually reading them - I don't know why I'm so picky. I usually read a sample of the book to decide if I want to read it. But sometimes I depend on the synopsis or even just by the cover itself. I don't have a definite way to decide, I guess it depends on my mood.
A lot of times I find books that are in the middle of a series and then when I look for the first book, it's unavailable at the library which is a shame as I do prefer to read from the beginning of a series. I don't get why some book series have no book 1 available but others in the series are available - shouldn't book 1 be the one available?
04 - The more popular a book, the longer the wait time at your library - For example, if you place a hold on a book, you might get to read it in a week or in a few months or even a whole year. Even if it sometimes says the wait time is 2 weeks, that time can extend or shorten depending on readers. I don't mind waiting except when I'm reading a series.
And also, the more popular books, the more copies are available which seems unfair. Most ebooks from the library have one or two copies which I guess is the norm. So why are some books have more than 10 copies available? There should be a standard number of copies for all books for equality and besides that, popular authors don't even need their books in the library as much as much as less popular authors but I guess popularity wins out.
05 - Reading on a kobo and sometimes on a kindle - Even though I use mainly my kobo, I sometimes have to use my kindle because not all books available from the library can be read on a kobo since if a book is not listed on the kobo store, you can't get it onto your ereaders unless you sideload them. (Note: Sideload books means you plug your ereader into your computer and download books (from the library's website) and load them into your ereader like you would a file but there are things you have to do before you can even do that because you cannot just load a library book onto your ereader and read it - there are permission issues which I have not been successful in solving so I cannot tell you how to do it.)
So my option when a book is not available through kobo but is available for kindle, then I read that on my kindle ereader.
But if I can't get that book on either devices, then I don't read that book at all which happens a lot but I don't mind it. I guess if I'm desperate to read a certain book, I might purchase it but it's unlikely.
06 - Please don't monopolize books - Having more than one library cards (which is legal somewhat) so you can borrow more books and have more holds is just dumb and disrespecting other library patrons. Since you can borrow more books from so many libraries and have so many holds, you will probably end up borrowing a lot of books at once and probably won't get to read many of them unless you're a speed reader. I just think respecting others by not monopolizing book is the proper thing to do.
07 - No back cover for ebooks - Some ebooks just ends where the story ends, there's not even an The End
- it just stops. Then there are books ending with list of books that
author had written or some copyright info or even the content list
(which is just odd being at the end) but no back cover like paperbacks
or hardcovers. I've only seen maybe two back covers of two ebooks and
not have encountered another one since.
You know how there's
these notices that tells you not to purchase books without covers (front
and back) because they might be stolen goods – ebooks without back
covers is like stolen goods because the back cover is not there. How
hard it is to put a back cover to the end an ebook? I know this isn't
much an issue because most people wouldn't care about it but I think a
back cover makes a book more complete and it gives you a feeling of
having finished reading the book when you see the back cover or am I mad to think this way?
Do you read library books? How is your experience on reading books from your library (digital or otherwise)?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Some useful links:
• Find your library at Overdrive's website
• Overdrive help
• How to borrow kindle books from your library
• How to borrow kobo books from your library
"My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplaces of existence." – Doyle
August 17, 2025
Some thoughts on reading library ebooks
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good thoughts
ReplyDeleteChristine: Thanks. And thank you for stopping by. Have a lovely day.
DeleteI must confess that I don't read library books. I can't read print any more, only e-books because of my eyes, and I don't know how to download them from the library. I could learn, of course, but it's just simpler to buy a Kindle copy and read it on my computer. As for classics no longer in the public domain, they are easily available for free on the internet. That's how I read "Moby-Dick." And of course, I read a lot of fan fiction, which is only available on the internet anyway.
ReplyDeleteDebra: I agree with you, it is easier to just buy kindle books with no fuss about downing or copyrights. There are a lot of classic on the net but I wasn't doing much looking for them as the library seems to have copies too.
DeleteThank you for stopping by. Have a lovely day.
I read library books - paper only - and have always done.
ReplyDeleteIt is a good way to read a book you are not sure warrants buying. Note: books in Denmark are quite expensive, 25 % VAT and small issues see to this.
Also for paper books some books are available in more copies than others, with the positive side effect that the library sells the surplus copies after a time; and I buy many books this way.
I don't read Ebooks, and I can't read for long on a screen, and audiobooks make my ind wander ;)
Charlotte: I've noticed books are more expensive outside of the U.S. I suppose not all place have easy places to buy them.
DeleteI like that libraries have more than one copy of a book but that still depends on what's popular.
I'm not a fan of audio books either. I can understand listening to books while you do things but I'm like you, I get distracted for no reason.
Thank you for stopping by. Have a lovely day.
I don't check out library books often any more--I prefer to buy paper copies, and I almost always save and reread them. The idea that it is inconsiderate to take out several books leased to a library (or paper copies, for that matter) only applies to newer books in demand, and even then the libraries have their formulas. (The same issue came up in college when some students (mostly pre-meds) would take out, say, all 25 copies of a book so that other students could not complete the assignment.) Quite often, I buy or take out a book that is 50 or 100 years old, and that has never been read (uncut pages) or read only once or twice judging by condition or date-due stamps, so I generally don't believe in limiting the loaning of books.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of libraries and individuals only leasing copies of books which have no permanent repository I find quite problematic (especially since the publishers will probably go out of business, and all the e-book formats anyway will likely be gibberish in fifty years). It is fun to rediscover a forgotten author from long ago, but if there are no traces of their writing left, a great cultural treasure will have been lost.
--Jim
Jim: I guess libraries have their budgets so how many copies of a book varies but yes, new books seems to be more in demand than older books.
DeleteI also try to save money when I buy books. I guess thinking you're saving money sort of make you think it's justifiable to buy a lot of books.
Digital rights of books are kind of complicated so I guess there couldn't be permanent digital rights for libraries which is just odd because the libraries do pay for books but the publishers are making money over and over on the same books. But I think there will always be books, some form of them will exist for long time. Plus, books get pass along but yes, some books might just cease to exist.
Thank you for stopping by. Have a lovely day.
Jamie (Jannghi.blogspot.com):
ReplyDeleteGetting library e-books free is why I don't buy them. It saves money, too, obviously. I only read one or two a month.
Jamie: Reading one or two books a month seems little but I guess I'm more of a faster reader than you.
DeleteThank you for stopping by. Have a lovely day.
For 15 years I was an avid e-book reader (Kindle). I had excuses but mostly it was that the reader was easy to carry, and I had an hour plus each day on the subway to read. When I retired I finally went to my nearest public library, and now I read mostly print books again (52 so far this year.) If the library does not have something I want read (a new book) I will often buy a print copy, read it, then donate it to the library asking that they add it to their collection. The books appear with a bookplate that says "donated by a patron for others to enjoy." I still take an e-reader on long trips with books loaded to read while traveling for a month.
ReplyDeleteTravel: I'm too used to reading ebooks now that I'm too lazy to go to an actual library. Ereaders are quite handy as long as you have a lot of battery power.
DeleteThank you for stopping by. Have a lovely day.
I am a big fan of my local library and check out lots of books. I like the physical books. I'm lucky to have a really terrific library and if they don't have the book I want, I can order it from another library in our system and they will send it to my library. Very convenient!
ReplyDeleteI found your blog from Debra at She Who Seeks!
Ellen D.: I'm not as lucky as you but at least, there are tons of books to borrow.
DeleteThank you for stopping by. Have a lovely day.
Hi! Clicked over here from Debra's blog. Love this topic!
ReplyDeleteI am a big reader. I couldn't possibly afford to purchase all the books I read so I use my public library extensively. Until fairly recently I was a physical book only reader but my library had a series I was reading and only the first three (of 15!) books were on paper. My daughter gave me her older Kindle so I have been able to check out ebooks. I like the flexibility but I truly prefer paper.
(Also, why are there so many audiobooks available?!?)
e: Sometimes I do prefer paper but I guess I'm too used to read using my kobo ereader. It's nice that libraries have completed book series but not always though.
DeleteThank you for stopping by. Have a lovely day.
People get more than one library card? That's not right! I used to be a big fan of checking out books from our local library but not anymore. It has shifted to a place where people can go and use their free WIFI, they don't seem to care about stocking books anymore. Hey! You have a great blog, Debra sent me over too. x
ReplyDeleteKay G.: You can buy out-of-state library cards here and there but it depends on the libraries.
DeleteLibraries aren't just for borrowing books, you can even book different medias such as dvds and even games though I haven't check them so I don't know but some libraries offers a lot though people don't often know about.
Thank you for stopping by. Have a lovely day.
I love the Libby app. It is supported by my local library and allows me to always have a book on the go on my phone. I keep a long list of holds because as you said, a lot of the popular books can take ages to become available. It took a while to enjoy reading on my phone, but after a number of years I’m very comfortable with the format. I have a kindle I seldom use. I won’t rant about the business model behind kindle, but I could. Lol.
ReplyDeleteMarly
Marly: I haven't tried reading on a phone but I guess it's about the same as a tablet or a computer only smaller. I think it's better to read on a ereader because they are made for reading and with warm light which is supposedly better for your eyes but I don't know if that's true.
DeleteOh, yes, the more popular a book is, the longer the wait list. I think the longest I have waited for a book is about 6 months and that book wasn't even worth waiting but at least I got my chance to read it.
Thank you for stopping by. Have a lovely day.