The eBook has landed

Masterton Library has signed on with ePukaPuka, a collaboration between 13 library districts in the lower North Island to bring downloadable eBooks and audio books to their borrowers. eBooks or electronic books are books that have been converted to digital files that can be viewed on a computer or eReader, a portable electronic device used primarily for reading books or other written material. ePukapuka is bringing this technology into our libraries for no additional cost to borrowers.

All you need to access eBooks through ePukaPuka is an internet connection via a PC, Mac or select mobile phones, and a valid library card (with password/PIN). From the ePukaPuka web site you will be able to download the free software required to transfer the eBook to your chosen device. ePukaPuka makes use of a platform developed by Overdrive, an American-based distributor of eBooks, Audio Books and video with access to more than 1,000 different publishers. A link to ePukaPuka will be located on the library’s website.

Once you have downloaded the requisite software borrowing an eBook or audio title is a simple matter of browsing the collection, checking it out, and downloading. You can then either read it on your PC or Mac, or transfer it to your iPod, eBook reader or other compatible device. There are no late fees for titles you download as they will expire at the end of the loan period and are automatically returned to the library.

When browsing ePukapuka you can create a wish list of items you are interested in and from this you can download up to five items at any one time. If the item you are interested in is currently on issue it is possible to place a hold/reserve on it through ePukapuka. Titles cannot be renewed but you can check them out again if no other borrower has requested them. It should be noted that presently the Amazon Kindle device is not compatible with Overdrive through ePukapuka.

If you would like to learn more about eBooks and eReaders, library consultant Sally Pewhairangi will be visiting Masterton Library on Wednesday the 14th of December from 1:00 to 2:30 and again on Friday the 16th of December from 10:00 to 11:30. She will also be available at Greytown Library on the 14th from 10:00 to 11:30. Sally has been commissioned by the Association of Public Library Managers to do a roadshow promoting eBooks and eBook readers to library staff and the public. She will be available to answer questions and will also have a variety of different devices available for the public to explore.

eBooks are a wonderful way of complementing our print collection and are particularly popular with people on the move such as commuters or travellers. For them the convenience of being able to store several books on a small portable device is a great innovation that many are already adopting. In the US it is estimated that 20% of the books being bought are eBooks and while New Zealand has been relatively slow to embrace the new technology, it is growing. The library will of course continue to maintain an excellent print collection, eBooks are just another dimension in our continuing efforts to meet the needs of our borrowers.