e-book checkouts for January

I just ran our e-book checkouts for January and have some great news! We had 772 pdf and epub e-books checked out. This is more than we had for November and December combined. Keep up the great work everyone!

VF

Reports Training

Since the weather was so crummy for our last reports training not a lot of people were able to attend. It was with this in mind and to get our new members prepped for all things overdrive that I set up another one. Details about it can be found below:

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

Today's Training

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend today's Browse, Check Out, Download training! If you could not attend or would like to refer to something in it again, I've copied and pasted the follow up email of it below.

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

VF

Browse, Check Out, Download Training- January 25

Please plan to attend!

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.

Kobo Sale EXTENDED

Hi Folks!

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!

Mobile Device Training

Overdrive has provided us with the following training for downloading e-books and audiobooks directly to your mobile device. Its very helpful and it takes about 30 minutes to go through.
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

Article on Listen Up Vermont!

Check out this great article about Listen Up! Vermont in the Sunday January 16th edition of the Rutland Herald!

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

The Borders Kobo e- reader: Now only $99!

Hi everyone!

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

Reports Training follow up

Hi everyone!

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

IT'S MANGO SIGN UP TIME!

If you're offering downloadable audios & ebooks through ListenUp! Vermont you may want to consider offering MANGO LANGUAGE LEARNING (http://www.mangolanguages.com/). Mango’s Intuitive Language Construction methodology is designed to teach practical conversation, and simulate the way people learn when immersed in a foreign culture. There are over 30 languages available AND there are English as a Second Language courses offered in over 11 languages.

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 (at) Vermontel.net

Reminder- Reports training

This post is to remind everyone that our reports training with overdrive is scheduled for January 12 @ 3PM. The web address is www.readytalk.com and the access code is: 5736005. Please let me know if you have any questions about this!

VF

New poster and bookmarks

I've added a pdf file of the new overdrive bookmark and poster to the Listen Up! widget. Please bear in mind that there two separate files for the bookmarks- one for the front and one for the back. Print these great new bookmarks out for your patrons to take and don't forget to hang up a poster or two in your library!

VF

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:

1. 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).
   
   
2. 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
   
   
3. 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).

As in the past, if you have tried these steps and looked through the "troubleshooting" posts on the Listen Up! blog, send the GMLC an email at vtaudiobooks[at]gmail.com for further tech support.

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

Thank Nancy from the Springfield Public Library for yet another great link on the Barnes and Noble Nook!

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