Fwd: [elug] Linux and the Public Library

[Brent]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[elug] Linux and the Public Library
Date: 	Mon, 28 Mar 2011 13:07:26 -0600
From: 	Brent <brent-hughes at shaw.ca>
Reply-To: 	elug at linux.ab.ca
To: 	elug at linux.ab.ca



Hello all,

I've run into a situation that is really frustrating to me and perhaps 
to others, most notably those with visual impairments. I am looking for 
some support on this issue from other Linux users.

I recently bought an ereader, a Pocketbook 602, which is a fabulous 
device and it has once more opened the world of books to me. It supports 
a very board range of formats and most importantly, to me anyway , it 
has the SVOX text to speech engine.  The Pocketbook also plays mp3 audio 
which is for spoken word books.

The Edmonton Public Library serves up digital content that consists of 
epub materials, pdf, mp3 and WMA audio books. Epub and pdf are content 
managed through Adobe's Digital Editions which monitors the DRM and 
expiry dates on loaned materials. Digital Editions runs under WINE 
smoothly. Audio books, mp3 and WMA, are content managed through 
proprietary software called Overdrive Media Console. Overdrive is ported 
for Windows, Android and Mac operating systems but not under Linux, any 
flavour. It won't install under WINE at all and therefore over two 
thirds of the digital files are unavailable to users of Linux as the 
.odm wrapper (containing the download info and borrowing license) cannot 
be used by anything other than Overdrive.

To me, this is unacceptable.

I know I am but one user out of thousands but I cannot use Windows or 
Mac without considerable costs associated with accessibility issues. 
Most if not all accessibility solutions under Windows or Mac are 
expensive closed systems requiring subsidies from provincial governments 
or from private charities. Vendors of these solutions know that the end 
user is not the payee and they milk this situation for all it is worth 
and trust me it is worth a lot.

I live on a disability pension and as a result I cannot afford these 
solutions and subsidies are strictly rationed as demand is very high and 
funds are restricted. Being resourceful I took to the open source world 
and now get along very well at little or no cost.

What I need is leverage. One guy is not leverage.

I need others to express support for a Linux port of Overdrive or 
perhaps an on line converter tool to allow for the download of 
audiobooks from Overdrive.

Being cut off from the printed word, regardless of how it is delivered, 
is a difficult thing to deal with. You can't read what everyone takes 
for granted. Your information is incomplete and your perceptions are 
hampered by a lack of information. It's very hard to stay informed or 
even entertained with a nice piece of fiction if you are unable to 
access the materials.

Please, if you are wiling, drop a note to Overdrive 
(support at overdrive.com) and let them know how you feel. I have contacted 
the library and my councilman about this issue and I would appreciate it 
if you would do the same.  I believe that if enough of us speak up we 
can get Overdrive to support a Linux app that will allow me and others 
in the same boat to avail themselves of a publicly funded resource.

If you can help, thank you very much. If you don't think this is an 
issue, then thanks for reading this far, but please reconsider as it is 
very important.

Brent

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