# Philadelphia Free Library



## PG4003 (Patricia) (Jan 30, 2010)

I finally got my library card from the Philadelphia Free Library.  My Overdrive library here in Kentucky is actually very good, but the Philadelphia library has an even better selection.  I already have 10 books on my Hold List!  It'll probably be months before I get some of them because their wait lists are pretty long, but in the meantime I have plenty of books to read on my Kindle.  My Nook is going to be getting a work out from all these free library books, gotta love it.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

I wasn't going to join them, as the Chicago Public library has a decent selection, but I think I will anyway.... Even if I don't use them, I would like to support their efforts in getting ebooks out to the public at large.

If anyone else is interested, here is the link to get the form for the library card:

http://libwww.freelibrary.org/register/getcard1.cfm


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## PG4003 (Patricia) (Jan 30, 2010)

I just got my third book today from the Philadelphia library.  I'm thinking I've already just about gotten my $15 worth out of it!


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

PG4003 (Patricia) said:


> I finally got my library card from the Philadelphia Free Library. My Overdrive library here in Kentucky is actually very good, but the Philadelphia library has an even better selection. I already have 10 books on my Hold List! It'll probably be months before I get some of them because their wait lists are pretty long, but in the meantime I have plenty of books to read on my Kindle. My Nook is going to be getting a work out from all these free library books, gotta love it.


My card just arrived yesterday!! I immediately went online and put my 10 books on hold also. I think it will work out ok because they all have a waiting list so hopefully they'll become available in a staggered manner and not all at the same time! Of course one that I put on hold became available yesterday afternoon and I'm not ready for it yet - yikes! I think I will wait until closer to my 3 days before I download it. Of course now that the new K3 will be here this weekend, I will want to read on that and not the nook.


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## PG4003 (Patricia) (Jan 30, 2010)

KindleGirl - The Philly Library just added a bunch of new books yesterday.  If you sort by "Date Added to Site" you can see the new ones.  I now have 10 on my hold list, and 4 on my wish list, and 2 on my Nook!  I love it.


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

PG4003 (Patricia) said:


> KindleGirl - The Philly Library just added a bunch of new books yesterday. If you sort by "Date Added to Site" you can see the new ones. I now have 10 on my hold list, and 4 on my wish list, and 2 on my Nook! I love it.


Woot! Thanks.....going over there right now to check it out!


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## Melonhead (Jan 1, 2010)

Is there any way to browse their collection without having a card? You know, just to torture myself. It's not like I don't have enough to read these days.

It appears you can't even look without the card.


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

Melonhead said:


> Is there any way to browse their collection without having a card? You know, just to torture myself. It's not like I don't have enough to read these days.
> 
> It appears you can't even look without the card.


I was able to browse without a card. That's how I determined if I wanted a card or not...I browsed the selection first. Just go to www.freelibrary.org and click on the purple rectangle that says 'download media' and you can browse. Have fun...they have lots of stuff!


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## PG4003 (Patricia) (Jan 30, 2010)

Saturday, August 28th:  Check it out, the Philadelphia Library has a bunch of new ebooks.  Sort by "Date Added to Site".


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## BevAnneS (May 11, 2010)

I got my card this week, too, and am eagerly awaiting the three books I asked for.  Hopefully, they won't come in the week I am away on vacation and won't have access to my computer.  Anyway, I figure if I even just read these three, my investment will have paid off for me.  Bless you Philly Free Library!


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

I received my card today.... I put three books on hold.


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## BevAnneS (May 11, 2010)

I got my first Philly book this week (The Stuff that Never Happened) and surprisingly I picked a winner.  If my other holds are as good as this, I know I will definitely get my money's worth in no time at all!


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

Can I read these books on my iPad, does anyone know? I have the nook app, if that matters, as well as Kindle and iBooks.


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## kkay5 (Feb 1, 2010)

The iPad doesn't support the DRM that Adobe Digital Editions uses.  At one time Overdrive was working on an app for mobile devices to be able to read library ebooks, but I haven't heard anything about it since May.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

I sent off my application for the card this week.  Will be putting a bunch of books on my wish list as soon as I get it, including all the "Dexter" books except the first one, which I've read.  They also have quite a few Harlan Cobens, but not all of them, and some of the Lee Child "Reacher" books.  This will be nice!


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## PG4003 (Patricia) (Jan 30, 2010)

I'm so excited, I just checked the Philadelphia library and they've added all of Karin Slaughter's Grant County books!  I love her books.  I'm on hold for the first two and the others are on my Wish List.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Here's a question:  I've recently come to discover Karin Fossum who writes a series of mysteries set in Norway. . . .not yet available on Kindle, at least not in the US. . . They're good enough that I'm willing to buy them in paper, but it just occurred to me:  Can one of you folks check to see if her books might be available e-wise from Philly Free Library?


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## PG4003 (Patricia) (Jan 30, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Here's a question: I've recently come to discover Karin Fossum who writes a series of mysteries set in Norway. . . .not yet available on Kindle, at least not in the US. . . They're good enough that I'm willing to buy them in paper, but it just occurred to me: Can one of you folks check to see if her books might be available e-wise from Philly Free Library?


Ann, I checked, they don't have anything by that author. Sorry. 

ETA: You don't have to be a member to browse their selection. Just go to their site http://freelibrary.lib.overdrive.com/5D4D6F48-F276-45E6-B4F7-1A812CF511B7/10/354/en/Error.htm?ErrorType=110&SearchID=41725972
click on ebooks and you can look at what they have. I did that before I paid my $15 for a card. You must have a membership number to check out a book or put one on hold, but browsing is free.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Thanks, Patricia. . . .I would have been surprised if they did but it was worth asking.

And thanks for letting me know about the browsing. . . .


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## Anne (Oct 29, 2008)

I just printed out the form. I am going to mail it tomorrow. Do I make out the check to the Free Library of Philadelphia?


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Anne said:


> I just printed out the form. I am going to mail it tomorrow. Do I make out the check to the Free Library of Philadelphia?


Yep - it took mine about two weeks to get here.


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## Anne (Oct 29, 2008)

Meemo said:


> Yep - it took mine about two weeks to get here.


Thanks I cannot wait to get my card.


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## WAgal (Oct 1, 2010)

So once you have a card for a library there can still be a waiting period for your choices?


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

WAgal said:


> So once you have a card for a library there can still be a waiting period for your choices?


Yes, it's just like a regular book. The library only has so many copies to loan out at a given time.


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## luvshihtzu (Dec 19, 2008)

kkay5,
I came across a blog where the poster said he had talked to some of the people from Overdrive a while back. They were testing out the eBook part of it on their personal devices and said that it would be out for Android first and iPad/iThing devices later. I am certainly looking forward to it, but I did go ahead and buy a nook to take care of my Library reading for now.

Here is the link to the article.
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/page/6/

So it looks like we will have to be patient.


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## kkay5 (Feb 1, 2010)

luvshihtzu said:


> kkay5,
> I came across a blog where the poster said he had talked to some of the people from Overdrive a while back. They were testing out the eBook part of it on their personal devices and said that it would be out for Android first and iPad/iThing devices later. I am certainly looking forward to it, but I did go ahead and buy a nook to take care of my Library reading for now.
> 
> Here is the link to the article.
> ...


Thank you for the link!! I am excited to know that they are still working on an app. I bought a Nook so I could read library books too and I actually love reading on it, but it would be nice to have library books on my iPod too since I always have it it with me.


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