TechBits

OverDrive's new status page

Did you see the news? As of September 4th, OverDrive has a new status page to communicate service issues at https://status.overdrive.com/.

OverDrive’s new status page is available to all staff and end users. You can visit the page at any time to view the status of browsing and searching, signing in, downloading, and reading and/or listening to a book. If services on the OverDrive side are running smoothly, their status will be listed as Operational. If a service is degraded or experiencing an outage, the status will be updated accordingly.

To be notified when issues are posted, you can follow the @OverDriveStatus Twitter account which will be automatically updated, or sign up for alerts via subscription options in the lower right corner of the page.

Please take a few minutes to visit the status page and feel free to share this with your staff. WPLC project managers will continue to send service alerts to the WPLC Announcements list and to the Google WPLC Support Community.

Libby App Or OverDrive App

I've been on the road recently doing OverDrive training at a couple of libraries (and with my Dad) - thank you for having me out Brodhead and LaValle. One question that came up was about the Libby and OverDrive apps. Do you need both?

The answer? Maybe - as you can see on this screenshot of my iPhone, I have both. And, they're right next to my other two favorite book apps - LibraryThing and Litsy.

For a new user of Wisconsin's Digital Library, Libby is the way to go. It's so easy to set up and start using. At the training, library staff easily downloaded and starting using Libby. More features are being added regularly. For example, if you're a Kindle user you can now send books to your Kindle from Libby.

Do you have to switch from OverDrive App to Libby? No, you can use both at the same time - I do. For patrons who have been using Wisconsin's Digital Library for a while, they may have a Wish List (like me) or recommended titles and want to see the list. These options are not available on Libby yet. To access your settings, wishlist, rated titles, or recommendations, you'll want to use the OverDrive app or the web version of Wisconsin's Digital Library. As far as I know, there are no plans to discontinue the OverDrive app. If that changes, I'll be sure to let you know.

If you have a Kindle Fire, the OverDrive app is available in the Amazon app store. Libby is not. The OverDrive app opens up the ePub format titles to Kindle Fire users.

And, if you're a SYNC YA program listener, you'll need to use the OverDrive app or the OverDrive Media Console on your computer to download the weekly titles.

Happy reading and listening!

 

Google now showing where to borrow ebooks

This week Google added a new feature to their search results. When you look up a book title on Google, the results will now show a listing of libraries that have the ebook version available to borrow.

The listing shows up in the “quick facts” box either above or next to the search results, depending on whether you’re on a PC or a mobile. The feature is available on both PCs and mobile devices in the US.

I did some experimenting and it appears the information is coming from OverDrive.  Clicking on the link for “Wisconsin Public Library Consortium: South Central Library System – Madiso” brought me directly to the OverDrive page for the book and prompted for a sign in. The local library name at the end of the link will change depending on where you are or if you enter a new location in the “Edit location” window.

One thing I did note is that if you’re searching for a book that also has a movie adaptation, the “quick facts” may default to the movie information, not the book.  Searching for "The Hobbit" originally returned information about the films but adding "book" after the title got me the listing above.

Libby App from OverDrive

OverDrive recently announced the launch of their new app for readers, Libby. If you're subscribed to the WPLC Announcements email list, you've already seen this message from Andi Coffin at WiLS:

Phase 1 will encourage brand new users to download Libby instead of the OverDrive app. While OverDrive users in other states will see this change in June, the WPLC has opted to push this back to August in order to give us time to prepare to properly support the new app. Phase 2, which will happen later in the fall, will begin to encourage existing users to switch to Libby. It is unknown at this time if or when support for the existing app will end.

 

If you are not using Libby, we encourage you or your library's OverDrive support providers to become acquainted with it. Even though the app won't be pushed to new users until later this year, it is already available for public download and there will likely be support requests for it soon. You can download Libby from the App Store or Google Play.

 

OverDrive is providing three webinars on Libby on May 31 and June 1. You can find information about those Staff Training opportunities as well as general information here: https://resources.overdrive.com/meet-libby/.

 

I downloaded Libby last week and it is pretty easy to use. As I learn more, I'll pass the information along to you. Happy reading!

New & Improved Wisconsin's Digital Library Coming Soon

In case you missed last week's announcement, Wisconsin's Digital Library is getting an upgrade. According to OverDrive, the new site will be faster and easier to use. You can see a preview of the site here.

The process will take place over a month or so and you can preview the new site and participate in training webinars. Barring any complications, the new site is scheduled to go live on November 7.

There will be several opportunities to participate in training webinars. Register for the date and time that works best for you - or watch for the recordings on that will posted here when available.

General OverDrive Training:

• October 10 at 2 p.m.
• October 13 at 10 a.m.
• October 18 at 10 a.m.
• October 20 at 2 p.m.

OverDrive Training on Wisconsin's Digital Library Site:

• October 21 at 10 a.m.
• November 3 at 1 p.m.

Because of the upgrade to Wisconsin's Digital Library, I've rescheduled the OverDrive Support Course to begin on November 14. There are a few spots left and you can register here.

OverDrive Updates

Late last week, OverDrive implemented changes to OverDrive Read, OverDrive Listen, and the OverDrive App. 

OverDrive Read and OverDrive Listen both have updated and more visible menu and bookmark icons to make them easier to find and use. Another update renamed the "Assistive" font to "OpenDyslexic." If you haven't seen OpenDyxlexic font, check it out. It makes the reading experience much better for those with dyslexia. I wrote about it last year when OverDrive added it to the OverDrive App.

Speaking of the App, I was prompted to update my OverDrive App today and the changes are visually appealing. The new version (v 3.5) will be faster and fix many issues that patrons have reported experiencing. You can read more about these updates on the WPLC site.

Bookshelf = Checked Out

A small wording change in Wisconsin's Digital Library today is making me very happy. The word Bookshelf was changed to Checked Out. Why, you ask, does this make my day?

When you're using the OverDrive app, the word Bookshelf was used in two places. First, when a patron logs into their account on Wisconsin's Digital Library, anything they have checked out would appear on this Bookshelf. Next, a patron would want to read their book and go to their Bookshelf in the OverDrive app to access the books they've downloaded. Confusing, right?

Making sure that library staff and, in turn, library patrons understood the difference and how to get to each of these was something I would clarify when conducting training sessions on Wisconsin's Digital Library and the OverDrive app. When I was at Digipalooza this past summer, it was one of the things that lots of us told OverDrive staff about and they listened!

As of this morning (December 15, 2015), patrons will now see the words Checked Out when they log into their account on Wisconsin's Digital Library - through the OverDrive app or the website. Sometimes, it's the littlest things that make me the happiest. 

Happy Reading!

Merging Barcodes in OverDrive Support is Here!

Yes, you read that right. We've been asking for and waiting a long time for this option in OverDrive Support. Now, instead of filling out a support request and waiting for OverDrive Support staff to merge library cards, you can do it on your own.

And, it's pretty easy. Library staff can log into OverDrive Marketplace* with their credentials and then select Support. You'll see the Merge Barcode Activity option. You'll need both of the patron barcodes - the old one and the new one - to merge the accounts. Be sure to search and review the barcodes before merging as any activity merged with the new barcode cannot be removed afterwards.

As you can see by the screenshot, it's a pretty simple process. And, our patrons won't have to wait to be able to use their new library cards - woo hoo! Enjoy!

Updated 7/30/15

A question came in about searching and reviewing the barcodes before merging that I want to address. Here's what you'll see when you enter barcodes in both fields. Any activity on the original barcode - the checkouts and holds - will be merged with the new barcode.You'll need to select each barcode before the Merge button becomes active. Then click Merge and you're all done.

Note - the authentication name is "south" for all South Central Library System patrons.

I'm sure there will be more new things coming from OverDrive soon. Next week is Digipalooza 2015, OverDrive's International  User Group meeting. Sara Gold from WiLS and I will be attending and will bring back news, updates, and more for you. Join us on August 25 at 10 a.m. for our Digipalooza 2015 Highlights webinar.

*Each library should have credentials to access OverDrive Support in OverDrive's Marketplace. Contact me if you need help accessing it or need an account.

OverDrive App with Dyslexic Font Option

OverDrive recently introduced a couple of new font options for readers with dyslexia: OpenDyslexic and OpenDyxlesic Bold. I took a couple of screenshots from a book I'm currently reading in my OverDrive app on my iPad mini so you can see the difference. The first one is in Palatino font:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second image is in OpenDyslexic font:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's good to see that the e-reading experience is becoming more accessible for everyone.

Bonus image from Tech Day:

I recently got a standing desk from Varidesk and shared some of it photos at Tech Day. Here's an photo of how I use it every day. Next time you're in the SCLS offices, stop by and I'll show you how it works.

 

OverDrive by the Numbers

In preparation for the Annual Report, we've been gathering lots of numbers to pre-populate the report for you. I'm most interested in the Wisconsin's Digital Library (OverDrive) collection and circulation numbers and wanted to share them with you.

Collection Size - Statewide (excluding Advantage titles) 

• 122,613 ebooks 
• 28,375 digital audio books  
• 1,403 videos

Circulation - SCLS (includes our Advantage Titles)               

• Total = 591,575
• Ebooks = 427,846
• Audio = 161,484
• Video = 2,245

Circulation - Statewide

• 2,942,039

Wow - those are some big numbers! If I figured it out correctly, SCLS's circulation is 20% of the statewide total. Awesome - I love that our patrons are using Wisconsin's Digital Library! OverDrive even made mention of Wisconsin achieving the Million Checkout milestone in a recent blog post.

You can see your library's circulation in this spreadsheet updated January 8, 2015 (thanks, Kerri!) The pie chart above was created from that spreadsheet. Isn't it colorful?

All this use may mean that your library patrons are asking you lots of questions. Here's a link to "OverDrive's 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions." Want to know more? I'll be running a 5-week OverDrive Support Course starting on February 9 and you can register here.

Happy Reading, Listening, & Watching!