Nook – eLibrary Backstage

It’s Easy to Help!

Post published:October 19, 2012

Did you know that it’s possible to email OverDrive help pages to people? It’s an easy way to provide the information they need to answer their questions or resolve their issues.

Once you click through to a specific help page you will find a “MailTo” link in the upper right corner. An email message will open with a link to the document you are viewing. Just add their email address and your comments and hit send. Voilà, your patron has easy access to what they need, and you don’t have to worry about losing them when you try to walk them through the process of getting there.

Take a closer look at that image up there. I used it specifically because it’s all about loading the OverDrive Media Console (OMC) App on a Nook. This is a recent development, so be sure to check out the steps here.

It was also recently announced that the OMC App is now available in the Amazon App Store, making it easy to load it onto a Kindle Fire. Why would a patron want to do that, you might ask? Two reasons: the option to browse for titles within the app rather than going through the library’s website, and, perhaps more importantly, the ability to bypass transferring Penguin books via USB by downloading the ePub version in the OMC app.

Sarah (CLP)

Words on a Nook Tablet

Post published:January 20, 2012

Late last year I decided it was time to join the eReader/Tablet crowd. I decided on a Tablet because I liked the idea of being able to check email, look up a quick fact on the Internet, or spend a few minutes playing a game. Another key factor was being able to download library eBooks directly to the device. After that, it was a question of which Tablet to get.

In the end, I chose the Nook Tablet. The size made it more portable than an iPad. The price point was also more attractive because I got a good deal which included some accessories and this became the deciding factor in getting a Nook Tablet over the Kindle Fire. While I have enjoyed the Nook for many reasons, I was bitterly disappointed because currently, it isn’t possible to download library eBooks directly to the Nook Tablet.* The Nook Tablet is an Android device sold by Barnes and Noble, a book store that has used library eBook compatibility as a selling point for their other devices. Why wouldn’t their tablet allow direct downloads?!?

The good news is that both OverDrive and Barnes and Noble have confirmed that an OverDrive app for the Nook Color and Nook Tablet is in the works. In the meantime, library eBooks have to be side-loaded onto both devices.** It’s still worth it for the benefit of reading lengthy tomes such as the titles in George R R Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series without having to manipulate a thick, heavy book. I also like being able to adjust the text size and background colors on the screen to make reading easier.

Stay tuned. Hopefully my next post will be a success story about downloading directly to my Nook Tablet.

Charmaine (CLP)

*There are ways to “root” the Nook so that it allows apps that aren’t a part of the pre-selected market. You can find out how by doing a search in your favorite search engine. Doing this, however, voids the warranty.

** Another option with the Nook Color is to purchase an SD card that turns the device into an Android tablet. At this time these don’t seem to be available for the Nook Tablet.