Hundreds of Cape and Islands readers who received new eBook readers logged onto their regional library network, CLAMS (Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing) on the day after Christmas to download electronic books to read — for free.
The CLAMS network, which includes the Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, and Vineyard Haven libraries, had its busiest day in history, with 120 electronic books checked out on December 26, according to Eileen Chandler, member services manager at the network’s main office in Hyannis. And in the week after Christmas, she reported, fully half of the network’s eBook holdings were checked out to patrons.
To meet this new level of interest and demand, CLAMS has recently expanded its download collection with the addition of OverDrive’s Project Gutenberg eBook collection. Now, library card holders can browse the collection and download free eBooks and more anytime, anywhere.
The Project Gutenberg collection features more than 15,000 public domain EPUB titles including classics by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens.
This new collection enables users to discover and download thousands of free eBooks without holds, wait lists, or authentication. Electronic books downloaded from the Project Gutenberg collection don’t expire or count against a patron’s checkout limit.
To check out eBooks, audiobooks, or music from the CLAMS network, users need a valid library card, a computer, and an Internet connection. Once downloaded, digital media can be enjoyed on a computer or transferred to popular devices such as eReaders, iPods, and more. At the end of the lending period, titles automatically expire and are returned to the collection.
Digital Downloads through CLAMS are available from home or while on the go using a Smart Phone. And starting this month, patrons will also be able to use CLAMS eBooks on an iPad.
