MPL to Provide Free eBooks

Posted September 23, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2011
Contact: Kate Horan, McAllen Public Library, 956-688-3300, khoran@mcallen.net

MPL to Provide Free eBooks Starting Oct 3

McAllen, TX – Beginning Monday, October 3, McAllen Public Library patrons can use their library cards to borrow more than just DVDs, CDs, and printed books.

After months of planning and anticipation, the library is expanding into digital media with an inaugural collection of eBooks. Library cardholders will be able to borrow and download eBooks for free from a special website developed by MPL staff and powered by OverDrive, a global distributor of electronic content for libraries and the purveyor of MPL’s digital collection.

“Nationwide the popularity of eBooks has been skyrocketing, so it seemed only natural for us to take this step to meet public interest and demand,” said Jose Gamez, Library Director. “On October 3 our eBook collection will consist of about 480 titles, but that number will certainly increase in the months and years to come.”

The inaugural eBook collection consists largely of popular and bestselling fiction and nonfiction titles. Children, teens, and adults will find familiar authors, from Mary Pope Osborne to R.L. Stine, Melissa de la Cruz to James Patterson. This screenshot gives you a glimpse of what to expect on MPL’s eBooks homepage:

Another thing to expect October 3 (and beyond) is a special borrowing process for MPL eBooks. Here’s how to prepare yourself to be an eBook borrower:

  1. You must have an active McAllen Public Library card account and PIN #.
    1. Don’t have an MPL card? First, register online: http://bit.ly/mplregister Then, visit any library location with your picture ID and proof of address to validate your account.
    2. Don’t have a PIN #? Or, lost track of it? Don’t sweat it. Circulation staff at any library location can assign one to you, but you must receive your new PIN # in person, per the library’s borrower policy. If you’re registering for a new account, you have to visit the library anyway to validate and pick up your free card – but don’t forget to make note of your PIN #!
  2. The loan period for eBooks is the same as for printed books: 14 days/2 weeks. The difference is you can only borrow 3 eBooks at any one time, whereas you can borrow an unlimited number of printed books at any one time.
  3. An eBook can never be overdue. Your access to it on your device simply expires.
  4. As you can see in the screenshot above, MPL’s eBooks site will have a prominent link to a Guided Tour showing you how to browse, check out, and download the titles available in the collection; a link to a Help/FAQs page; and a link to a list of Compatible Devices.
  5. In general OverDrive eBooks are compatible with mainstream mobile devices (Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Windows Phone 7, etc) and eBook Readers (B&N Nook, Kobo, Sony Reader, Amazon Kindle, etc). Review OverDrive’s comprehensive list of Compatible Devices to see if your device is eBook ready.
  6. For the time being MPL’s eBook collection will support three formats: Kindle Book, Adobe ePub, and Adobe PDF.

On September 21, OverDrive and Amazon announced the launch of Kindle compatibility with library eBooks. Read the press release here.

ABOUT OVERDRIVE
OverDrive is a leading multichannel digital distributor of eBooks, audiobooks, music, and video. It delivers secure management, DRM protection, and download fulfillment services for hundreds of publishers and thousands of libraries, schools, and retailers, serving millions of end users. OverDrive has been named to the EContent 100 as a company that matters most in the digital content industry. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, OH. http:///www.overdrive.com

ABOUT MCALLEN PUBLIC LIBRARY
McAllen Public Library is an emerging, three-branch library system in South Texas on the brink of a massive, eye-popping New Main Library, opening December 2011. For more on the New Main Library visit: http://www.mcallenlibrary.net/about/newmain

Questions about MPL’s eBook collection? Please direct them to the library’s Facebook or Twitter streams. Or Ask a Librarian.

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Filed Under:
teens • new library • reading • new library card • children • adults • ebooks


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