Ebook Etiquette: Return When Done and Share the Fun!
via GIPHY. Image description: A boy returns a book to a friendly librarian. The caption reads: "eBooks: Return when done and share the fun!"
You're not imagining it – waiting lists for some of the most popular ebooks and eaudiobooks are getting longer. These formats are incredibly popular in Toronto, and as more and more of you discover the pleasures of e-reading, that trend is only going to continue. There are some things that you can do to help make holds lists shorter and free up your books for the next person on the list.
Return When Done
If you've finished reading an ebook before it's due, you can return it. Your device must be connected to the internet for the return to work.
- In the Libby app, select Shelf, then select the item you want to return. Finally, select Return to Library.
- In the Overdrive app, open your Bookshelf then tap and hold on the book cover. The option Return to Library will pop up at the bottom.
Reduce Long Holds Lists
Here are some ways to reduce wait times for everyone:
- If you don't need an ebook anymore, you can cancel your hold. For example, if you place holds on both the print and the ebook copy, and the print copy comes in first, consider cancelling your hold for the ebook.
- To keep track of long lists of books you're planning to read eventually, instead of placing them on hold, you can use the Saved List function in the library catalogue, or the Wish List function in Overdrive.
Thank you for reading our public service announcement! If you have any questions about ebooks, holds or the like, please let us know in the comments.
GIF source: The Librarian, by Holmes Films Inc., courtesy of The Prelinger Archives.
12 thoughts on “Ebook Etiquette: Return When Done and Share the Fun!”
Thank you for this PSA!!!! Share the love and share the fun!
Good to know. If suggestions could be put on the Loans and Holds pages of OverDrive itself more readers would see them. All it tells me now is how many more titles I can borrow or hold.
That’s an excellent point. I’ll pass it on to the person who works with OverDrive.
@JB – good news! I just heard this from our ebook contact: “OverDrive recently announced that they will be tweaking the Libby app to prompt users to return books early once they finish a title or if it is not in use. This should improve the turnover of copies.” Great minds think alike.
Great. Thanks for the prompt follow up.
When will we be able to recommend books for the library to purchase? I do this all the time with my Markham library card.
Hi Terry,
You can! In http://tpl.ca/overdrive ,
1. Search for a title. If we don’t have it:
2. In the left-hand navigation menu under Availability, select Recommend To Library.
3. Browse the list of suggested matches. If you find the book you’re looking for, select “Recommend” underneath the book. (You may have to log in with your library card to complete the transaction.)
4. A purchase request will be sent to library staff, and you’ll be notified by email if the book is acquired.
If the book you want to recommend doesn’t appear in that list, it means that it’s not available through OverDrive.
You can recommend one new title per month.
When I tried to follow this before, my account was blocked from checking out books because there had been “too many titles borrowed and returned from your account”.
So.. yeah.
Just cancelled all of the holds I’m not longer interested in.
How frustrating! I’ll check in with our OverDrive person and see if I can find out what was going on there. I’ve never heard of it presenting that behaviour before.
The people in line after you send their thanks!
It makes me laugh a lot! Thank you.