The official blog of GMLC's Listen Up! Vermont eBook and audiobook project. Email us at vtaudiobooks(at)gmail.com
31 January 2011
e-book checkouts for January
VF
29 January 2011
Reports Training
Mark your calendar! OverDrive training for Green Mountain Library Consortium. OverDrive’s Training Team invites you to learn more about your download service from OverDrive. A class has been scheduled for your group, and the details are outlined below. Our expert trainers will answer your questions and provide tips and tricks to help make the most of your ‘Virtual Branch’. Please plan to attend!
CONFERENCE DETAILS The following course is scheduled. It will be hosted conveniently via web conference. Real-Time Reports: Size-up Success...and Stay on Track Friday, March 4th at 10:00 AM EST. Access Code: 5736005. Description: We'll showcase reports which best track circulation, new patrons, site traffic, and popular titles. Your team can then evaluate how your Virtual Branch is doing, and chart a path to future success.Duration: 1 hour.Who should attend: Project Coordinators, Administrators, and Selectors.
CONFERENCE SETUP: Please complete all steps below. The training will be conducted using ReadyTalk, which uses online web sharing and telephone conferencing. Step 1: Conference testing and setup – At least one day prior to conference 1. Test your computer: Go to http://test.readytalk.com.· If your computer is setup properly for the conference, you'll see a green circle with a check mark.· If not, instructions will be provided to install an Adobe Flash Plugin. 2. Internet connection: OverDrive recommends using a hard line Internet connection rather than a wireless connection. 3. Audio connection: · A speaker phone is recommended for the audio conference. · If your location wishes to attend but cannot dial in due to limited phone lines, please contact your OverDrive Project Manager for additional information. · ReadyTalk allows up to 96 locations to call in to each training. 4. Location: For the benefit of others on the call, please choose a quiet location for your training. Step 2: Web Conference Login – 10 to 15 minutes before the training begins 1. Make a note of the ReadyTalk access code listed in this email for the date and time you are attending (from 'Conference Details').2. Open your Internet browser and go to: www.readytalk.com.3. Locate the 'Join a Meeting' box. Enter your access code.4. Next, Ready Talk will display the 'Participant Registration' screen. Please enter your information as prompted, and our staff will send follow-up information after the call. Step 3: Audio Conference Login (required for audio) – 5 minutes before the training begins 1. Make a note of the ReadyTalk access code listed in this email for the date and time you are attending (from 'Conference Details').2. Dial the appropriate number from your touch-tone phone. Participants within US / Canada: 1.866.740.1260Other participants outside North America: Look up the International Toll-Free number for your location at http://www.readytalk.com/support. To complete the look-up, enter your ReadyTalk access code. 3. When prompted by the audio conference, enter your ReadyTalk access code.
If you have any questions about this training, please feel free to contact me at vtaudiobooks@gmail.com
VF
25 January 2011
Today's Training
Hello everyone!
It was a pleasure meeting with you today. Please feel free to forward this email to anyone else on your team.
Here is the URL for Green Mountain Library Consortium:
URL: www.listenupvermont.org
You may check out titles using your own library card.
BROWSE, CHECK OUT, DOWNLOAD
Course Description: Learn how to browse, check out, and download OverDrive media. At the end of this course, staff should feel comfortable answering basic questions about your OverDrive service.
v OverDrive’s Training Center: Download a copy of today’s presentation, learn about other OverDrive courses, and link to the Library Marketing Kit: http://www.overdrive.com/trainingcenter.
v Listen to a recording: This class has been recorded so you can share with other staff or use for future training: http://cc.readytalk.com/play?id=chd3w0.
The recording will be saved for 30 days.
OTHER RESOURCES
v OverDrive Download Station: For more information on OverDrive Download Station, please contact Joe Dickinson, jdickinson@overdrive.com, or 216-573-6886 x216.
Have fun with Green Mountain Library Consortium, and please feel free to contact me with any questions. I’m here to help.
Best,
Cassie
22 January 2011
Browse, Check Out, Download Training- January 25
CONFERENCE DETAILS
The following course is scheduled. It will be hosted conveniently via web conference.
Browse, Check Out, Download
Tuesday, January 25th at 3:00 PM EST. Access Code: 5736001.
Description: Learn how to browse, check out, and download OverDrive media. At the end of this course, staff should feel comfortable answering basic questions about your OverDrive service.
Duration: 1.5 hours.
Who should attend: All staff.
CONFERENCE SETUP: Please complete all steps below.
The training will be conducted using ReadyTalk, which uses online web sharing and telephone conferencing.
Step 1: Conference testing and setup – At least one day prior to conference
1. Test your computer: Go to http://test.readytalk.com.
· If your computer is setup properly for the conference, you'll see a green circle with a check mark.
· If not, instructions will be provided to install an Adobe Flash Plugin.
2. Internet connection: OverDrive recommends using a hard line Internet connection rather than a wireless connection.
3. Audio connection:
· A speaker phone is recommended for the audio conference.
· If your location wishes to attend but cannot dial in due to limited phone lines, please contact your OverDrive Project Manager for additional information.
· ReadyTalk allows up to 96 locations to call in to each training.
4. Location: For the benefit of others on the call, please choose a quiet location for your training.
Step 2: Web Conference Login – 10 to 15 minutes before the training begins
1. Make a note of the ReadyTalk access code listed in this email for the date and time you are attending (from 'Conference Details').
2. Open your Internet browser and go to: www.readytalk.com.
3. Locate the 'Join a Meeting' box. Enter your access code.
4. Next, Ready Talk will display the 'Participant Registration' screen. Please enter your information as prompted, and our staff will send follow-up information after the call.
Step 3: Audio Conference Login (required for audio) – 5 minutes before the training begins
1. Make a note of the ReadyTalk access code listed in this email for the date and time you are attending (from 'Conference Details').
2. Dial the appropriate number from your touch-tone phone.
Participants within US / Canada: 1.866.740.1260 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1.866.740.1260 end_of_the_skype_highlightingOther participants outside North America: Look up the International Toll-Free number for your location at http://www.readytalk.com/support. To complete the look-up, enter your ReadyTalk access code.
3. When prompted by the audio conference, enter your ReadyTalk access code.
21 January 2011
Kobo Sale EXTENDED
Borders has extended their sale on Kobo e-readers: http://www.borders.com/online/store/MediaView_kobowifi
for more information, please see my previous post from January 14:
The Borders Kobo e- reader: Now only $99!
19 January 2011
Mobile Device Training
If you have any questions after the training, please feel to contact me. The links can be found below
Slideshow: http://www.overdrive.com/files/Training-MobileUpdate.pdf
Audio: https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/playback/Playback.do?id=82bx9d
VF
17 January 2011
Article on Listen Up Vermont!
http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110116/FEATURES02/701169964
If you are not currently a subscriber to the online site and don't want to create an account, don't worry; I have asked the Herald if they could send us link. Stay tuned!
VF
14 January 2011
The Borders Kobo e- reader: Now only $99!
For the next four days Borders is running a sale where the Kobo e-reader is only $99! I've done a bit of research into them, and they appear to be very, very user friendly! Overdrive has given them quite favorable reviews as well. At this price they are an incredible deal and if you're thinking of getting an e-reader for your library I don't think you're going get a better deal than this. You can find out more information about them here:
http://www.borders.com/online/store/MediaView_kobowifi
VF
13 January 2011
Reports Training follow up
Thank you to everybody that could attend yesterdays Overdrive Reports Training! I hope you all got as much out of it as I did. If you missed it, or were able to attend and still have questions, you are in luck. The information below provides a link to the audio and how to access the slide show:
Print the Presentation: Attached is a PDF copy of today’s presentation. You may also download a copy of the presentation from Content Reserve.
Go to: Content Reserve > Support tab > Training Presentations.
v Listen to a recording: This class has been recorded so you can share with other staff or use for future training: http://cc.readytalk.com/play?id=ar7iul
I'm also going to put the pdf file of it in the widget so we can access it for later use.
Stay warm!
VF
11 January 2011
IT'S MANGO SIGN UP TIME!
GMLC has once again negotiated some great pricing. Because the consortium takes on the burden of billing, it brings costs down for everyone!
Contact me ASAP to find out what your library would pay. Mary Danko: HartlandDir
08 January 2011
Reminder- Reports training
VF
07 January 2011
New poster and bookmarks
VF
05 January 2011
OverDrive: The Three Steps to Solve Almost Any DRM Problem
The support questions we receive for Listen Up! Vermont, powered by OverDrive, almost always fall into the category of problems related to Digital Rights Management, or DRM. You can help your patrons be successful in resolving their issue by suggesting they try these three steps first:
- Talk to your patron. Are they trying to download a format that works on their computer? A format that will work on their player? WMA and mp3 formatted titles will work on an iPod if transferred through a PC. Mac users can only access mp3 formatted titles. Users with iPod Touches and iPhones and Andriod phones using the OverDrive Media Console app need to first find an item to download in the browser on their phone, and the item must be in mp3 format (it will download directly to the device when using the app, light years easier than downloading to your computer and transferring).
- Open up the OverDrive Media Console and click on the Tools menu. Choose "Windows Media Player Security Upgrade." This will automatically open Windows Media Player and update the DRM permissions; more often than not, this will solve the issue. Sometimes, the upgrade needs to be initiated manually; go to (in Internet Explorer only): http://drmlicense.one.microsoft.com/Indivsite
- Still not working? We all know Windows can be a little cranky. OverDrive then recommends resetting the DRM folder:
1. Open the 'Control Panel'.
2. Open 'Folder Options' and select the 'View' tab.
3. Select 'Show hidden files and folders'.
4. Uncheck 'Hide protected operating system files'.
5. In the warning message you receive, click 'Yes'.
6. Click 'OK'.
7. Close the Control Panel
8. Rename the DRM folder to DRM.old.
(You can find the folder most often under C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\ DRM)
9. Close this window and open OverDrive Media Console.
10. Go to “Tools > Windows Media Player Security Upgrade” (as above).
The downloadable media process is full of places where things can go wrong, because there are so many steps. It may help to understand that DRM is a requirement of the publisher; the format an item is released in is also determined by the publisher. The industry as a whole needs to decide to move to a unified format, as most eBook publishers have done by choosing EPUB.
Right now, in this relatively new circulating format, the model we have is the best we've got, where OverDrive is attempting to please both the wishes of publishers (to prevent piracy) and librarians (to be able to make available and circulate materials without draining the budget). Our patrons, the majority of which are not as tech savvy as their librarian, unfortunately are stuck in the middle.
As with anything in technology, don't forget the old standby of turning off the machine, counting to ten, and turning it back on. A reboot can do wonders. Don't forget to take advantage of the training sessions when they are offered.
And, as with anything in customer service, empathizing with your patron, apologizing ("I am sorry you had such as frustrating experience."), and offering to help walk them through the process does wonders.
Another great Nook link
www.nooktalk.net
As a heads up, don't forget about Overdrive's Reports training taking place Wednesday January 12 @ 3 PM. You should have received the access code for this in an email I sent out in mid December. If you didn't, please feel free to shoot me an e-mail.
VF