New Overdrive Titles

Two of the most unpleasant phrases I’ve had to utter over the last few years have been “but not for Kindles” and “they’re really popular, I’m so sorry they’re all checked out.” This always happens after I speak to a local organization, and encourage them to check out downloadable ebooks and audiobooks from the library.

I will retire those phrases, because now library downloadables DO work with Kindles, along with Nooks and hundreds of other devices. In addition, the Cedar Falls and Waterloo Public Libraries launched a new consortium this week, making many more titles available to you.

A few years ago, most people said “I still need to feel that paper book in my hands, and smell the ink.” That feeling is not as prevalent now. Over the last year, over 7500 downloadable books were checked out from our two libraries. This is another advantage of everyone pooling a few of their tax dollars to purchase library materials. It’s not unusual to pay $20.00 for a downloadable book, which means the library provided $150,000 of downloadable books for a tiny fraction of that amount. You don’t get to keep the book on your ereader forever, but would you really read it again? If you would, you can download it a second time from the library.

Go to our websites, www.waterloo.lib.ia.us and www.cedar-falls.lib.ia.us and check it out. If you need help stop by and ask our staff to help you. There are also some great videos on the Overdrive site.

Recently I finished The Man in the Wooden Hat, by Jane Gardam. Companion novel to Old Filth, it is an intriguing mix of an intimate glimpse into the lives of Edward Feathers and his wife Betty, and yet just elusive enough to make you long for more. Beautifully written, fantastic characters, this story of a British lawyer working in Hong Kong will stay with me for a long time.