Nook Update and Checkout Thoughts

[Kathy M Burnette]

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but it was a busy summer. I've just gotten all except 2 Nooks back (one I have) and am getting them ready to use with students. There was some press when we received the grant so most of the students know about the Nooks and are super excited.

The staff members who tested the Nooks this summer really enjoyed them. The only naysayer was the principal who said she likes looking at printed books too much to get an ereader. I reminded her that it's just a format and you can decide which books to buy for your reader and which to buy for their beauty.

The teachers' main concern was the lack of ability to print out annotations for use with book groups. That's a definite drawback for the Nook's use in the classroom. Also, having the dictionary pop out of the book seems to disrupt reading.

Another thing I noted personally, as the only one buying books to load, was that some books were actually COSTLIER than their printed counterparts! I understand that you can load the books on a number of devices but that's assuming someone needs to do that!

My next step is to determine my check out process. I believe I will make one Nook title in the catalog and give each Nook it's own barcode. I will list the books under the table of contents and print a small sheet to be tucked into the cover or taped to the back of the Nook. This will include titles as well as caveats. Nooks will have the same time period as regular library material.

Kathy Parker shared her form she gives to students before they can use her Kindles and I'm adapting it for use in the library. I will have interested students take them home and then attach them to their library record. I will also have to put some sort of alert on the Nook so that when it's returned, staff can check to make sure everything has been returned in working order and to recharge the Nooks before they can be checked out again.


Has anyone used ereaders in the library and can give me some check out ideas?

[E.B. Eubanks]

A cataloging question: People seem to recommend 1 record for the Nook, then add copies for additional Nooks with barcodes assigned.  Then, the procedure seems to be to list all the Nook contents in the 700 tag.  Is there any need to assign barcodes to the individual titles (don't really see how to do this).  How can you tell which books on the Nook are being read?  

Circulation period?  What circulation time periods does anyone suggest for an eReader?

Also, can you buy a book for the Nook, then 'share'/add it to other Nooks?

[Michelle L. Yance]

I have only two e-readers in our library right now.  My district Technology team asked me to pilot them and see how they do.  I purchased one Kindle and one Nook.  My vision for them is to have one Nook with all the books installed that I can loan out to the others.  This way I don't have all six tied up on one set full time.  I will be able to circulate different books as needed.  I intend to issue one barcode to each reader and use my engraver on the back (just in case my munchkins pull off the barcode.)  Having them numbered will help me keep track of them.  I am waiting on a grant to purchase more readers, so hopefully testing these two versions will help me decide which will work best for my needs.  We are blessed with Wi-Fi in our building, so that will not be a problem.  We are big about reading the Bluebonnet Nominees and voting here on our campus, so it will be wonderful to have those six extra books in the hands of the kids.

[Will DeLamater]

I am in Southern Maryland, but anyone with a library card and a reader that supports Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) (the Nook does) can check out and download books to ADE on the computer and then attach the Nook and drag the book onto the device. At my library, this is through Overdrive. The Nook will have to be "authorized" through ADE, but all that matters is that the Nook be identified so the DRM can work. ADE could care less who owns the Nook. But a library card will be required to access the ebooks. Shoot me an email at willdelamater at gmail if I can be of more help.

[Kathy M Burnette]

But, since the Nooks belong to the school - how would students be able to access that? Would I have to check them out for them? Our local library does not have Adobe Ebooks, though. What library system are you in?

[Will DeLamater]

The Nook supports ebook checkouts from your local library via Adobe Digital Editions, if you want to extend students' ability to find high interest reading material beyond what you can stock. This is something that still can't be done with the Kindle, and I use my Nook this way frequently.