Of Formats and Devices to Access Them: Libraries and Friends Revisited

[walkitout]

I _know_ libraries have, in the past, loaned out film projectors and VCRs, and currently loan out e-readers and laptops. So this is google-fu to try to better understand what has been/is available for loan (in the way of devices) and how libraries and friends are dealing with the desire to donate e-books and/or e-readers to libraries, either to become part of the collection or for sale to raise money for the Friends.

Nate over at The Digital Reader hypothesizes that my 20-40 year format lifespan will not apply to e-readers and e-formats. I think he is likely right.

http://saugertiespubliclibrary.org/donating-ebooks/

You can donate money to buy a specific OverDrive title or a specific Kindle title, to become part of the circulation.

http://fscpl.org/ereader-donations/

Friends accepting e-reader donations (also cell phones) (also VHS and audio tapes; they want everything in its packaging, not taking vinyl); not saying what they intend to do with them.

http://www.bcslibrary.org/?page_id=5529

Donate a minimum of $30 to the Friends and pick a title available in OverDrive and it will be added to circulation.

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/news/newsreleases/news2112.htm

Funny! The Friends are selling used book so the library can buy more ebooks.

http://newcanaanlibrary.org/articles/donate-your-e-reader

New Canaan is apparently skipping the Friends and asking you to drop off your older e-reader so they can loan it out. (I think I donated an old kindle to the library at some point. Now that I think of it, I really should have offered them the old iPad. Oh well. There will be another one to donate in a few months, I feel sure.)

I don't see any indication that Friends are accepting donations of ereaders to _sell_ at booksales to raise money. They are accepting donations of ereaders to circulate at the library, which is slightly different.

ETA: At least some libraries will checkout DVD players:

http://www.gcld.org/content/faqs/can-i-check-out-dvd-player

I like that they don't want you returning it to the drop-box. ;-)

UCF (University of Central Florida) will check out all kinds of stuff, some only to use in the library (laptop, netbook), some for a week (DVD player, Flip video camera, digital camera, iPad).

http://library.ucf.edu/Circulation/Media/checkout.php

UofI Urbana-Champaign has a more extensive live:

http://zola-dev.library.illinois.edu/ugl/about/LoanableTechnology/technology.html