eAudiobooks Frequently Asked Questions?

What are digital eAudiobooks?

Digital eAudiobooks are digital versions of printed books that can be downloaded to a PC and transferred to MP3 devices using Windows Media Player 9, 10 or 11.

How do I get a NetLibrary Account?

Go to the Soda Springs Public Library website. On the right sidebar, look for the Lili Services section and find the Lili eAudiobooks link. If you are a first time user, go through the short and easy process of creating an account. When prompted for type of library choose 'Public', then choose Soda Springs Public Library from the list of libraries. You will only have to create an account once, thereafter being able to log in through the 'I already have a NetLibrary account'.

What do I need to know for purchasing an MP3?

Once you have downloaded an eAudiobook to your PC, you can transfer it to a portable device.

Please check to ensure that your MP3 player can support playback of secure or protected wma files and 32 kbps files. Ipod and Zune players are compatible with some eAudiobooks (see info. below). It is advisable that the MP3 players have a storage capacity of at least 256 MB, since the average CD quality eAudiobook file size is 140 MB. Your MP3 player should support features - such as full time stamping and bookmarking - for playing long files and returning to a chosen place in a file. eAudiobooks can be listened to on a wide range of portable devices including MP3 players. Please see the NetLibrary site for more information.

Copying to a portable MP3 device...

Instructions for using Windows Media Player, versions 9 or 10, for transferring your eAudiobook from your computer to your portable MP3 device can be accessed here.

Which titles are available to download?

There are currently 2,273 unabridged titles available with subjects ranging from Classics (101 titles), to Mystery & Suspense (352 titles), from Children's Fiction (195 titles) to Biography (40 titles). More titles are added monthly.

Some Examples: '44 Scotland Street' by Alexander McCall-Smith, 'Last of the Mohicans' by James Fenimore Cooper, "The Odyssey' by Homer, 'Anastasia Krupnick' by Lois Lowry, 'Double Tap' by Steve Martini, 'The Osama Bin Laden I Know' by Peter L.Bergen.

How long is the check out period and can I download it to more than one MP3 player?

NetLibrary automatically downloads a license, with each download, which lets you access the eAudiobook for 21 days.

The license lets you copy the eAudiobook to two portable listening devices.

How do I renew an eAudiobook?

Log into your NetLibrary account.
Click on the 'My Checked Out Items' link located at the top of your screen.

1. When you try to renew the expired license, a pop-up window will appear. Login to renew your item.
   • Note:
     do not renew the item until close-to or after the expiration date. When you renew the item, you will have another 21 days. However, any days
     you have remaining on the old license will be lost.

How many times can I renew an eAudiobook?

Digital eAudiobooks may be renewed once for 21 additional days. Do not renew the item until close-to or after the expiration date. When you renew the item, you will have another 21 days. However, any days you have remaining on the old license will be lost.

When the renewal period expires, you will have to download the eAudiobook again to continue listening to it.

How many eAudiobooks can I have checked out at one time?

You can checkout a maximum of ten (10) eAudiobooks at any given time. You will not be able to check out additional titles until the license for a currently downloaded eAudiobook expires.

Do I need to return the eAudiobook?

No. The license for downloaded eAudiobooks automatically expires after 21 days. You will not be able to play the eAudiobook, even though the file remains on your personal computer and portable listening device. You need to manually delete the file from your personal computer and portable listening device.

How many times can I transfer an eAudiobook to my MP3 player?

Each downloaded eAudiobook file can be transferred twice to an MP3 player.

Why can't I burn the eAudiobook to a CD?

For copyright purposes, eAudiobook files are encrypted to prevent them from being played from a CD.

How does NetLibrary work with my iPod?

iPods use the .aac file format and the .aac file format does not
support the Digital Rights Management protection required by some NetLibrary eAudiobooks at this time. Digital Rights Management protection helps ensure that the content of our publishing partners is secure, especiallly when items are checked out from the library's collection and borrowed by a user rather than purchased. This Digital Rights Management technology allows checked out items to expire on the due date.

A few audiobooks for iPods are available from Project Gutenburg. Audiobooks provided by Project Gutenburg are free to download - just click on the Online Book Catalog and then Audio Books, Human Read links. For example, Little Men by Louia May Alcott is available in the Apple iTunes or MP3 format. No licenses are required to read these books.

Why doesn't NetLibrary work with my Mac?

NetLibrary eAudiobooks cannot be played on Macs because the latest version of Window Media Player available for Macs (version 9) is based on Windows Media Rights Manager version 1.3. NetLibrary uses version 2.x licenses for eAudiobooks in order to maintain a high level of security. Because the latest version of Windows Media Player for Macs does not support 2.x licenses, NetLibrary eAudiobooks cannot be played on Macs at this point in time.

Error Message: "The link you clicked on is no longer valid. Please return to the page where you clicked on the link and try again."

You are likely to get this message if the time/date/ or time zone on your PC is not correct.

NetLibrary eAudiobooks are DRM protected. Unless your computer's date/time clock settings match the actual time zone, and are set for the correct time of day, the DRM won't allow the download.

To resolve the problem:

1. Close any web browsing applications (e.g. Internet Explorer) you might be using.
2. Locate the clock on your desktop (normally this is on the bottom right-hand side of the screen) and double click on it.
   The 'Date and Time Properties' dialogue box will appear, displaying the 'Date & Time' tab.
3. Ensure that the date is set for the current day, month and year.
4. Ensure that the clock is set to the correct hour and minute;
   • ensure that AM or PM are showing correclty for the current time of day.
5. Click on the 'Time Zone' tab.
6. Ensure that the time zone is set to the time zone you are in (if you are in
   the UK it should be set to '(GMT) Greenwich Mean Time: Dublin,
   Edinburgh, Lisbon, London').
7. Click on the 'OK' button to apply your settings and to close the 'Date and Time Properties' dialogue box.
8. Open your web browser, log in to NetLibrary and try to download an eAudiobook.
   You should now be able to download the eAudiobook successfully.

I receive an "unknown error" when trying to sync my audiobook to my MP3 player using Windows Media Player.

This error can occur when attempting to transfer large audio files to Creative brand MP3 players with the latest installed firmware and possibly other brands. The error implies that a compatibility issue exists between the MP3 player and Windows Media Player. Some audiobooks exist as very large files - files 150MB or larger - and may not sync to your MP3 player. The current work around is to use an alternate media player from Real. Once the Real Player is installed on your computer, follow these steps:

1. Download your audiobook and open it with Windows Media Player or Real Player to obtain the license.
2. Close Windows Media Player and open the Real Player if applicable.
3. Select Sync/Burn at the top of the screen.
4. Select your MP3 in the device tab.
5. Select the media to transfer and it will automatically transfer the file.

This is the only work around that has been found to work successfully in transferring very large files. Even though the file will transfer, you may experience some difficulty with bookmarking and time display. The Real Player streams media automatically. To filter the content that shows up on the screen, you must sign up for an account that gives parental control.

Suggestions or problems

If you have any problems or suggestions for this service please contact us at 149 South Main or 547-2606.

For additional answers please log into NetLibrary, click on the 'Help' link and consult the eAudiobooks FAQs section.