E-books and e-readers

E-readers to borrow

Bowen Island Public Library currently has two Kobo Touch e-readers for loan. The Kobos come loaded with numerous classic fiction and non-fiction titles, but other titles can be downloaded from our Library To Go catalogue of e-books. At this time the Kobos are lent for three weeks with no renewals.

IMPORTANT: The ability to loan e-readers with e-books on them is an issue that involves several stakeholders including libraries, writers, publishers, e-book retailers, and e-reader vendors. The rights and abilities of public libraries to lend e-books to our patrons is not straight forward, and libraries and library associations are working with stakeholders to ensure access to literature and information in all its forms as reading technologies evolve. We aim to comply with all legislation and legal restrictions placed on e-reader loan programs and we may therefore be required to change aspects of our e-reader loans program at any time without notice.

Borrowing Information

PLEASE NOTE: E-readers can only be checked out and returned to the library via the circulation desk inside the library, during open hours only. DO NOT return
e-readers through the library return slot.

E-books from Library To Go


What is
Library to Go?

Library to Go is a service provided to BC libraries through a consortium organized by the BC Libraries and Literacy Branch.  A committee of librarians from participating BC public libraries chooses the titles, which include over 15,000 e-books for kids, teens and adults available in Adobe EPUB eBook, Adobe PDF eBook and Mobipocket eBook formats. Overdrive is the company powering the Library to Go database.

What devices can e-books be downloaded to using Library to Go?

Compatible devices include Kobo reader, Sony reader, Nook reader, your personal computer (PC and Mac), and iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.  At this time Library to Go is not compatible with the Kindle reader.

Which e-book formats are best for what devices?

In general, Adobe EPUB format is used across the largest range of different e-book reader devices and is becoming the most prominent format. Library to Go provides Adobe EPUB eBook, Adobe PDF eBook and Mobipocket eBook formats, which are explained on OverDrive's main Help page. The additional software required to read these formats is also explained there, with download links.

How do I get an e-book onto my device?

For complete instructions, refer to Library to Go's Help – Quick Start Guide.  As detailed in this guide, you will need to download, install and activate free software, and then you will be able to check out, download and read.   

Can I download an e-book to a Kobo I have borrowed from the library?

Yes, this is a good way to learn about the library's e-book collection. You can visit our Library to Go catalogue to review e-book titles for download and transfer. HOWEVER, if you download any titles from our Library to Go catalogue, the preloaded titles provided by the Library will be erased during that process, in which case you will not have access to them. In order to transfer downloaded e-books to your Kobo, you require:

It looks like there are long waits for most of the e-books. Why?

Library to Go is a province wide consortium sharing the collection of e-books. As with our traditional paper books, Library to Go purchases each copy (or in the case of e-books, licenses the rights to each copy), so that the writers and publishers are fairly compensated for their work.  BC's libraries maintain a commitment to purchasing additional copies of popular items and routinely adds extra copies for titles with long waits.

In the meantime, consider browsing from what is currently available.