Apparently many libraries, including the ones in my country, are moving over to a system where you’re not allowed to digitally download the epub file anymore. You’re only allowed to borrow the book, and read it, in a closed ecosystem: an app. This per definition then excludes the majority of e-ink readers that don’t run Android. This is due to Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and services (Text with EEA relevance) (source) entering into force June 28 this year.
As the Adobe DRM solution hasn’t been updated for years, it isn’t capable of fulfilling all the requirements that this law lays out without endangering the DRM solution. Text-to-speech is one function that isn’t fully supported by Adobe for example. This means that there are apparently two directions to go for full compliance, Readium DRM which is barely supported as well or a closed app ecosystem.
This is frustrating on so many levels, especially if I would like to borrow an ebook in my native language that isn’t available elsewhere on the web, which is often the situation for books in my language (and I’m guessing most languages outside of English). The alternatives left is borrowing a physical copy, or buying it.
Maybe there are different Onleihe services but the one I know of (onleihe.de) has multiple “copies” available, visible in the book “Infos” tab. Revoking licenses is also possible in the web reader. The revoking could be easier and it would be nice having even more licenses available for high demand items, but it isn’t nearly as bad as you’ve described.
Edit, sorry just saw your screenshot, didn’t realize I could expand those lines. The website I login to looks a lot different so maybe it’s a setting the Library has to enable or something.
I guess this answer is about the returning of licenses?
Click on “Jetzt lesen” and the web reader opens. In the upper left you can return to the overview to see all your ready to read media and there’s the option to return the book.
Oh wow you are right, if you click the that button you get an option return the book. I never even opened the web reader because I just want to download the file for my e-reader, I wouldn’t have guessed the way to return a book is hidden behind a button labeled ‘jetzt lesen’. That site has some weird design choices imo.
Edit, sorry just saw your screenshot, didn’t realize I could expand those lines. My library doesn’t even have a single copy of the book you posted as an example, let alone 16. I assume you might be living in an area that actually has funds for their library, which must be nice.
Even the most popular books I know only have one. Resulting in some books being ready to rent in 2 years or so:
Wow, 2028. Well, your example isn’t even available at all here: https://www.onleihe.de/nbib24
Some libraries do send the login information with email so you could try to join a different library within a better area remotely.
It’s so silly every library has their own pool of books. I kinda wished it was more centralized, even though that would mean ‘competing’ with even more people about the reservations. But at least there would be copies to compete for…
When I made my account I had to physically go to the library and let them validate my ID + pay in cash, but it would make sense that bigger cities don’t have the capacities to check every single ID card and just send the logins out. But looking for one of these and making a new account just for a better selection sounds really cumbersome, especially compared to just downloading from the shadow libraries, so I’ll just stick with what’s available there.
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Maybe there are different Onleihe services but the one I know of (onleihe.de) has multiple “copies” available, visible in the book “Infos” tab. Revoking licenses is also possible in the web reader. The revoking could be easier and it would be nice having even more licenses available for high demand items, but it isn’t nearly as bad as you’ve described.
16 available licenses
Revoking licenses in the web reader
Edit, sorry just saw your screenshot, didn’t realize I could expand those lines. The website I login to looks a lot different so maybe it’s a setting the Library has to enable or something.
These are all the options I see:
I guess this answer is about the returning of licenses? Click on “Jetzt lesen” and the web reader opens. In the upper left you can return to the overview to see all your ready to read media and there’s the option to return the book.
Oh wow you are right, if you click the that button you get an option return the book. I never even opened the web reader because I just want to download the file for my e-reader, I wouldn’t have guessed the way to return a book is hidden behind a button labeled ‘jetzt lesen’. That site has some weird design choices imo.
Edit, sorry just saw your screenshot, didn’t realize I could expand those lines. My library doesn’t even have a single copy of the book you posted as an example, let alone 16. I assume you might be living in an area that actually has funds for their library, which must be nice.
Even the most popular books I know only have one. Resulting in some books being ready to rent in 2 years or so:
Wow, 2028. Well, your example isn’t even available at all here: https://www.onleihe.de/nbib24 Some libraries do send the login information with email so you could try to join a different library within a better area remotely.
It’s so silly every library has their own pool of books. I kinda wished it was more centralized, even though that would mean ‘competing’ with even more people about the reservations. But at least there would be copies to compete for…
When I made my account I had to physically go to the library and let them validate my ID + pay in cash, but it would make sense that bigger cities don’t have the capacities to check every single ID card and just send the logins out. But looking for one of these and making a new account just for a better selection sounds really cumbersome, especially compared to just downloading from the shadow libraries, so I’ll just stick with what’s available there.