Ebook & Audiobook Tutorials

Need help accessing our digital resources? Check out these easy to follow tutorials put together by Mr. B.

Follett Ebooks for Kindle Fire (sort of)

We have a decent ebook selection, but many people have expressed that they are annoyed that there is no way for them to read the ebooks on their Kindle devices.  Well - good news is here.  You can now access these ebooks from Kindle Fire devices - as long as you have an Internet connection.

Here's how to get it done:

• Open a Browser window on your Kindle Fire and visit http://bit.ly/lisdmedia or click here if you're reading this on your Kindle Fire.
• Click Digital resources from the left menu
• Click FollettShelf
• You will be able to browse the ebooks in our collection.
• When prompted for your Username & Password - it is the same as the one you use for AR.

You'll then be able to check out and read to your heart's content!

Happy reading!

New Titles

We recently got in over 60 new titles!  Most of these were recommended or requested by you and your peers.  Take a minute to look through the new arrivals list, browse the new ebooks and audiobooks, or ask Mr. B or Mrs. Webb about them.

(Your login credentials for ebooks and audiobooks are the same as what you use for AR access.)

Taking Requests!

We'll be ordering new titles throughout the year, and we always want to make sure to carry the titles YOU want to read in the library media center.  Feel free to submit requests to Mr. B or Mrs. Webb in person, or you can submit the "Questions/Comments" form on the left.  

Don't forget - we now have Catalist Digital downloadable audiobooks and FollettShelf ebooks available for you to checkout as well.  If you want a title in a particular format, let us know that too!

Welcome Back

Welcome back to school!  2012-2013 is sure to be a great year.  Please let us know if you have any needs or requests from the media center.  We're always happy to get books and resources based on teacher and student recommendations.  You can make a request by filling out the Questions/Comments form on the website or by talking to Mr. B or Mrs. Webb in person.

We have some great new tools available in the media center this year.  We have even more Follett eBooks to download on tablets and smartphones, a new YouTube channel with how-to videos, and our apps for managing your media center account, ebooks, and audiobooks have improved greatly!

More info about all these are coming soon!  Have a great year!

eBooks Available for Checkout

The Lorena ISD Media Centers now have eBooks available for you to view online or checkout on your iPad or Android (version 3.0 or higher) Tablet.  Most of the ebooks are reference and nonfiction titles at this time, but we do have some popular fiction titles (such as The Hunger Games Trilogy). 

To access these ebooks, visit the Library Media Center Catalog by clicking "Find a Book" on the media center website.  To only look at our ebook collection, simply click the "Ebooks Resource List" that is located right in the middle of the page.  When you find one you like click on it.  You will be taken to a login screen, and you should use the same credentials you use for logging in to AR.

Once you are logged in, you will have the option to Read the Ebook Online, Check Out the Ebook Online, or (sometimes) Download the Ebook.  Here's some info about each of these options:

• Read Online - This is the same as reading a book while

Nook Tablet vs. Kindle Fire

Amazon and Barnes & Noble are in the middle of an all out e-reading war. Their latest additions have expanded the ability of the e-reader to music, movies, gaming apps and much more. The Nook Tablet and Kindle Fire have given users more functionality at prices that are not as frightening as the iPad (which hasn't budged from its $500 mark yet). These tools are a viable option for someone who wants a tablet that has many solid functions but isn't ready to shell out more than $300. Here are some ads for each.

The critics are really split on which one is the better device.  The most consistent thing I have found is that the best device for you depends on you alone.  The Nook Tablet seems to run better overall - better battery life, smoother transitions, and so on.  The Kindle Fire has Amazon behind it - so there is more content available (though Amazon is pretty much your only source for that content).  Check out PCWorld for a detailed compare and contrast.

Click the "Read more" button to see some commercials for each, and you can find more specs from Barnes and Noble and Amazon.