Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Which reading app do you use? I use the Overdrive app which allows me to check out ebooks and audio books from my library. More than 30,000 libraries use Overdrive! The selection is great and I love that the book I am reading is always with me on my phone.
Right now, they are having a BIG LIBRARY READ until April 16th. This means the book they are using for a book discussion is available for check-out without a hold. It is available in Audio and Ebook! The book they are discussing is Flat Broke with Two Goats a memoir by Jennifer McGaha. I am about 75% done and I am really enjoying it! Flat Broke with Two Goats: A Memoir of Appalachia

I use kindle (obviously) borrow box and Libby, both connected to different counties libraries, as I live on the border I joined both libraries so I can check to see which one has certain books

I personally prefer Libby's functionality to Overdrive. It was created by the same people, so it should be accessible at all the same libraries who use it. But it's such a great resource and I love getting audiobooks from the library!

I use overdrive but only because it’s the one my library collection is available on

I also prefer Libby for audiobook Library reads. I use Kindle for regular reads. Occasionally I use overdrive, but it’s definitely not as user friendly as Libby. When I had Scribd, I used that quite a bit and liked it.

They are bringing back Scribds unlimited reading/listening subscription service too- so for $9 a month I’ve been thinking about picking them up again. They have a better selection than KU IMO.

My library has books through OverDrive and RBdigital. I prefer OD over RBD. I occasionally use my husband and boss's Audible accounts. hehee.

I use Borrow Box for my Library books, iBooks on my iPhone and iPad mini and Aldiko on my old cheap tablet.

I’ve only read one book through the Library and it worked fine. It was pretty easy to use.

iBooks is easier to transfer my own books I’ve sourced from other places onto my Apple devices and it’s easier to delete them so I just stick with using it. I just have to remember to not update my iTunes because the latest iTunes won’t let you put books and audiobooks on the iPad unless you have bought them from iTunes. The only way to transfer them on is to email them to yourself and open them in iBooks which is a pain in the butt. Especially when I have “sourced” a heap of them. I use my iPad as my major source of ebook reading.

I do have the Kindle app on my iPad but I haven’t sorted my Amazon problem out yet. When I tried to open an Amazon account it said my email was already being used for an account but I don’t remember opening one. No rush though. I’ll get around to fixing it.

Aldiko was on my cheap android tablet when I got it. It’s easy to use and I like it. I haven’t used it since I got my iPad though. The iPad is better and faster so I use it all the time instead.

I use my Kindle app a lot (as well as my actual Kindle, because until recently I didn't have a phone good enough to run a Kindle app).

I also use both Overdrive and Axis360 because those are the ones my library gives access too. I prefer Overdrive, but I'll use the other one if it has something I want that isn't available through Overdrive.

Maybe I should look into the Libby app. What do those who prefer it like about it compared to Overdrive?

@Raquel I think the whole Libby interface is just easier to navigate. At the bottom of the screen there are two options “library” to search your library’s digital catalog and “shelf” to look at what you already have borrowed.

While searching, if something is not available you can see an approximation of how long you would be on the waitlist for if you put it on hold. It’s very easy to listen directly to the audiobooks from the app and if your phone locks up again from not being in use, there’s an screen to control it with without having to unlock the whole phone (at least on iPhone).

I’ve had overdrive for a long time, but I stopped using it for a few years. Now compared to Libby, other than searching for books, I can’t figure out how to use Overdrive for the life of me. Of course, I use my kindle or kindle app for actual reading so I can’t really comment on that aspect of it.

I use Overdrive for library books (mainly audio) and Kindle app for reading e-books. My library now has Libby as well so maybe I should check that out, if it´s easier to navigate. I´m thinking about buying en e-book reader, what do you guys have, and what do you recommend?

Overdrive and Borrowbox are the two I use the most.

I am not sure if my library has Libby

I have a Kindle (or two!) so I use the Kindle app to read on my non-Kindle devices. My library uses Axis360 for digital checkouts. It works pretty well with the new Kindle Fires. It's a pain with older Kindles and Android devices. I use the Audible app on my phone and Kindle. It's the best interface to listen to audiobooks. I use BlueFireReader for my university library ebooks.

I recommend the Kindle Paperwhite. The screen doesn't hurt my eyes, there's no glare when reading outside, and it's lightweight. The only downside is that I can't read library ebooks on it because my library's app isn't supported. I use my Kindle Fire 7 for that and audiobooks.

Jacqueline wrote: "...I just have to remember to not update my iTunes because the latest iTunes won’t let you put books and audiobooks on the iPad unless you have bought them from iTunes...."

If you have a Mac laptop or desktop, you can airdrop iBooks to your iPad. You can also drag and drop .epub files that you DL elsewhere into iBooks and then sync them with the Cloud and then download to your iDevice. Granted, these options really only work if you have Apple computer.

For audiobooks, I just drag them into iTunes as "songs" and then change to Audiobook under Info. When I sync with my computer, it puts them in iBooks to listen. Have you tried this?

I use Kindle, iBooks, and Libby apps. I also have a regular Kindle to read eBooks.

I use my actual Kindle to read eBooks at home, and on my commute/going to appointments. I look at a computer screen all day, so it's nice to not have to read a backlit tablet at home all the time. And it's small and lightweight so I toss it in my bag if I'm going to be out and about and might have spots of time to read.

I use Libby for library eBooks and audiobooks on my iPad/iPhone, as I find it significantly easier to navigate. Once Libby incorporates the option to recommend eBooks/audiobooks for purchase (something they are working on), I will remove Overdrive from my apps. I have the Kindle app on my iPad because that's where I purchase eBooks, and I can sync across devices and have them available at anytime. iBooks is for audiobooks and eBooks I source elsewhere. I have an Audible account, and download any audiobooks purchased there out of Audible and import to iTunes just to have everything in one spot. When I travel, I use my iPad for everything, so it's nice to have all my book/audiobook options in one spot.

Raquel wrote: "I use my Kindle app a lot (as well as my actual Kindle, because until recently I didn't have a phone good enough to run a Kindle app).

I also use both Overdrive and Axis360 because those are the o..."

I find Libby way easier to navigate because its easy to jump in between your shelf and the library's page. You can also really easily see all your holds, and it's pretty simple to renew and return. I would recommend just trying it out, because at first I wasn't really sure what the difference was between Libby and Overdrive since they're made by the same company. So if your library uses ovedrive, it most likely can use Libby too.

I forgot to mention, I also like that Libby gives you an idea of how much longer you will need to wait. "Approx 6 weeks" instead of just "34 out of 43 holds"

I use Libby and Overdrive to check out books from my library, then I send them to my Kindle app to read. I agree with everyone’s comments so far. I live in New York and am able to have memberships at my local library and the New York Public Library, and Libby puts the loans/holds/activities for both libraries on the same page. One thing I don’t like about Libby is that it doesn’t have the Wish List feature that Overdrive has. Though you can tag books on Libby in any category and and therefore create a “to be read” tag, the tagged book page doesn’t give you any information about the books, such as if they are available or already checked out.

Yeah I can do that with my current version of iTunes on my PC. I worked out how to change the audiobooks from songs to audiobooks recently. It’s all good as long as I don’t update my iTunes. I did before and there was no way to put them over from the computer to the iPad so I did a system restore on my computer and took it back to the old version of iTunes which does let you do it on a PC. Apple really doesn’t like playing nicely with PCs lol They try anything to make them incompatible or at least really annoying and harder to use so you will buy a Mac. Not happening though.

Heather wrote: "I have a Kindle (or two!)...I recommend the Kindle Paperwhite. The screen doesn't hurt my eyes, there's no glare when reading outside, and it's lightweight. The only downside is that I can't read library ebooks on it because my library's app isn't supported. I use my Kindle Fire 7 for that and audiobooks..."

Thanks for the rec. So it´s possible to use a Kindle for library books, even if it´s not supported?

@Johanne I can use my Kindle Fire 7 for library books. I can't use my Kindle Paperwhite. My library uses Axis360. I'm not sure if Overdrive works with the Paperwhite.

Thanks Heather, I'll look into it.

I have the old, original version of the kindle paperwhite and I can send books to it with overdrive. Overdrive sends me to amazon and then I can choose which of my amazon/kindle devices to send the book to.

I think I'll have to borrow some kindles and try it out. Even though my library uses Overdrive, I think the settings are not necessarily the same. But it's worth a try, I'd really like to read library ebooks on a proper ereader.

Johanne wrote: "I think I'll have to borrow some kindles and try it out. Even though my library uses Overdrive, I think the settings are not necessarily the same. But it's worth a try, I'd really like to read libr..."

You can definitely use a Paperwhite with Overdrive. When you login to Overdrive there will be an option “Send to kindle”. Click that- then go to “Manage my Content and Devices” on Amazon’s page. Find the list of available content and click the button to bring up options (its square with 3 dots I think) and pick “Send to kindle”. When you are ready to return it, you go to the same Manage My Content and Devices page, find the book, and click the same button but select “return to library”.

I’ll second the Kindle Paperwhite option. I’ve never used any of the more expensive models but I can’t imagine they’re worth the massive price difference. The Kindle Fire isn’t bad, but the battery life can’t compare and the screen is more hurtful to my eyes.

It's just that the Danish public libraries chose a solution where I think this doesn't work. But I'll give it a try.

Thanks for the information on Kindle Paperwhite and Overdrive. I really wish my library used Overdrive! My old library used it, but I didn't have a Kindle then.

I use Kindle on my PC and iPad mini, iBooks (iPad only) and for my library ebooks (and any other ADRM-locked ebooks): BlueFire reader (iPad) & Adobe Digital editions (PC).

Kindle has the best dictionary but needs pretty much space (app & books), iBooks has acceptable dictionary though uses much less space (the open [real] epub-books, the secured [Apple-epub] books neen more space than all other formats and can be opened only on Apple devices) and has a great handling.

The two apps for ADRM-locked books are not really great but necessary. I still hope to find a better app for these and epubs where I have at least four colors for marking and a nice dictionary.

I have a paper white as well. I do use overdrive on my paper-white but it takes a few more steps. You check out the book on your computer and then you send it to your paper-white from your Amazon account. I love my Overdrive account, and my paper-white so it is worth it to me.

Aimee Dars wrote: "I use Libby and Overdrive to check out books from my library, then I send them to my Kindle app to read. I agree with everyone’s comments so far. I live in New York and am able to have memberships ..."

The lack of a wish list may be a deal breaker for me. I basically use the available now list to choose what to read next.