12693471124N0YX6I was so interested to read the responses people had to the ‘what device are you reading on?‘ story! And it had me wondering, as a follow-up question,  what exactly it is that people are reading on these devices. Where are you getting your books these days? Here are my main sources, roughly in order of most frequent to least frequent.

1) The Public Library. Our public library rents out an extensive collection of ePub and PDF eBooks. I check out the new releases at least once a week. I can read them without interference on my iPhone or iPad via the Overdrive app, and they can be finessed to be read on my Kindle with minimal technical interventions.

2) The Kindle Store. I subscribe to BookBub and several “deal of the day” type email lists, and have gotten several gems—and plentiful amounts of crapola—that way. I also enjoy a few specialty genres in which my library is not well-stocked, so although I bought fewer books this year, I actually spent about the same since some of my poetry and religion books were a little bit expensive.

3) Humble Bundle. I have bought a few of these for the sake of one or two books, and then inherited several others thanks to the bundling strategy. This has artificially inflated my TBR pile as some of these books, I have no plans to read. Often though, the bundle has enough which interests me to make it worth my while, and I enjoy supporting the various causes these bundles raise money for.

4) Other Sources. I also get the occasional book through Project Gutenberg freebies, websites such as Delphi Classics and other indie vendors, and very seldom, an author website.

I do not buy from Kobo. I loathe their iOS app and find their downloadable ePubs to be glitchy and error-prone.

So that’s my bookshelf. How about yours?

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"I’m a journalist, a teacher and an e-book fiend. I work as a French teacher at a K-3 private school. I use drama, music, puppets, props and all manner of tech in my job, and I love it. I enjoy moving between all the classes and having a relationship with each child in the school. Kids are hilarious, and I enjoy watching them grow and learn. My current device of choice for reading is my Amazon Kindle Touch, but I have owned or used devices by Sony, Kobo, Aluratek and others. I also read on my tablet devices using the Kindle app, and I enjoy synching between them, so that I’m always up to date no matter where I am or what I have with me."

16 COMMENTS

  1. I don’t do DRM so I get mine from Smashwords, Gutenberg, University of Adelaide, and some of the small special interest publishers, like Lost Art Press and OR Books. As for magazines, Southwinds “News and Views for Southern Sailors” is a free download. Lots of historical societies have periodical newsletters freely distributed, and some of them have top-notch, professional level research and writing. An example would be Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society and Museum. Another – Marine Archaeological and Historical Society. I buy all the Story Bundle and Humble book bundles, not that I’m particularly interested in sci fi and comics, but I support what they are doing. I’m always on the lookout for good digital books and I don’t mind paying for them, but please, no DRM. Looking forward to finding some new sources in this thread.

  2. Even though I have a Kindle, I use it mostly for fanfiction. Plus wherever I can find free books (promotions, or special deals) I grab them. I admit, I don’t enjoy the bits and bytes as much as paper.

    Most books come from internet based book swaps and/or amazon used book sellers (I refuse to pay more than a penny on amazon plus S/H)

    I’m bad in that I am not supporting authors and publishers by buying new books. Maybe when I get rich…

  3. Google “bookname” ebook. You wouldn’t believe how often that’s pointed me to a book I already own at Baen. That’s to let me know if an ebook is even available mostly. Then check the library and Amazon. If the book is older also check Gutenberg. Those checks are for when looking for a specific book.

    I buy most Baen bundles and check the library’s new purchases regularly. Between those and freeby’s as well as a few purchases at Amazon I have more books than I have time to read. I don’t even usually put myself on the hold list at the library, just put the book on my wishlist. If I put everything I found on the hold list I’d not have time to read all of them when they came in.

  4. I always prefer the author’s site but not always easy to find, generally cheaper and I figure they get a better cut. Diane Duane and Peter Morwood have their own site have LOTS of sales. Actually Diane Duane has updated who “So you want to be wizard?” series of “young wizards” books to and they’re now unto date (the 9 book series originally started in 1983(?) and has been refreshed (some minor, some not so minor and a few scenes added) and I think the updates are ONLY available from her store still.

    I’ve got a Kindle so Amazon is always easiest. If it’s free somewhere else I’ll just the Nook or Kobo or whoever app.

    I’m shop at some of the sites that do bundles too., one winner in a bundle is usually worth the minimal cost of the whole thing.

  5. As many as I can I get from public domain repositories, specifically, Project Gutenberg, Feedbooks and Manybooks.net. Say about 30% of my reading.

    That being said, I do buy a fair number. Previously, I had bought through Baen and Smashwords when possible… but since pretty much all of those books show up in the major book stores, I tend to buy from them. Up until a few months ago, it would have been B&N… however, since they disabled downloads it is now Amazon (and I hate to admit it, I like a lot of the features of their eco-system). About 70%.

  6. I buy most of my books…with iBooks (apple app). I also get some from the Library (local). I get a few from Indie Book Stores. I do not agree with DRM, so most of the books that I get with iBooks…are from TOR which is DRM-Free. Go TOR!

  7. I source a lot of books through unofficial fan translation communities. Chinese, Korean and Japanese novels that have not gotten an official translation or release into any English speaking markets. Quality is hit and miss, but the volume is there.

    I buy through Kobo for those big name titles I just have to have.

    I also get my classics from Project Gutenberg

  8. Mostly Amazon, because their DRM is easy to break. I’ve also bought ebooks from Apple, Nook, Kobo, Weltbild, Lulu and direct from many small publishers. Once I get rid of the pesky DRM, I convert them them to ePub, I load them into iPad and read them with iBooks my prefer reading app.

  9. Amazon, Kobo, All Romance, Total E Bound, & Smashwords but I used to prefer the Sony Reader Store because it sold ePubs that were less glitchy than Kobo. I only use the Kindle app & non Kobo ePub apps for reading though.

  10. Mostly Amazon. An occasional library book when it’s available – but even big library systems like Seattle or King County often have waiting lists; I find waiting often more disruptive than helpful. I’m not a big fan of waiting days, weeks, or months. Project Gutenberg can be annoying as many of the classics were copy over in the plain vanilla text days so are missing italics or has the italicized text IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS to the effect I’d rather buy a proper version or pick up a paper book. Other than that, it has been a few years since I purchased a non-Amazon ebook, Baen I think.

    It’s not that I think Amazon is the greatest, but it is very convenient, and a good place for one stop shop shopping.

  11. I get LOTS from Lendle.me a borrowing site which works awesome. Just don’t borrow too many books at once, you have a week to claim them (once lent to you) and then two weeks to read them. Usually when I request a book I hear back in a few hours or never (and sometimes in between). Don’t request book two before you’ve gotten book one. And you’re using up someone’s lend so be sure to cancel requests if you don’t need them.

    I get some from the library too, but not as successful as I’d like to be with that.

    Gary

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