Boooooks

My library has a fairly decent ebook collection. This is good, because I find paper books harder and harder to read and keep track of.

They let you read on your phone, which makes me happy. They have you use a specific app, which makes me less happy. Overdrive or Libby (same company, slightly different feature set). I use Libby these days.

I needed my library card number and I think the PIN my library assigned me. That got me logged in, and browsing happily around.

Checking out books is easy, and books that aren't available can be wait-listed.

It sometimes screws with my brain to swipe sideways to turn pages rather than scroll down. "Search" means search the book, "define" contains a google-me-this button.

There's an option to return the book early when done reading. I usually do. That helps when someone else is waiting. If the loan expires, it's automatically checked back in. No such thing as an overdue ebook (important).

In a popular series, I like to put the next two books on hold, and suspend the second hold for a while (maximum 6 months) so I get them in a timely fashion.

Hold #1 is normal. I get it when I get it. I get a helpful email.

Hold #2 waits. It keeps my place in line until I'm #1 in line, but then starts skipping me until I unsuspend. (Or if the suspend timer runs out.) Then it checks it out for me.

When I get hold #1, I unsuspend hold #2.

I could theoretically do this with all the rest of the books in the series if they're checked out, but in practice that seems like too much work.

I like to use Do Not Disturb mode while reading, to minimize the amount of bings and beeps (and top-line obscuring previews) emitted.