Introducing OverDrive Downloadable Media
1. What is needed in order to download an OverDrive title?
2. How do I check out an item?
3. How many titles can I check out?
4. How long do I keep titles?
5. How many titles can I have in my Cart at the same time?
6. Can I return an item early?
7. I want a title that is checked out. What do I do?
8. What happens when I place an item on hold?
9. What happens if I miss the 48-hour hold time?
10. How many items can I put holds on at once?
11. How do I cancel a hold?
12. What can I do, right now, on a library computer?
13. How do I download?
14. How do I return items?
15. How does digital media work?
16. What software is needed for digital media?
17. How do I listen to an item after I've downloaded it?
18. How do I go back and download the other parts?
19. What happens to an item when I've finished it?
20. How do I transfer the file to a mobile player or burn to a CD?
21. What happens to the CD or mobile player-version after the two weeks?
22. Do OverDrive checkouts appear on Merlin?
23. Can I use my IPod?
24. What device should I buy?
25. Who can check out digital media?
26. Why is so much checked out?
27. Why isn't there a larger collection?
1. What is needed in order to download an OverDrive title?
- A Merlin library card (with less than $10 in fines and not expired) or non-Merlin library ID.
- Access to the Internet—to search for titles and to download.
- OverDrive Media Console software—freely available on the website.
- Certain players and devices may have special requirements to play the downloaded content correctly. Go here to get more information on players and device requirements.
2. How do I check out an item?
Browse the collection or the featured lists from the homepage— http://dbooks.wplc.info/ (You will also be able to find titles on Merlin with direct links to OverDrive. Merlin will not indicate availability status.) The OverDrive homepage is frequently updated with changing featured titles. A choice between quick search and advanced search options makes the search process similar to websites such as Amazon.
Clicking on a title will access the item record. Click on “Add to my Cart” to begin checkout, or click "Place a Hold" to access the waiting list. Choose to either “Continue Browsing,” or “Proceed to Checkout.”
Once you are in checkout, select Northern Waters Library Service and type your Merlin library card number or non-Merlin library ID.
An item is checked out as soon as the “confirm checkout” button is clicked. Note: checking out and downloading are separate processes. The checkout period begins when you confirm checkout, not when you first download.
3. How many titles can I check out?
Four. This number will increase as the collection grows.
4. How long do I keep titles?
Patrons can set their own default lending period on a format-by-format basis. However, if you do not set any lending period, the system-wide default for all formats will continue to be 7 days. You have the following options:
• 3 days (for WMA Music and WMV Video)
• 5 days (for WMA Music and WMV Video)
• 7 days (for Adobe EPUB and PDF eBooks, WMA Audiobooks, MP3 Audiobooks, WMA Music, and WMV Video)
• 14 days (for Adobe EPUB and PDF eBooks, WMA Audiobooks, MP3 Audiobooks, WMA Music, and WMV Video)
Additionally, at the time of checkout, you can select a lending period on a title-by-title basis.
5. How many titles can I have in my Cart at the same time?
Six. This lets you “shop” for titles before making a final checkout decision. If you decide not to check out a title, you can click “remove” in the cart. The system automatically removes a title from a Cart after 30 minutes.
6. Can I return an item early?
No. OverDrive titles cannot be returned early (with the exception of Adobe eBooks, and instructions for doing so are available in the Help section of the WPLC OverDrive website available here http://dbooks.wplc.info/DC1A6DD6-0135-4317-BB1D-49BF4B700A4B/10/355/en/Help.htm).
7. I want a title that is checked out. What do I do?
You may place a hold on any title. A record's Format Information displays the number of “Available Copies” and the number of “Library Copies.” If there are no copies available, the “Add to Cart” link is replaced by “Place a Hold.” You then log in and leave an email address.
8. What happens when I place an item on hold?
The title you put on hold will be reserved for you once it becomes available. When it is available, you will get an email with instructions to check the item out. The item will be held for 72 hours from the time of your email notification. If you do not check it out within 72 hours, it will become available for the next person in the hold queue.
9. What happens if I miss the 72-hour hold time?
You may check out the item if it is available or place another hold.
10. How many items can I reserve at one time?
Five.
- From any page, choose the 'My Account' button.
- Log in to your account.
- Click the 'My Holds' link.
- Click the 'Remove' link next to the title.
12. What can I do on a library computer?
On a library computer you can search, put items in a cart or on hold, and check out. You cannot download or listen to Overdrive media in the library—you need to download the items from home or another location.
13. How do I download?
"Checking Out" and "Downloading" are two separate actions. The checkout begins when you “check out,” not when you start downloading. Before you download the first item, you need to download OverDrive Media Console software. There is a download link on every page, in the left-hand toolbar (“Download OverDrive Media Console”).
1. After you’ve confirmed checkout, you have the option to 'download.' When you click 'download', OverDrive Media Console opens and a dialog box appears asking which folder to put the item in (this will have a destination already set). Click 'OK'.
2. All titles are split into parts. You can download all parts or just a few, and come back for more.
3. Select the parts you desire, and click 'OK' to start the download. Once the download is complete, you can close your Internet connection and access the file offline.
14. How do I return items?
For the majority of titles, at the end of the loan period, the title expires and is automatically returned to the library. You can then delete the expired file from your machine.
However Adobe eBooks can be returned early and instructions for doing so are available in the Help section of the WPLC OverDrive website.
15. How does digital media work?
A 'digital title' is a “digital version of an audiobook, music, video, or eBook file that is rights-protected and optimized for download.” All titles are either unabridged or unedited.
Each digital download consists of two parts: the content and the “wrapper.” The content is the actual form of read text, sound file, video file, or PDF file.
The “wrapper” is data that includes the expiration date and other pieces of metadata. The wrapper is part of the “digital rights management” (DRM) software that lets publishers feel confident about the entire technology. The wrapper is like a key and keeps track of the date, and is deleted at the end of the circ period. Without a wrapper you can’t access a file on the OverDrive Media Console.
The content isn’t automatically deleted—it stays on your computer, but can’t be listened to, unless you check the item out again and get a new “wrapper.”
16. What software is needed for digital media?
OverDrive Media Console is available for desktop and laptop computers with Microsoft Windows operating systems or Apple Macintosh operating systems. This software works with Windows Media Player for Windows or Mac. OverDrive has also released both an OverDrive Media Console for Windows Mobile version and an OverDrive® Media Console for iPhone.
17. How do I listen to an item after I've downloaded it?
OverDrive Media Console automatically saves a copy of the item to your computer. To listen to access a file, open OverDrive Media Console and double click the title.
You can navigate through the different parts of the title. The software has listening features, including speed listening and going back 15 seconds.
18. How do I go back and download the other parts?
Login to 'My Account' on the OverDrive homepage. You’ll see two links: 'Checked Out' and 'My Holds.' Go to 'Checked Out' and continue to download as before.
19. What happens to an item when I've finished it?
The content of a downloaded item stays on your computer, even after it has expired or been returned, until you manually delete the digital file.
To delete an expired OverDrive file:
1. Open OverDrive Media Console.
2. Locate the title you wish to delete in the 'Media Library'. Single-click on the title to select it, then click the 'Delete' button.
20. How do I transfer the file to a mobile player or burn to a CD?
The OverDrive collection does include some titles that are prohibited from being burned to CDs. You will be able to tell if your title allows CD burning by viewing the Digital Rights Information section at the bottom of each title page on the OverDrive website.
Copying to a mobile device through Windows Media Player can’t be done on library computers at this time.
To transfer your title or burn to a CD, open the OverDrive Media Console and click on 'Transfer/Burn'. This opens Windows Media Player, where you can either burn a CD or transfer to a supported mobile player (Windows and Macintosh accepted) or eBook Reader. Supported devices are listed at http://www.playsforsure.com. For more information on eBook reader requirements visit WPLC.
21. What happens to the CD or mobile player-version after the one week?
The content remains on the player and you can listen to it as long as you'd like. The same is true for a CD—once you’ve burned it, it remains on your CD. Note that a typical item may be 10 parts or more, and each part equals one CD.
22. Do OverDrive checkouts appear on Merlin?
No. The OverDrive website is entirely separate from Merlin. Merlin will not display the status of OverDrive checkouts or holds.
23. Can I use my IPod?
OverDrive now has 309 titles available in an MP3 format compatible with iPods. The collection is likely to grow as more publishers make their content available in the MP3 format. A separate search easily retrieves a list of the MP3 titles.
With the new OverDrive Media console for the Mac, MP3 titles may be downloaded to Macintosh computers. The built-in Burn Wizard can be used to burn MP3 audiobooks to CD, and the Transfer Wizard allows quick and easy transfer to Apple devices. The OverDrive MP3 Audidobook offers iPod, iPhone, and iPod Touch support. The free audiobook app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch can be accessed in iTunes® and on the Apple App Store (http://bit.ly/OverDriveiPhone).
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24. What device should I buy to listen?
All supported devices are listed on the website: http://www.playsforsure.com
25. Who can check out digital media?
The Wisconsin Public Library Consortium (WPLC) purchased this product. All of Wisconsin's 17 public library systems and their member libraries belong to WPLC.
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26. Why is so much checked out?
The WPLC collection is available throughout the state. An item can only be checked out to one user at a time. Content is increasing to help balance the needs of users. If you wish to view only available items, go to Currently Available.
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27. Why is there a larger collection?
You're likely to see changes as the market matures. OverDrive has negotiated rights to several vendors. The collection will grow as the number of competitors in this very new market grows, and as more vendors agree to sell rights to their media to OverDrive.
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