Digimonkey Tips: All Romance/OmniLit Library Tips

Digimonkey fondly remembers her first ebook purchase.  It was on that day that she was introduced to the All Romance/OmniLit Library, which is the heart of the ebook shopping experience, and for Digi, it was love at first sight.  She still gets a thrill every time she visits her Library and looks at all those happy books awaiting the moment when she clicks on their download links and whisks them off to whatever exciting destination she chooses, be it computer, tablet, ereader or smartphone.

Most of the time, ebook reading is a happily-ever-after experience, which is the way all good love stories should end.  However, there are instances in which digital reading can turn into a downright tragedy. Downloaded books have been known to mysteriously disappear without a trace, suffer an untimely death as a result of a hard drive crash, or even drown in the bathtub or an unexpected thunderstorm.

At times like that, the All Romance/OmniLit Library can often act as a life preserver. Unlike a print version of a book, which the bookseller will not replace if it is left out in the rain or eaten by the dog, ebooks can be re-downloaded again as long as they’re still available from the publisher.  It’s a big advantage for ebooks!

However, there are also times when even the Library cannot bring the DOA book back to life. If the publisher has removed the book from distribution in the time between when it was purchased and when it was lost, then no amount of clicking or wishing will allow a new copy of the book to be download from the Library.

So, Digimonkey’s going to share a few tips to help you make the most of your Library while also making sure your ebooks are safe from digital dangers.

Tip #1: The Library is a tool to temporarily hold and organize purchased ebooks, however, it is not a storage or backup system. Think Ellis Island, not New York City. While some books will hang out on the island longer than others (and some might hang out for years), others may be there and gone in a matter of weeks or months.  The Library shouldn’t be viewed as a permanent residence – your ebooks are just passing through.  Their permanent residence is with you!

Tip #2: In the Library, as in life, problems are easiest to fix when they are dealt with immediately, as opposed to days, weeks or months after they’ve begun to fester. That’s why the Terms of Use specify that problems with downloads should be reported within 72 hours of purchase.  Digi understands how frustrating downloading issues can be, and opening a Support Ticket within 72 hours of purchase enables Digi and her staff to provide quick assistance and resolutions before a mole hill becomes a mountain.

Tip #3: Diamonds may be forever, but ebook contracts have expiration dates. Publishers have both the right and the obligation to pull books that have gone out of contract, been sold to another publisher, or have otherwise been removed from distribution.  If that happens to a book that has not been downloaded in a timely manner, say, a book that was purchased in January and you’re now trying to download for the first time in November, then you may discover that, not only will you not be able to download the book, but you may not be able to receive any credit for the purchase, either.  Take Digi’s advice – download all books within 72 hours!

Tip #4: If a book is pulled from distribution, the download links will cease to work, even though they may still be visible in the Library. Clicking on the link will produce the infamous 404 “page not found” error. As neither the Library nor the Archive provides guaranteed storage or backup for your files, if you need help setting up a permanent backup system for your ebooks, check out Digimonkey’s post on this topic!

Keeping these simple tips in mind will insure you’ll never have to worry about a lost ebook again.  And that makes Digimonkey smile!

Filed Under: DigiMonkey eBook Tips

Tagged: all romance, digimonkey, eBook tips, omnilit