ebooks | Harris County Public Library

Remembering Our Troops

Submitted by Sarah N. on Wed, 05/22/2013 - 11:38am

All Harris County Library branches are closed Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day but if you’re looking for something to read remember that the eBranch is open 24/7! Why not try some of these eBooks and eAudio books about our troops past and present:

Upcoming Computer Classes

Submitted by Elizabeth R on Thu, 04/18/2013 - 11:42am

The Kingwood Library will be offering the following computer classes in the second half of April:

Friday, April 19 @ 1:30 p.m.: eBooks for Kindle Fire
Saturday, April 20 @ 11:00 a.m.: Basic Computers
Tuesday, April 23 @ 10:30 a.m.: Basic Word Part 2"
Friday, April 26 @ 1:30 p.m.: iPad Basics
Tuesday, April 30 @ 10:30 a.m. Publisher: Business Cards

All computer classes require registration and are free and open to the public. To register or inquire about classes, stop by the Adult Services Information Desk or contact the library @ 281-360-6804

Everything Old is New Again

Submitted by Linda Stevens on Thu, 04/11/2013 - 2:25pm

With eBooks, that is, not age -- unfortunately. One benefit I am taking advantage of from the eBook phenomenon is the discovery (or rediscovery, sometimes) of older titles by authors I really enjoy. Whether it's through their normal publisher, a digital publisher, or self-publishing, many popular authors are now making previously hard-to-find backlist titles available to the eBook crowd.

Nook Update: 3 YA Nooks Now Available for Checkout!

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 03/25/2013 - 10:29am

I'm here with an update on our Nook checkout pilot program here at Northwest. We're still working out some kinks with our three adult-oriented Nooks. However, our three YA-oriented Nooks are now officially available for checkout! These YA Nooks are preloaded with 30 YA titles, including most of the titles on this year's Lone Star Reading List, as well as several other popular YA titles. The complete list is as follows:

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Almost Home by Joan Bauer
Steve Jobs: the Man Who Thought Different by Karen Blumenthal
Planet Tad by Tim Carvell
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
Reached by Ally Condie
Outlaw by Stephen Davies
Bewitching by Alex Flinn
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan
Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler & Maira Kalman
Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally
Insignia by S.J. Kincaid
Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl
The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine
The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore
Legend by Marie Lu
Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
An Elephant in the Garden by Michael Morpurgo
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Ripper by Stefan Petrucha
The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan
Curveball: the Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick
Smart Girls Get What They Want by Sarah Strohmeyer

All three of these Nooks are available to be checked out today, so come on by and pick one up! More details on the Nook circulation program here.

Nooks for Checkout?

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 03/02/2013 - 2:25pm

Exciting news, everyone! In the next couple of weeks here at Northwest, we will be launching a pilot program in which we will begin circulating Nook Simple Touches to interested patrons.

In total we will have six Nooks in circulation - three of which will be YA-oriented, preloaded with popular YA titles and most of the titles from the 2013 Lone Star Reading List, and three of which will be adult-oriented, preloaded with highly requested and other popular adult fiction and non-fiction titles.

The Nooks will check out for two weeks at a time, with one renewal allowed if there are no other patrons on the waitlist to check one out. To check out a Nook, you must present us with your library card at the desk, have had the card for at least 30 days, be at least 12 years of age, be in good standing, and fill out a form in which you agree to abide by the Nook Circulation Policy.

It may be a couple of weeks before the program starts up, but in the meantime feel free to stop by and reserve one. We'll have a sign-up sheet at the front desk. We're looking forward to it, and we hope that you are as well!

Tech Tutors: Your Cure for the New OverDrive Blues

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 02/11/2013 - 11:19am

We tried to warn you, but now that period has passed, and the new OverDrive is here! Just when you thought you had this whole eBook checkout thing figured out, they go and change the whole appearance and the whole checkout process on you. As frustrating as the initial process was for some of you, I'm sure this little shakeup has many of you threatening to go back to reading exclusively print books again.

But for those of you who are frustrated and confused who refuse to give up eHope, our eBook superheroes, the Tech Tutors, are here to help reorient you. Every Saturday in February from 10 am to noon, our Tech Tutors will be on hand for the sole purpose of helping you check eBooks out from our Digital Media Catalog onto your digital device.

And let me share a little secret with you: if you're interested in this service but unable to make it during that time window, I'm told that at least one of our Tech Tutors can be found lurking around the library at virtually any time that the library is open to the public. In other words, we can help you figure out eBook checkout any time you step foot into the library. Just pack up your device and stop by!

Kindles, Nooks, & IPads & Free Ebooks

Submitted by Karen Hayes on Mon, 01/28/2013 - 8:10pm

kindles, nooks, ipads Several people took advantage of the chance to learn to download free library ebooks to their Kindles or Nooks or IPads

Nook-Kindle-Ipad Day

Submitted by Karen Hayes on Tue, 01/15/2013 - 12:16pm

Kindle, Nook, Ipad Bring your Nook, Kindle or Ipad and learn to download free library ebooks to your device. When: Friday, January 25, 2:00pm. Suggested age: Adult.

The OverDrives, They Are A-Changin'

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 01/14/2013 - 5:35pm

Just when you thought you had figured out exactly how to check eBooks out to your Digital Device from our Digital Media Catalog, our primary eBook distributor, OverDrive has gone and changed things on us.

In the next few weeks, you will find that the OverDrive interface has had a bit of a makeover - one that they purport will make the eBook checkout process easier, but one that may also, on first encounter, cause the anxiety of figuring this whole eBook thing out to return.

But do not worry, for HCPL is here to help! The first place to go for help with this "Next Generation" of OverDrive is with this handy guide provided by our very helpful digital media support staff, fully equipped with this informative video provided by OverDrive.

Here at Northwest, we'll also be holding our Tech Tutors sessions every Saturday during January and February from 10 am to noon. Bring in your device, and we'll help guide you through the eBook checkout process, hopefully in the least confusing way. We're here to help!

Join the Discussion: eBooks, Libraries and Independent Authors

Submitted by David Cherry on Thu, 08/30/2012 - 3:05pm

Photo Credit: EBook Reader by goXunuReviews There’s no doubt that one of the most exciting developments in the world of books over the last several years has been the exponential growth in the eBook market. Amazon.com now routinely sells more Kindle editions than print. Harris County Public Library has seen a 65% rise in ebook circulation since March over the same period last year.

To the average reader, eBooks are not much different from the good old ink-on-paper variety, but they differ in ways that make the time-honored models for sales and distribution problematic. So the advent of eBooks continues to pose challenges to everyone involved in the business of putting reading material into the hands of the public: from the big traditional publishing houses, to the online megastores, to agents, to authors themselves and, yes, to libraries, as well.