This seminal reference book on all things book-related, for the serious or beginning bibliophile, is available in its entirety as a PDF download from this site: http://www.ilab.org/eng/documentation/29-john_carter_abc_for_book_collectors.html. This encyclopedia is filled with all sorts of interesting factoids; I learned that having a passion for uncut edges in books is called "deckle-fetishism".

This detailed tutorial walks users step-by-step through the process necessary to download e-books available free from the San Jose Public Library and read them on the Barnes and Nobel NOOK This video features the NOOK Color, but the same process works for the standard NOOK as well. For additional information, please see New User's Guide to eBooks, eAudioBooks, & eMusic and Frequently Asked Questions about Digital Content.

Full Transcript of Narration:

Introduction

Welcome to the San Jose Public Library’s e-Book tutorial for the NOOK.

Set-Up/Installing Adobe Digital Editions

To turn on the NOOK, first press the Power button, located on the top left side of the device, then, on the touch screen, touch and slide out the onscreen bar to “wake up” your NOOK.

Using the provided USB cable, connect the NOOK to your computer. Once the NOOK is connected, from your computer, go to the library’s homepage (sjpl.org) and click on “Downloads”. From the Downloads page, click on “OverDrive.”

From OverDrive’s homepage, scroll down until you see a section called “Getting Started” on the lefthand side. From here, click “Adobe Digital Editions”. From the following page, click “Download Adobe Digital Editions”. You will be taken to Adobe’s website, where you can click to “Install” Adobe Digital Editions. Click Yes when prompted and the installation will begin. After following the installation prompts and closing the dialogue box, you will be asked to click that you agree with the software’s terms of use. This will open a setup menu. Click next. Here you will be asked to “authenticate” your computer. If you already have an Adobe username and password, enter them at this time. Or, to register, click “get an Adobe ID online” and create an Adobe ID by filling out your information online. However, for our example, we will keep it simple and instead select “Don’t Authenticate” and continue without creating an ID.

Downloading an e-Book

Once Adobe Digital Editions has been installed, you can return to Overdrive's homepage and browse their vast selection of digital titles to find exactly the e-book you are looking for.  Or, for our example, we will click on "Advanced Search" from the top left corner. This allows us to limit the Format to "Adobe EPUB eBook" as well as to "Only show titles with copies available."

After finding a title you want, next to “Adobe EPUB Format”, select "Add to Bookbag." You can then either browse for more titles or "Proceed to Check-Out." You will then be prompted to sign-in using your Library Card number and your PIN. Before confirming checkout, you have an option for the number of days you wish to check out the e-book. Once you are done, press "Confirm Check-Out."

Transferring an e-Book to the NOOK

From the following screen, press "Download." When prompted, select to Open the file. Adobe Digital Editions should automatically open and the book will be downloaded to the program. You can either read the e-book on your computer screen, or, to transfer the e-book to your NOOK, first click on the Library Icon at the top left of the screen. Your library displays a list of the books you currently have downloaded. Click and drag the title you wish to transfer to the folder on the left side labeled “My Nook.”

Once you have transferred the e-book or ebooks you have downloaded onto your NOOK, you may “safely remove” the device from your computer.

Reading an e-Book on the NOOK

After disconnecting your NOOK from your computer, press the arch-shaped Menu button to pull up a menu on the screen. On the menu, touch Library. On the top right of the screen, touch “My Stuff” and then “My Files.” Here you will find the e-books that you transferred to your NOOK from your computer. Touch a title to open it. To flip through pages, touch and slide your finger across the screen. Note that, once you have opened an e-book, the page you left off on will be remember and the title will also appear on your NOOK’s homepage.

Returning/Removing an e-Book Title

While the NOOK is connected to your computer, you can return a book before its due date if you finish early. From your library, click the drop down arrow over the title that you wish to return and then click “Return Borrowed Item.” Once the item is returned, you will no longer be able to read it on your NOOK. To then remove the title itself, click and hold down on the title until a menu appears. From the menu, select “delete.” This same process can be used on the homepage to remove a title by selecting “Remove From Home.” Note that you can remove items just from the homepage without deleting them from your NOOK.

Conclusion

You are now ready to download e-books for free from San Jose Public Library and Overdrive and enjoy reading them in the palm of your hand. For Additional information, refer to your NOOK’s user manual. Also, visit SJPL.ORG to browse e-book titles available from OverDrive.

This detailed tutorial walks users step-by-step through the process necessary to download e-books available free from the San Jose Public Library and read them on the Amazon Kindle or Kindle Touch. For additional information, please see New User's Guide to eBooks, eAudioBooks, & eMusic and Frequently Asked Questions about Digital Content.

Full Transcript of Naration:

Introduction

Welcome to the San Jose Public Library's e-Book Tutorial for the Kindle

Please note that this tutorial is for the standard Kindle, but the same features can be accessed by using the Kindle Touch simply by touching the screen instead of using the buttons.

Basic Use and Navigation

To turn on the Kindle, press the button located at the bottom of the device.

The buttons below the screen of the Kindle are: Home, which shows your collection of e-Books; Menu, which pulls up a menu selection; Back, to exit a menu or go back; Keyboard, to pull up a keyboard to type in; and a Directional Pad with a Select button in the middle to navigate your collection.

Setting Up Wi-Fi

To begin, from the Home page, open the Menu and select "Turn Wireless On." Then, from the Menu, select "Settings." Under Settings, select to View Wi-Fi Networks. For our example, we are connecting wirelessly from inside the library, so we will select the name of the library from the list and click to connect. To access the library's free Wi-Fi service, you will be redirected to an agreement page. Use the arrows to scroll down and select that you accept the terms of use. Once accepted, you can use the library's Wi-Fi.

Registering Your Kindle

Now, return to the Home page. From the Menu, select Settings. If your Kindle has not already been registered, select "Register." If you have an Amazon.com account, select that option. If not, select the second option. To enter your email address, press the Keyboard button and use the directional pad to type in your email address. Then press the Keyboard button again and click down to select Password. Then, press the Keyboard button to enter your password. Once finished, press the Keyboard button again and click over and select the "Submit" button. If the Kindle is successfully connected to a wireless internet source, your account will automatically be linked and your name will appear as the registered user.

Note that, if the Kindle you are using is currently registered to a different user, you can deregister it by selecting Settings, "Deregister." You can then register it to a different account.

Note also that, from the Menu under "Experimental," you can use Wi-Fi to browse the internet, including the library's website.

However, for our example, we will be browsing titles through a computer with internet access.

Downloading An e-Book Using Wi-Fi

From the library's homepage (sjpl.org), there is a section for downloadable content, such as e-books. From this page, select "Overdrive." Overdrive's digital library includes a vast selection of titles available for multiple portable devices and computers.  You can either browse the collection or search for a specific title.

For our example, we will click on "Advanced Search" from the top left corner. This allows us to limit the Format to "Kindle Book" as well as to "Only show titles with copies available."

After finding a title you want, next to the Kindle Book icon, select "Add to Bookbag." You can then either browse for more titles or "Proceed to Check-Out." You will then be prompted to sign-in using your Library Card number and your PIN number. Before confirming checkout, you have an option for the number of days you wish to check out the e-book. Once you are done, press "Confirm Check-Out." From the following screen, press "Get For Kindle."

You will then be forwarded to Amazon's website, where you can click "Get Library Book." If you are not already signed-in, you will be asked to sign-in using the same email address and password you used when registering the Kindle earlier. Once you are signed-in, click "Get Library Book." From the drop-down menu, select the device you would like the e-book sent to and press continue. The title will then be available on your Kindle while it is connected to the internet.

From your Kindle, on the Home page, you should see the title you checked-out with the word "New" next to it. If you don't, on the Menu, select "Sync And Check For Items." The side buttons on the Kindle (or touching the side of the screen on the Kindle Touch) advance or go back a page. Depending on the Kindle's settings, titles may appear under "Archived Items" on the second page of the Home page.

After You've Downloaded An e-Book

Now that you have downloaded your first e-book, from the Home page, by clicking on the title, you can read the e-book and advance pages by using the side buttons.

After your check-out period has expired, the title will then say "Loan Ended" and you will no longer be able to read the title.

Note that, from Amazon.com's "Your Account" drop-down menu, you can select “Manage Your Kindle.” From here, you can either, “Deliver An Item” to your Kindle, “Purchase the Book,” “Download and transfer via USB,” “Clear furthest page read,” or “Return the Book.” This allows you to return a book before the due date if you finish early, thus allowing other users a chance to read the title when you are done.

After an item has expired or been returned, you can delete the item from your account if you do not wish to retain it for further reference.

To remove the “Loan Ended” notice from your Kindle, select the title and press the Right arrow button (or, on the Kindle Touch, touch the title and hold). The bottom option lets you remove the title from the device.

Downloading An e-Book Using A USB Cable

If you don’t have access to a wireless internet source, you can also connect the Kindle to a computer using the included USB cable. Then, when browsing e-book titles, you will have the option after checkout to download the title from your Amazon.com account. If a download screen does not automatically appear, check the top of the screen for any security messages and select “Download File.” Then select Save. The file should be saved directly onto the Kindle under the folder called “Documents.” Before disconnecting your Kindle, remember to safely remove your device by using the option from the bottom of your computer screen. The title will then be available on your Kindle with the word “New” next to it.

Conclusion

You can now enjoy reading your e-book or e-books in the palm of your hand.

When done, to turn off your Kindle, press and hold the Power button.

For additional information, please refer to your Kindle User Guide. Also, visit SJPL.ORG to browse e-book titles available for the Kindle from Overdrive.