Our local library system is switching from Overdrive to cloudLibrary and I don’t think there’s a single redeeming reason for the move.
@Mtt That's a bummer. I'm a public librarian. Overdrive is really pretty good. Not sure about the pricing though.
@Mtt Overdrive is a great service, but for libraries it is not the super good deal that, city councils for instance, think it is. When we "buy" a book to lend out through overdrive, we are generally only buying the right to lend it out a certain number of times. Then we have to "buy" it again. And it isn't necessarily any less expensive than a physical copy. So without knowing the pricing of cloudLibrary it is hard to compare.
@bloftin2 Obviously, I’m on the outside looking in. But if it’s equal price to a physical copy, I’d consider that fair from my viewpoint.
It requires no cleaning, checking, servicing. It can be “picked up” seconds after being returned. It also allows 24/7 access to the book from any location.
I had not been to a library in years (probably 15+) until I learned about Overdrive. Now I use Overdrive almost every day…and even visit the library here and there.
@Mtt it just requires a lot of education for decision-makers. They hear about e-books and think all of a sudden they’re going to save 50% on library acquisitions. Which is not a stupid assumption or anything. There’s no reason they would know differently.
@bloftin2 Yeah, and there is always the $ issue. Overdrive is more, I'm sure, than alternatives. But they've also integrated with Kindles and Kobos, etc. Usage of e-books will plummet, without a doubt, because of the switch. But they'll save money too.
My view is self-centered, admittedly. My whole family reads frequently and much of that is because of Overdrive. cloudLibrary won't replace that. The closest alternative for us is Amazon/Rakuten (and for many will be piracy). In all cases, it leaves the library behind.