# New Lending Source for ePubs/PDFs available for Android/iOs PC/Mac



## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Don't know if anyone has seen this - I came across it on the Free Library of Philadelphia site. There's a new source for borrowing eBooks called Freading. You have to access it via a library that you're a member of (like FLP), and that library has to subscribe to the Freading service. It's for ePubs & PDF books only, the Big 6 don't appear to be a part of it (big surprise there), and I haven't quite figured out how it all works. But on their FAQ page they tell how to get the app onto the Fire via getjar - I just downloaded it to my Fire and there's a guide to using it in the app.

According to the (limited) info on the FLP site, Freading is *"A collection of downloadable ebooks focusing on popular, current fiction, currently being offered on a trial basis. Freading works on a unique token system. Every Free Library card holder will receive two tokens a week to "spend" on ebooks of their choice. Ebooks cost between 1 and 4 tokens as determined by the publisher of each book."* You can get the more info at freading.com - just keep in mind that access has to come via a participating library - you have to sign in with your library card # and password.

The lending period is 2 weeks - you can renew for an additional 2 weeks, and they say that most renewals are free.

There are both Android and iOS apps, as well as apps for PC & Mac. There's a list of compatible devices in the FAQ, including Nook, Kobo, & Sony - basically any reader that can read Adobe ePubs should work. A very cursory glance through "Most Popular" brought up one book series that I'm interested in for sure - it's "price" is one or two tokens (the first 3 in the series are one token, the two newest are 2 tokens).

I'll give this a shot if I ever get through the book I'm reading now...not that it isn't a good book, it's just been a rough couple of weeks and life is rudely interfering with my reading time.  Just wanted to throw it out there so folks can check their libraries - and possibly point this new service out to their local libraries. I have no clue how much it costs, but since the Big 6 aren't involved the subscription price for libraries might not be as high as Overdrive's prices!


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

That is interesting. Doesn't look like my local library has it, but I have a out of state card to the free library of Philadelphia and so I see it there. 

Now if I can just figure out how to get it on my Fire  . So all the checking out then has to go through the Fire? Or on the computer? Still a bit confused at that. 

Amazingly enough I seem to have figured out to get the getjar on my fire and to find that app. I am in shock  .

Now to play with it.


eta: I figured it all out  . But I have regular library overdrive's to read first and a prime lend and a kindle borrow to read before I can dip into this one. So the credits roll over for a 4 week period, then they start from scratch again with the usual weekly tokens which are 2 on the FLP library. That way they are preventing too much of a build up. I have 2 tokens for now and there are many books that need 1 and 2 in the genre's I like. I see some 4 token ones, newer stuff. 

What I will be doing is making the wishlist from the computer as its much easier, then access that from the Fire in the future. The browsing is a bit awkward for me otherwise.  

Never mind, that wishlist is for holds, not a regular wishlist. I guess I'll do it on goodreads.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

I had to spend a bit of time getting my ADE account reset - too many activations.  I keep forgetting to deactivate my account on devices I sell or give away (a couple of Sony readers, a Nook, the iPad & laptop I passed on to my daughters, etc, etc...maybe I'll remember from here on out...).  

I tried to figure out the wishlist as well, wish we could make one for all books and not just holds.  But Goodreads is a good idea - if I remember to check there!  Maybe in the back of my old-school paper book journal I'm keeping...  I hadn't noticed that tokens only roll over for 4 weeks at a time.  No worries, though - I'm like you - between Overdrive & Prime lending and regular books I've got stockpiled, this is just another source, but a welcome one, and I do want to use it just to support the idea of an alternative to Overdrive.  

Glad you got getjar working - it's great to be able to access these additional app sources!


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

How does one deactivate devices on ADE? What if one doesn't have those devices anymore to do it through or what I don't remember which one where when or what. I don't use it at all anymore, but I have done so in the past, I just don't remember what computer and such I used.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Good question - when I authorized it on the Freading app on the Fire a screen popped up for deauthorizing.  I suspect it will be under "Settings" or "Info" on most devices, including computers.  I checked the Bluefire Reader app on my iPhone (which I'm going to deauthorize since I rarely use it now) and found the page for deauthorizing it under "Info".  But it was a simple matter (once I found the info) to do the online chat to get my account reset - I didn't think to ask how many devices I can add now.

I just looked at the ADE installed on my computer though, and don't see any place to deauthorize it.  If you go through the process of deleting it from the computer, there may be a screen that allows deauthorization - not sure about that since I've never thought to try it.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

And that is why I don't like adobe. There should be a central place where you can see what and when you had authorized to the account. I even signed in to adobe online and my ID works, but there is nowhere anything showing me what I have authorized. I just have no clue.

I know I had to replace like 2 motherboards, 1 complete computer and I know I didn't de-author anything. I wouldn't even know how to do that since I can't find any info on it anywhere.  

And if I have to call adobe everytime I need to so something, ugh. I have a total phone phobia, chat would I am sure fall under the same thing. I still can't find any FAQ on the adobe website about ADE. 

Now I am weary of even authoring my Fire as I don't know if I'll remember, or how later I would get back to finding that info  

What a mess


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

I don't like phone calls either but the chat was actually pretty painless even for introverted me. When I filled out the form I told them I'd given away/sold several devices with ADE installed and hadn't thought to deauthorize them, and listed 4 that I could think of right off the bat. When the chat rep got online he/she just verified that I needed my account reset, asked me to wait for a couple of minutes, then asked me to go ahead and authorize the Fire to be sure it worked.

Here's where you can initiate the chat help: http://www.adobe.com/support/digitaleditions/supportinfo/ And a lot of folks ask questions and help each other on the Digital Editions Forum - but in the end the answer is you've gotta contact ADE to get them to free up authorizations. 

I agree that Adobe and ADE isn't always the most user-friendly - even though I haven't had that many problems with it (had trouble getting it to work with my eInk Nook initially a couple of years ago, and that was a Nook issue I think) and now this. But yes, if you can sign in to your account online you should be able to manage it online.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Thanks for that link. Somehow I didn't find the right place when I looked. Good to know for the future. 

I found out how to de-activate a computer  . Holding ctrl/shift and D, brings the popup if you want to deauthor the computer. I just did that on my netbook as I don't need it on there. Just in case the thing dies. 

I already found some nice books on Freading. I noticed a lot of books from Dorchester and Sourcebooks. I think they are trying to take advantage of the absence of the big 6. 

Its an interesting concept with the credits, although it might get a little confusing down the line with not knowing when your 4 weeks are up and the rolled over credits disappear. I guess its best to use them as they come in. 

I prefer reading on my e ink Kindle, but this will work for reading in bed once in a while. I won't be reading as fast as I normally do. Nice to have even more options for people. 

As long as this won't replace the overdrive lending as I depend on regular reading on e-ink.


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