Overdrive :D

[Mousy]

Almost a year ago, I lived in a city of about 80k people with a rather small library. I used their overdrive to get access to books and check them out on my phone and I've been using it since I moved to a much, much bigger city. It worked fine until I realized that half of the stuff I wanted to read just wasn't available in that particular library's overdrive and I just stopped using it.

I'd been meaning to go to the local library here and get a library card and sign up for their overdrive access, but I have severe anxiety with going places alone that I've never been before.

Last Saturday, I decided to work up the courage to go. I looked up the nearest library online and I saw this magical thing~ ONLINE ACCESS~ I could sign up for a digital account from the comfort of my own couch!!! My last library forced you to go in person. *cue heavenly chorus when i saw that I didn't have to travel*

I signed up and got my digital account and logged on.

IT IS CONNECTED TO 26 OTHER LIBRARIES.

I CAN CHECK OUT 30 BOOKS IF I WANT TO!

I was limited to 5 with my other library! I am in book Heaven!

I only have 2 checked out right now.

Discuss-
overdrive
library experiences
fear of new places
and
book suggestions
aaaaaannndddd GO!

[Lemon Cheesecake]

Very nice!
I didn't know such a thing was possible... but them (ashamedly) I haven't been to the library in ages and (admittingly) the last few times I checked out DVD's and not books!

[mdom]

That's so cool, Mousy!! Congrats for facing your fears!!
I should check if they work in Brazil.

[ShiroGEM]

The central library in HK is actually encouraging students to check books out online which is absolutely phenomenal. I haven't signed up yet but the flyer is still inside my Ipad cover. (I'm so lazy.) My school library does have an overdrive which I tried using but then I lost interest in books... I should ask for recommendations sooner or later. My friend does use it regularly though! It's great because we can still borrow books while on vacation with our student or library account and read online. c:

In terms of library experiences, I always go and never check out any books. If I do, I never get around to reading them which is really sad but that's how life is I guess. ;; I do love the quietness in libraries and the smell of books is the best. Sometimes my books are so overdue that my school emails me for weeks before I bring it back to school. OTL

[Kitalpha Hart]

I haven't been to a library in years...
Not wanting to worry about due dates and such would likely be part of it
One not connected to a school...even longer
Heck, I only borrowed a few books back in high school and that was cuz I was missing them still
Late elementary school/early middle is the last time I went to one not connected to a school

But while I did check out some books, I still very much would prefer to own them

[Polaris]

I've got one book checked out from my local library, albeit for an English assignment egh
I've been going to the library frequently, though, to meet up with my Calc Tutor, so I can at least tell myself that I'm at least going TO the library.

As for book recs, hmm... One book that my cousin and her friends have been really into is "13 Reasons Why," the book the new Netflix series is based off of. There were a couple things the Netflix series added that I don't remember being in the book. I remember reading the book back in middle school, though looking back I can't believe they let us read that or even introduced us to it. Really good book though! :0

I've been reading a book called "Social Physics: How Social Networks Can Make Us Smarter" by Alex Pentland. I'll admit I haven't gotten past 50 pages so lazy ahh but it's alright do far

[Mousy]

Polaris
I read 13 reasons why years ago. I should reread it!
And i'm adding your other book to my list!

@Kitalpha Hart
I definitely understand wanting to OWN the book and nothing will ever replace physical books. I like to think of Overdrive as my test drive. If I read a book I really, really like and know I'll want to read again, I can go buy it. If I find out the book I'm reading is not good, I didn't waste my money. XD

Shirogem
It automatically checks them back in for you! It gives you the book for like 12 or 14 days and when it gets close to time, you can recheck or it just automatically returns! I STILL have 2 library books from when I was like 13 that are with me in another state. Don't tell the library police. T_T shhhhhh.... I think they gave up on me. O_O I didn't mean to keep them! They were just so overdue and then I had so much anxiety with returning them and the judgment and they didn't have a dropbox so i'd have to go in. PHEW! Just thinking about it gets my heart racing! XD

[Watery Star]

I've used overdrive. I had to go in to get a card, which was a bigger issue for my boyfriend because he doesn't like going to places in downtown. It can be hard to find what your looking for but at least it had it's own parking. I'm now in city over and haven't looked into getting a card for the local library here.

I was checking out Terry Prachet's Discworld on my kindle but there was such a long wait for each book (average was a couple months but one was several months). Ended up just downloading a bunch of free e-books on amazon. I have a ton to go through so I think I'd only really use Overdrive when there's a book I really want to read but so far I'm content with what I have.
Btw, I need to finish to the ebooks I've started. ^^;

[ShiroGEM]

Yea! I think that's the beauty of it, no overdue fees guaranteed!
Lmaoo you're not alone, I have a Matilda that's probably from my brother's school library... I wonder how it got here since I don't think he likes to read that kind of stuff. He's a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory person. Dropboxes are cool, but when the books get overdue you have to face the librarians which scare the heck out of me too. TT^TT

[Lemon Cheesecake]

have you read all 30 of your books yet?

[Gingerale]

I admit, I am afraid to go to new places by myself. I think it has something to do with getting lost and I hate when grocery stores/ retailers etc move the shelves around and I can't find what I need quickly.

[MonkeyGirl18]

As for library experiences.....

My town's library has been under construction adding an expansion for almost a year now and has been at a temporary location.


Been dying to see the library once its done.

If there's anywhere I'm not too scared to go on my own, it's a library, lol.

[galled]

Silly me... I would have thought libraries would be less popular as the world goes digital.

[Bassy]

This is exactly what I think of when I see the title.


I need to go to the library again. I haven't been in like....well... years.... wait that's false. I went year and a half ago just to print out my schedule for my last job... but checking out books has been a while.

I know my former roommate has seen that there is a book about my universities history and about the room I lived in where suicide was taken place. I need to find it and read it. I never met 'Bob' (what my roommate called him) and apparently she can sense ghosts. I can't really. I believe it because she was telling me about this black mass that's in our dorm. She would say she feels like she is being watched. When I was on the 2nd floor one day by myself for the winter (everyone moved out for break) I was so creeped out. I was even scared to go to bed. I felt something was watching me. I eventually got over it though. That was resulted in someone playing the ouija board (from what I been told)

[MonkeyGirl18]

galled I don't like ebooks so I love going to the library. ebooks can never replace physical books.

Plus, libraries do have computers available. I have a friend who lives in a different city and says their library actually has space where people can make videos, green screens and the like included, which is awesome and wish my library had that.

So libraries are also keeping up with times with the other things they do depending on where you live at least.