Getting Started with eBooks

Kindle | Kindle Fire | Nook, Sony, Kobo | iPad and iPhone | Blackberry PlayBook

Maine State Library, along with other Maine libraries, purchased over 2,500 popular eBooks, known as theMaine InfoNet Download Library. Anyone with a library card from a participating library (140 libraries and more joining) can access this collection free of charge. This collection is offered through Overdrive, the current leader in the eBook lending market.

In addition to the Overdrive service, there are many free ebooks that are available all the time because they are in the public domain (out of copyright) or otherwise accessible license-free.

Getting Started

Overdrive is the current leader in eBook lending market. The eBooks available through Maine InfoNet Download Library can be read on eReader devices or computers. depending on the device. Follow the instructions below for your device. Full guide to compatible devices

Kindle - Overdrive Step-by-Step [updated 1/20/2012]

• Kindle: [PDF, 133 KB], Get Acrobat Reader
• Kindle: [Word, 2.0 MB] - For librarians to modify as needed

Kindle Fire - Overdrive Step-by-Step [updated 2/16/2012]

• Kindle Fire :[PDF, 132 KB], Get Acrobat Reader
• Kindle Fire: [Word, 1.64 MB] - For librarians to modify as needed.

Nook, Sony, Kobo eReader - Overdrive Step-by-Step [updated 1/20/2012]

• Nook, Kobo, Sony: [PDF, 133 KB], Get Acrobat Reader
• Nook, Kobo, Sony: [Word, 886 KB] - For librarians to modify as needed

iPads and iPhones [updated 1/23/2012]

For iPads and iphones, you can now download eBooks directly via an Overdrive app.

• iPad and iPhone:[PDF, 364 KB], Get Acrobat Reader
• iPad,and iPhone: [Word, 1.57 MB]

Blackberry Playbook - Overdrive Step-by-Step [ 3/13/2012]

• Blackberry Playbook: [PDF, 157 KB]
• Blackberry Playbook: [Word, 1.06 MB] - for librarians to modify as needed

Your eBook is “due” either 7 or 14 days after you checked it out from Overdrive, depending on which option you chose at Check Out. (In Adobe Digital Editions, the diagonal ribbon across the book cover shows the remaining check-out days.)

If you finish with the item sooner than the due date, and you have been reading on your computer or eReader device, you can check it back in to Overdrive early to be eligible to check-out another eBook (3 items max). Unfortunately, you cannot check-in early from the Overdrive app on your iPad, iPhone, or Android.

To check in the eBook early, go to Adobe Digital Editions, in the "Book Cover" view of your Library and click once on the item you want to return to highlight it. Then click the arrow near the upper left corner of the book cover and choose "Return Borrowed Item" from the short menu.

Once you return the eBook from your Adobe library, it is removed from your computer, but it remains on your eReader device and you can continue reading your eBook for the remaining loan period. If, however, you wait until the eBook expires, the file remains on your eReader but becomes unreadable, so you need to delete it.

Click for Overdrive's information about how to Download Library eBooks.

For More Information

• Help, Activation, the Basics and Adobe EPUB eBooks at the Maine InfoNet Download Library.
• See a list of compatible devices for Overdrive eBooks. or use a PDF cheatsheet from Overdrive
• Read more on eReaders, eBooks and eLibraries