WPLC Policies on Accounts and Borrowing FAQ
How long is the loan period?
The default lending period for all formats is 7 days. You may set your own default lending period on a format-by-format basis, from the following options:
Lending period options for Adobe EPUB eBooks, Adobe PDF eBooks, OverDrive WMA Audiobooks, OverDrive MP3 Audiobooks:
- 7 days
- 14 days
- 21 days
Lending period options for OverDrive WMA Music, OverDrive WMV Video:
- 3 days
- 5 days
- 7 days
- 14 days
Additionally, at the time of checkout, you can select a lending period on a title-by-title basis. See the OverDrive Help pages: http://help.overdrive.com/article/0404/How-to-change-lending-period-options
How many items can I have checked out?
A total of 10 items can be checked out at any given time.
How will I know when the hold is available?
You'll receive an email, with instructions on checking the book out.
How long will an item stay on hold for me?
3 days (almost exactly 72 hours: beware that this might happen in the middle of the night)
How many holds can I have?
10 titles at a time.
Why can I only have 10 holds?
The WPLC limits the number of books patrons can have on hold at a time to 10 to mirror the number of checkouts allowed at one time. There is a checkout limit because the supply of books doesn't meet the high demand, and when a lot of books are tied up in a few accounts, these books are not available to others, making the problem worse. We try to be flexible with this number and we did raise the limit within the last year when there was a jump in the size of the collection.
Additionally, there is no holds management feature in the Digital Library, so holds statuses can't be changed to "pending," nor can they be suspended (often used during a vacation or other extended break), and it's possible that more than 10 books could become available for checkout at the same time.
Returning items
- Titles expire roughly around the time of day that they were checked out (within 15 minutes).
- You don't have to return titles. When the loan is over, the license expires and the book is considered returned. No late fees ever!
Returning books early
You can return books early depending on format and what you are using:
Books can be returned early when using the Overdrive app (version 2.4) on your Android, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, BlackBerry and Windows mobile device, as long as your app is up-to-date.
Open the Overdrive app on your device
Locate the item on your app "Bookshelf"
Touch the "plus" sign that appears beside the title that you would like to return and delete
Choose the "Return/Delete" button
Instructions for returning Kindle titles early from the Your Orders section of Manage Your Kindle:
Click the "+" symbol next to the loaned title.
Click the Delete this Title button.
Click Yes in the pop-over window to confirm the return.
Information about Kindle formats can be found on the Amazon pages: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_200549320_faq?nodeId=200549320&#faq
To return Adobe eBooks early in Adobe Digital Editions, follow these steps:
- Open Adobe Digital Editions.
- Select the 'Library View' icon (in the upper left corner).
- The Adobe Digital Editions library is displayed.
- Under the 'Bookshelves' heading, select 'Borrowed'.
- Click the eBook you want to return.
- Click the 'Item Options' arrow (in the upper left corner of the selected eBook).
- Select 'Return Borrowed Item'.
- Click 'Return' to verify that you want to return the title. The eBook is then returned to the library collection.
Do not delete the titles: choose the option to return the item.
Searching Help
OverDrive developed a searching tip sheet for the Wisconsin Digital Library. See attached. It explains some mysteries of the search engine...
Wisconsin Public Library Consortium Guide to Searching the Digital Collection
Wisconsin Libraries contribute toward $1 million e-book buying pool
Digital downloads of electronic books (e-books) are growing in popularity, and all 17 Wisconsin Library Systems and their 387 member public libraries are participating in a statewide program to purchase $1 million in new content in 2012 for the Wisconsin Digital Library, sponsored by the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium (WPLC).
This project that will dramatically expand the offerings from the WPLC’s Digital Library. Each library's investment is a reallocation of a small portion of its planned 2012 acquisitions budget, so it’s not in addition to operating expenses.
Available to all Wisconsin residents, the Wisconsin Digital Library offers e-books, audio books, videos and music that you can download to devices like iPods and other MP3 players, Kindles, Sony eReaders, Nooks, and iPads (to name just a few). For a complete list of supported devices, visit the OverDrive's Device Resource Center.
The project took flight in May of this year when the Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning (DLTCL) of the Department of Public Instruction sponsored a statewide e-book Summit. The primary recommendation from that Summit was the need to establish a statewide e-book buying pool. A target goal of allocating $1 million for e-books and audio book purchases has been met.
In addition to the $700,000 in funding from the state’s 17 library systems and their 385 member public libraries, the DPI has earmarked $300,000 for the e-book purchasing pool with anticipated federal LSTA grant funds awarded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
In April 2012, the Wisconsin Digital Library had 17,743 titles with 42,299 copies.