Cheadle and Gatley Lib Dems are moving
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by Lib Dem team on 15 March, 2013
Stockport libraries are set to launch a new online service which will make searching for books easier than ever.
The new system, which will be launched at the end of April, will provide lots of benefits to library customers, including the ability to join online.
The new look library catalogue makes it easy to search for books and other items, as well as making it simpler to manage your library account. Customers will also be able to receive automatic emails or texts when a requested item is available.
To make sure the new system can be up and running on time, there will be a short period – 27 March to 22 April – when access to library services will be limited.
During this period:
Library staff will do their best to keep disruption to a minimum during the transition.
For further information and updates please visit www.stockport.gov.uk/libraries
6 Comments
I just hope that it’s easier to use than the present system. I had to speak to someone recently at the Stockport Library Service as to what to do. SHE had no idea and had to speak to someone in her office and then phone me back. She was young and familiar with computers but agreed with me that it’s difficult. Talk about being user UNFRIENDLY. I then wrote to the senior librarian Martin Roberts about this. So he wrote back and I was given a whole list of things to do…… It’s SO COMPLICATED that I have gone back to using the phone to reserve a book. It’s obviously designed by young nerds!!!!!!!!!
Are there any plans to make books downloadable to e-book readers such as Kindle
Ruth – I hope so too.
Bryan – There’s already an ebook service with a limited number of books (see http://stockport.lib.overdrive.com/9D1CE130-9581-4BF8-9D74-450D1D53F629/10/805/en/Default.htm).
Unfortunately, it’s not simple and that’s not really the fault of the library service. The publishers demand that the system allows limited lending, which means the library has to use software that allows you to borrow an ebook for a few weeks before it goes back/gets deleted. That’s a massive pain.
The system we use runs on most computers, tablets, phones and many eBook readers – except for Kindle. It’s called Overdrive (see http://www.overdrive.com/drc/ebook-audiobook/).
I have read the above and have not used the online service BUT I feel I must draw your attention to the following:
I have been a volunteer for Stockport Home Library Service for at least 8 years. We take boxes of carefully chosen books to people who are housebound, either in their own homes or in care homes. On a recent visit I noticed that a significant number of books were missing from one of the boxes and on looking into the matter, was told by a member of the Home Library Service staff that 100’s go missing every year and there was nothing that could be done about this! These large print books are not cheap and it is we, the tax payers, who are funding this. Any suggestions?
Quite annoying not to b e ab le to use a Kindle as this is the ereader most people seem to have and which I would get.
I agree, but I think it’s due to the legal constraints put on the library service by the publishers rather than any local decision to ignore Kindle users.