Finding Available Titles in the Ohio eBook Project

Most of the downloadable materials in our collection are DRM-protected.  This means that there is software built in that puts limits on their usage.  Using DRM, our providers can make digital books work like physical books in a library, allowing just one customer to check out a “copy” of a book, and limiting the length of time that book stays available to the customer.  While almost all of our NetLibrary audiobooks allow unlimited checkouts, most of the titles in the Ohio eBook Project (OverDrive) collection use this 1 copy to 1 user approach. We can always choose to join the waiting list for a currently-unavailable title and receive an email notice when it’s ready for checkout, but sometimes you’re looking for something to read right now.  Following are some tips for finding available titles in the OEP.

Always Available

Audiobook-seeking customers can browse the convenient “Always Available Audiobooks” collection, featured on the OEP homepage.  Four titles are displayed on the page.  Simply click “More…” to see many more titles.  Note:  There are only WMA audiobooks in the Always Available collection. 

 

Advanced Search

The Advanced Search offers a simple checkbox that enables users to eliminate unavailable titles from their search results:  “Only Show Titles With Copies Available”.  In the following screenshot, I am searching for all Adobe ePUB books that have copies available for checkout:

For best results, LOG IN before doing this search.  Why?  As you know, the OEP is a collaboration of many Ohio Libraries, so Library customers across the state are sharing a limited number of copies, and this can make for some long holds lists.   To help with this, we have begun purchasing additional copies of some popular titles just for our Library’s use.  When logged in, our customers can see the availability of our extra copies in addition to the copies that are available to all users.  As an example, doing the search above while not logged in produced 295 search results.  The same search performed while logged in produced 327 search results.   Titles with these specially-purchased copies display the OverDrive Advantage logo. 

Also check the SEO Consortium

One more trick!  Click on the “Didn’t find what you need?  Click here for more titles.  SEO Consortium” link on the left-hand side of the page to access another large collection of digital materials available to Cincinnati Library customers.  This is another OverDrive site that works exactly like the OEP.  Note that when logging in, our Library name sorts far lower in the list than expected (between Stowe-Munroe and Wadsworth).  This site is separate from the OEP, which means that checkouts and holds placed from this collection do not count toward our limits in the OEP!  The SEO doesn’t have an “Always Available” collection, but the same advanced search can be performed to limit your search to only titles with available copies.

Try it out

1. Take a glimpse at the “Always Available Audiobooks” collection.  Remember to click “More …” to see many more than the 4 that are displayed.
2.  Go to the Advanced Search and perform a search for all MP3 audiobooks under the subject of “Biography and Autobiography.”  Next, do the search again, limiting the search results to only available titles.   See how many fewer titles are listed.
3.  Take some time to explore the SEO Library Consortium collection. 

Tasty Prizes

When you’re finished, come back to this blog to register for a chance to win the monthly prize drawing.  This month’s prize:  a delicious Dairy Queen treat without the guilt … a 6-pack of DQ Ice Cream Flavored Lip Balms.  The October prizewinner was Barbara Mayfield from Price Hill Branch.  She won an 8-pack of Keebler cookie flavored lip balms! 

 As always, I look forward to reading your comments on this blog.  You are encouraged to post any questions, ideas, or observations you have!