Category Archives: Birmingham

Birmingham, Book Talk, Digital Publishing, E-Books, New Releases, On the Web, Publishing Industry News, Technology

Free eBooks from Birmingham-Area Libraries

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It is 11pm and I just checked out a book from my local library.

This week the JCLC system turned on its Overdrive-powered eBook network. So far it’s very very cool. The only complaints I have are tied to the CRAZY complicated hoops Adobe Digital Editions (which you will have to download) has in place. But that’s no fault of the library system and is required by most publishers anyway. But once you get the Adobe Digital Editions set up right, it’s great.

Via my JCLC account, I have “checked out” an eBook and am reading it on both my laptop and on my desktop. I have not tried to put it on my Sony eReader yet, as it needs a new battery and won’t hold a charge (yeah yeah, I know. That’s not a problem people reading print books have, but hey… did I mention, I just checked out a book at 11pm!) Anyway….

Here is the one tip I can offer: Once you download your eBook file (it has a .acm extension), “right click” (or ctrl-click) and choose “Open With…” and navigate to Adobe Digital Editions. The permission drm-wrapped file that is downloaded is not a straight up ePub and this seems to work better than opening Adobe Digital Editions and trying to import the .acm file into the library.

Cool factoids of the new system:

  • You get to choose your “check out period”. You elect 7 days, 14 days or 21 days at checkout.
  • You can checkout up to 5 titles at a time
  • Every digital file has icons showing which platforms/devices that book can be read on
  • So far there are 477 fiction books and 435 non-fiction books listed

The eBooks are not Kindle-friendly nor iDevice-friendly, but here is a list of all compatible devices. I’m going to take a look at checking out books to the Sony Reader and various iDevices.

Kudos to the JCLC System in bringing another great service to us. You guys really are something Birmingham can brag about.

Birmingham, Book Collecting

#Bham – They Sell Books at The Red Cat

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I had a project-update meeting at The Red Cat coffee house last week and walked out with more than just a good cup of coffee. Down on the bottom shelf of one of the bookcases are… books! Used books at that. Apparently, the owner and employees bring in books, from their personal collections, to sell.

RedCat_bookcase

Hardbacks and textbooks are $5 and mass/trade paperbacks are $2. I’ve had Goldstone’s Used and Rare for quite some time, but have never bought the next two in the series. So I was quite pleased to find a great copy of Slightly Chipped, which I was able to walk out after literally counting out pennies. It’s the kind of serendipitous find that will set your day back upright!

SlightlyChipped

It’s just the one shelf right now, but I am told that turn over is high. So I’ll be checking back to see what’s new.

Also, I want to mention that the Alabama Bloggers group is getting together for lunch this upcoming Friday, August 27 at 11:30a at The Red Cat. If you’re downtown stop by and say “Hi”. If you’ve never been, don’t be shy, this will be my first meeting too.

Birmingham, Bookstore Tourism, Bookstore Travels, Bookstores

Books Etc. – Bookstore PhotoTour

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IMG_00290

*** This store closed in 2017 and the post is being left up as an archive ***

Books Etc. is the latest addition to our chronicling Birmingham-area bookstores. The shop is going on three-years-old and let me tell you, this is my kind of used-bookstore. It’s one of those places that is crammed with books to the point that you just have to meander about, letting serendipity do its thing. But you can also tell that a true book-person is over seeing the store. Most everything is shelved under category signs, which helps when you’re in a hurry.

More photos and details, after the jump.

Continue reading Books Etc. – Bookstore PhotoTour →

Birmingham, Bookstores, News

Books-A-Million Buying Used Books and cd’s

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EDITORIAL UPDATE: Books-A-Million has opened a used-book store called 2nd & Charles, so BAM locations are no longer buying used-books. But you can sell your stuff at 2nd & Charles.

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This is the sign that greets you as soon as you enter the Books-A-Million on Highway 31 in Hoover:

bamm_used

Last week this location started buying used books, cd’s, dvd’s and video games. They only accept used books and such between 11a and 5p and they only pay cash.

I can’t find any information on their website about this new program (which I’m guessing is spurred by the success of their selling “used library books”). But here are the bullet points off of the flyer at the store:

  1. We pay cash for your books, printed or recorded merchandise, and computer games.
  2. We cannot make an offer until we see the merchandise.
  3. Each buy is different and will be evaluated individually.
  4. We will make you an offer based on: a) Supply and Demand b) Condition
  5. No appointment is needed – we buy daily, between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
  6. Sellers must remain in the store until merchandise evaluation is completed.
  7. Sellers under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
  8. We may ask to see valid proof of purchase for the items you sell to us.
  9. State and local ordinances regarding buying and selling used merchandise must be observed.
  10. We reserve the right to decline to buy merchandise.
  11. Government-issued identification required on any merchandise sold.

I have no idea if other locations are trying this too or where else this program has been rolled out too. I wonder how many other book sellers will expand their store models in this way?  And I have no idea what the going rate for a used Harry Potter or Steven King book is these days either, but I do have a ton of cd’s I wouldn’t mind unloading, if they’ll take them. Maybe, what… ten cents a piece? Who knows.

So if you have some books or cd’s or dvd’s to sell, take them over and see what they offer. And let us know about your experience. We’d love to know if it’d be worth our while to throw some of our stuff in a grocery sack and head down 31.