11:39 am eReaders
While the library has been getting Kindles up and running, Special Services is also working on getting these devices out to their students as well. There are a few differences in the way that we will be utilizing the Kindles, but we have both run into a few bumps along the way.
At one point, I thought about calling Amazon to ask a question, and the path to their phone number was maze-like and frustrating. I tried to find it many different ways, but kept hitting a dead end; I almost gave up until finally – I found it!
Here’s how: I opened an Amazon account, but wanted to close it after opening a different one – so I typed “close Amazon account” into the search field. After filling out a few questions with a pull-down-menu the number appeared like flash in the darkness: 1-866-216-1072
Although it says that the number is an automated system, it turns out that a real live person talks to you. (I didn’t actually make the call because the word “automated” frightened me away, but two colleagues said they did not speak to any machines.) So, it turns out that once the number is found, Amazon can be very helpful.
One instance that Amazon provided some very useful information was when I was trying to help someone figure out how to get a book from Overdrive onto an older version of the Kindle (the 2nd one).
We went through the steps, and instead of saying that the book was delivered to the device, it said that that particular device did not support Wi Fi, and without this there could be no book sent to it. In this case, it is possible to download the book to a usb and then transfer it to the Kindle. There were a couple of issues with this, at first, but after calling Amazon they said that there was a step missed: clicking save and transfering it to the right place. So, it worked and the book made it safely to the Kindle.
On another note, I’ve checked out one of the Kindles and just finished reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, an incredible account of how the author’s determination to overcome a running injury takes him on an incredible journey into the world of ultamarathons and ultramarathoners. It’s a pretty amazing read – and you certainly don’t need to be a runner (or even like running!) to enjoy it!
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