Harry Potter on pre-release through Overdrive for April 30
I have Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on hold through my public library!
I won’t have to get it, but I will be notified. It took a couple of clicks to find the release date…April 30, 2012.
I knew Overdrive had mentioned that they were going to be handling the books:
but I didn’t promote it until I saw it actually available.
While it’s initially listed at my library as an EPUB (meaning I could read it on my Kindle Fire through Overdrive) however, they are clear that it will be available for the Kindle, at least in the USA:
“Readers will have immediate access to eBooks and digital audiobooks on a wide range of popular computers and reading devices including PC, Mac®, eReaders, tablets and smartphones. Supported devices include Sony® Reader, Kindle® (US only), NOOK™, iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phones and tablets, BlackBerry®, and Windows® Phone. In addition to the eBook collection, the complete digital audiobooks will be made available for digital borrowing in the MP3 file format on listening devices such as computers, smartphones and iPod®.
To find a participating library or school in the OverDrive network, visit http://search.overdrive.com. “
We don’t know about text-to-speech on the Kindle yet, and that’s an important question for me. My guess is that they won’t block the access, but we’ll see.
Why am I okay getting on a list for an EPUB before I know? That’s because EPUBs with DRM don’t work with text-to-speech, to my knowledge…so no one is taking an active step to block the access. That’s what I don’t like…not that a format doesn’t support TTS (paperbooks don’t, although there are reader devices that can be used with them), but that somebody chooses to insert a barrier to it. I’m also not sure I’ll get it: I don’t know that I’ll take the time to re-read the series right now.
Another question: why is the Kindle access US only? There are a lot of Kindles outside the US. Well, I think that’s because Overdrive serves the USA on this: I’d be reasonably confident that Jo Rowling’s team will work out some way for them to be available to Kindle users in the UK. 🙂
The end of another thread generator in the Amazon Kindle forum… 😉
This post by Bufo Calvin originally appeared in the I Love My Kindle blog.
March 5, 2012 at 5:54 pm |
Huh, not available in Central IL on overdrive yet. I’ve never seen books that weren’t actually available yet in my library listing. Good to know – will be periodically checking! Thanks!
March 5, 2012 at 6:05 pm |
Thanks for writing, Pam!
Yes, that is interesting to me…library sites are far from homogeneous, even when so many of them use Overdrive.
Did you search for Harry Potter without specifying an e-book format? I’ve only seen EPUB so far.
Which library in IL do you use, if you don’t mind sharing? I may be able to take a quick look for you…you can generally search a catalogue without being a cardholder.
March 6, 2012 at 2:14 am
It’s the Peoria library. They have DT books but no ebooks. Their selection is getting worse instead of better! 😦
March 7, 2012 at 3:00 am
Thanks for writing, Pam!
Here you go:
http://alliance.lib.overdrive.com/E14B4BA9-5A5C-4326-8620-20B0FFD9D2C9/10/687/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=622708f6-78d7-453a-a7c5-3fe6853f3167
I think they may not let you pre-order it is all.
March 5, 2012 at 7:34 pm |
Not at mine either. They may have used up their budget for the quarter or the year for e-book spending.
March 7, 2012 at 2:56 am |
Thanks for writing, Zebras!
Well, I think this might be a case for emergency funding. 😉
March 6, 2012 at 2:39 am |
Overdrive’s main website lets you search for a book and then look for library systems near your zip-code that carries that book. No HP books available in my county yet, but I’ll keep checking.
March 7, 2012 at 2:54 am |
Thanks for writing, Beth!
Thanks for pointing that out!
Here’s the search for other people to use:
http://search.overdrive.com/ti/622708f6-78d7-453a-a7c5-3fe6853f3167-410-1-1-1-1/sorcerers-harry-potter-ebook#searchLib
Interestingly, the publisher is listed as Pottermore.
March 6, 2012 at 3:47 am |
Any word yet whether they will be available for purchase soon? Would this be the same April 30th date, or is that just for library loans?
Thanks for all your hard work!
March 7, 2012 at 3:23 am |
Thanks for writing, Chris!
I haven’t seen anything about sales yet…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/27/harry-potter-ebook_n_1304142.html