Libraries (and Libby, the app they use) are also making it difficult to do anything but read in a browser or use Kindle.
Sadly too true. To be fair though I don’t think ANY librarian want that.
Here in Belgium we have an online library ( lirtuel.be ) that isn’t actually too bad. I looked it up and they say they provided ePub/PDF so I registered right away. Then… I discovered what they meant wasn’t ePub/PDF but rather DRMed ePub/PDF (here is an example www.lirtuel.be/…/67aaf2124e480409978b68fb with ePub logo on the top right). Anyway I contacted them explaining that my ebook reader (reMarkable) does not support DRM and thus I couldn’t read the content. They pointed me to their documentation …demarque.com/…/qu-est-ce-qu-un-verrou-numerique-… which implies it’s all “normal” to use that. I insisted, they didn’t reply.
Long story short, I’m either not using their service anymore or using DeGourou github.com/Bingwithyou/DeGourou to make the content legally loaned actually usable. Sad state of affairs but I’m convinced none of the actual librarians, namely people who care for making knowledge discoverable and accessible like that. I’m sure they’ve been coerced by same big publishers.
polysics@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Overdrive (which is Libby) integrates directly into the Kobo OS so you can borrow books directly on the device instead of the roundabout way you have to do it on the Kindle.
CarbonBasedNPU@lemm.ee 2 months ago
Its also available as an app on all android based e-readers.
spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works 2 months ago
Overdrive’s being phased out and being replaced by Libby according to the 2 libraries I frequent. I wonder if it will still be supported on Kobo OS once the website and apps are shut down?
Anysia@lemmy.ca 2 months ago
My library has used Libby for years. It’s another version of Overdrive. My library books download to Kobo fine unless they’re changing something else I don’t know about.
Rozz@lemmy.sdf.org 2 months ago
My wife uses Libby and books go directly to her kindle.