Meeting Minutes for 02/08/2022

eContent Committee Meeting
02/08/2022

OverDrive Sunsetting the OverDrive App Discussion (Abbey Patton, OverDrive)

  • OverDrive is still on schedule to remove the OverDrive app from the existing app stores on February 23, 2022.
  • OverDrive is expecting this to affect a minimal number of people because they are not sunsetting the OverDrive app just yet nor are they getting rid of the OverDrive site. They are making it so patrons who do not currently have the OverDrive app downloaded to a device will not find it in an App store. 
  • The end goal is to sunset the OverDrive app but for now, OverDrive wants new patrons to download the Libby app and become familiar with it.
  • There is one exception is the Amazon app store. Amazon and Kindle Fire have still not approved the Libby app for their Kindle Fire device. A patron who uses Kindle Fire will still be able to download the OverDrive app to their Kindle Fire. This will not change on February 23, 2022.
  • Patrons will also still be able to go to the marmot.overdrive.com site. OverDrive does not currently have any plans to sunset the desktop browser version of the OverDrive app.
  • If Kindle users express an interest in getting to know more about the Libby app, you can send them to their Fire browser and have them go to libbyapp.com/library/marmot. This will give patrons the Libby experience from the browser. They can do everything they can from the Libby app except download the book to the Libby app (Minute 02:20).   
  • What to expect after February 23rd OverDrive app removal from App stores. OverDrive will continue to support it. If a patron has an issue or a question, you can submit that through the support feature on Marketplace, or by emailing Abbey.  OverDrive will be able to still troubleshoot the issues. 
  • Phase 2 is the next step that is going to be called “All in on Libby.”  OverDrive will ask library staff for their help to get those diehard OverDrive app fans into Libby to start transiting everyone onto Libby. To help with Phase 2, OverDrive is only offering OverDrive extras exclusively through Libby (Minute 04:17). 
  •  Libby app and Libby browser have built-in tech support that allows patrons to create their support cases without help from a library staff member (Minute 05:14). 
  • Q: I assume overdrive is working toward amazon approving Libby for use with Kindles?
  • A: OverDrive has been working on this for a few years. The ball is in Amazon’s court, but OverDrive has not gotten the approval. 
  • Q: Is there an operating system requirement for Kindle?
  • A: The operating system is going to be the same as all the others. You do not need to have the most recent update, you just need to have a recent update. If anyone can access OverDrive on your Kindle OS then should also be able to use libbyapp.com/library/marmot.  It looks like the first generation of Kindles would not work. 
  • Q: Do all OverDrive users receive any notification of the changes?
  • A: OverDrive will not be actively advertising the removal of the OverDrive app from App stores to patrons because the push notifications would be through the OverDrive app. Any patron who already has the OverDrive app will not need to know it will no longer be available in the App store.   OverDrive only contacts patrons to let them know there is a hold available, so they will not be sending out any emails.  
  • Q: Will there be a cutoff for people to place holds through the Overdrive app?
  • A: No. If you place a hold in OverDrive and you sign into Libby with the same card that you placed a hold the title will change over from OverDrive to Libby (Minute 15:19).
  • Q: Does OverDrive have any idea how many people are using the OverDrive app? 
  • A: Abbey will request a report for the consortium. However, patron emails will not be included in the report. Instead, Abbey showed a way to run a report to see checkouts by OverDrive users that include their patron barcode (Minute 06:47 - 10:01 & Minute 16:30 - 17:01).

OverDrive and Kanopy Lending Models Overview (Abbey Patton, OverDrive)

  • Lending models are determined by the publisher. A lending model refers to the title that is available for purchase. It also refers to the length of time someone who purchases the title has access to it.  As well as how the patrons can interact with that title.  
  • OC/OU (One Copy One User Model) functions most similarly to a physical book. If you purchase an OC/OU copy this means you own one copy and one patron can check out the title at a time. You own the title in perpetuity and it will never expire.
  • MA (Metered Access) has two different lending models. Metered access single-use one-user and metered access concurrent user. 
  • Metered Access (MA) One User has includes metered access one user by time and metered access one user by checkout. When you purchase a MA title you are doing so with the understanding that you can lend the title for a set period of time or a set period of checkouts.  After that set number of times or checkouts has occurred the title will no longer be active in your collection and patrons will no longer be able to check out the title. 
    • Metered Access One User by time can be purchased for 12 months or 24 months. This time-based purchase means the copy can circulate to one patron at a time. You will have this copy in your collection for either 12 months or 24 months. After the time is up, the copy will no longer be actively circulating in your collection.
    • Metered Access One User by checkout agrees upfront that once a title circulates a certain number of times (the checks will be listed when purchasing a copy) that the copy will no longer be available to circulate in your collection.
    • Metered Access Concurrent User by checkout agrees to upfront that you are purchasing 100 checkouts of a copy that can all occur simultaneously. This type of purchase works well for a book club. 
  • CPC (Cost Per Circ) is a lending model that does allow concurrent uses.  This lending model does not cost anything to add it to your collection. The cost is only incurred anytime one of your patrons checks out the copy. You would set a monthly budget and the CPC checkouts would be deducted from that budget. Once your budget is used, your patrons will no longer have access to the CPC titles. This type of lending model is done at the advantage level for just your patrons because CPC titles are not eligible to be shared. CPC titles are technically unshared with the group so only your patrons will have access. To find CPC titles go to the SHOP dropdown in the Marketplace and click on the Cost Per Circ (Minute 05:14).
  • SU (Simultaneous Use)  is subscription-based purchasing for uncapped and unlimited user access for a set period of time that you pay in advance. SU titles purchased with an advantage account cannot be shared (Minute 06:48).
  • Lucky Day is not a lending model. It is what OverDrive calls their high holds management system. Lucy Day is when you own multiple copies of a title at the advantage level. Lucky Day allows you at a copy level to remove the ability to place holds on one copy of a title. The Lucky Day copy is what is called a free floater that is available now when it is not checked out. Lucky Day is set at a consortium level is they can be set for a shorter lending period and are not renewable. Lucy Days are not exclusive to your patrons and your patrons do not have preference. Once a shared title and a copy are made into a Lucy Day, that copy is available to all patrons. 
  • Lending model checkouts work on tiers depending on the model you own. First is the SU titles for checkout. If you do not own a SU title, the OC/OU title would be checked out. If you have MA and PCP,  the MA title would be checked out first. If you only have an available copy of CPC, that will be the last copy that is checked out. 
  • Kanopy is going to be introducing subscription bundles of simultaneous use model. OverDrive and Kanopy are still operating separately. Abbey cannot sell or sign people up for Kanopy. In addition, Abbey cannot troubleshoot or help with any in-depth support.  Abbey can put you in touch with someone from Kanopy. The information that Abbey shared is subject to change because this is a very early endeavor that is not yet available. The subscriptions will be smaller preselected collections. The amount of titles in each preselected collection has not to be determined yeat There will be multiple preselected collections choices. The price will be based on library size. If you do not want the CPC Kanopy titles, you do not have to sign up for the full platform to get the SU preselected collections. Your patrons will have access to just the SU collection and you do not have to set the monthly CPC budget. They are looking at starting the SU collections with Kanopy kids content. 
  • Q: Will Kanopy offers these collections at a consortium level?
  • A: OverDrive is working with Kanopy on their consortium model. Abbey thinks these collections will be available at a consortium level. Abbey would confirm with Kanopy on pricing and let us know when it would be good to move forward on voting for a consortium deal. 
  • Q: When do they expect the SU collections to be available?
  • A: Kanopy has not released a date for when these collections will be available for purchase. Abbey thinks they plan to release the Kanopy kids in the next few months, but there is no confirmed timeline yet. 
  • Q: Do you anticipate that Kanopy holdings will be available in Libby or another application with API functionality?
  • A: Kanopy will not be available in Libby. The only way to get to Kanopy will be the same way they access it now which would be by going to Libby extras and going to Kanopy. Once signed in, the patron would be directed to the Kanopy site (Minute 17:27). Libby will not be a video app and you will never be able to stream videos through Libby. Libby is strictly eBooks, eAudibooks, and eMagazines. Abbey does not have any information about Kanopy APIs. Kanopy does have Marc records that your rep can send you.

Pros & Cons of Weeding Expired Metered Access Titles from the Collection (Abbey Patton, OverDrive)

Tammy wanted Abbey to talk about the pros and cons of weeding metered access expired titles because a library had a patron complain that a title was available (while logged in) and once the patron clicked on that title, a hold box appeared. The patron wondered why the title converted from available to having to place a hold.

Pros of Weeding Expired Meter Access Titles

  • When MA (Metered Access) titles expire they are not removed from the collection. The title is also available for a patron to place a hold. 
  • Before RTL (Recommend to Library) the only way for patrons to see titles that were no longer owned but available for holds was to leave the MA titles in the collection. This allows libraries to gauge the interest in this title to see about purchasing it again. 
  • It can be frustrating or confusing to patrons to see a title in your collection that they cannot access. Patrons receive a message the title is not in the collection but you can place a hold and maybe your library will purchase it again.  
  • Another drawback is whether this system is gauging interest because you do not know if a patron was actively looking for the title or happened to find it and think it might be worth placing a hold. In case, you might be prompted to purchase a title that a patron was not actively searching for. 
  • If a title is expired, a patron can place a hold. With RTL, when a title is weeded from your collection, a patron can recommend it (Minute 03:28).

Cons of Weeding Expired Meter Access Titles

  • You cannot purchase a weeded title until it’s unweeded. You cannot unweed a title from an advantage account which means you would have to email Abbey and wait for her to process your request, or we would need to set up consortium accounts that have the weeding permission. 
  • Titles can be weeded or unweeded by going to Admin>Weeding in the Marketplace. However,  If a title has any active advantage copies whether that be OC/OU, MA, or CPC it eliminates the ability to weed the title through Marketplace. At that point, weeding needs to happen by our product support specialist (Kaitlin) or by Abbey. This would mean we would send a list of titles that need to be weeded to Abbey. It would be the same process to unweeded these titles as well. Abbey and Kaitlyn are very responsive and would be able to get these requests processed within a day. Abbey realizes that going through them would be inconvenient.

In Summary 

  • Abbey thinks there are a lot of pros for weeding expired MA titles since we are using RTL. Since we have so many MA titles, it does make sense to weed the ones that are expired so we are only repurchasing the ones that are wanted and not the ones that patrons stumble upon. The con is the inconvenience of how OverDrive has their weeding system set up that makes a library need to send them a list of titles that would need to be weeded or unweeded. 

The next meeting is on March 8th at 1 p.m.

 
Meeting Date: 
Tuesday, 2022, February 8
Documentation Type: 
Meeting Minutes
Committees: 
eResource Committee