Alternative Method For Getting Books(epub format) To Post In DPG

[br8dr99]

We Mods hear from a lot of newbies about how they find it hard to post books here because of either a limited budget or because a lot of books are already posted here, etc. I'm gonna give you a method that may take some work but should require no $. Some of the other mods & supporters may have heard me refer to this as the "library method"

Basically this method will work if you can access/download ebooks from your public library. Overdrive is a system connected to some libraries(libraries in the US and in some other countries)which allows for downloading ebooks(& audiobooks) for personal use over your computer. Usually there are time limits(just like regular library books) & DRM's but this method should strip the time limits/DRM and give you a unrestricted copy for your personal collection. (if not..something went wrong..PM me)

First: Access your local library's website(or check Overdrive's website) and see if online ebook/audiobook borrowing is available in your area. If it is and you have a library card(must have library to access most libraries' online services), you are good to go. If not..then end of the road for you .

Second: If you have never borrowed online from your local library..get Adobe Digital Editions(free program...you'll need it to read the books and for the later part of this tutorial)

**For First time library downloaders:***


When you first download/borrow online from your library you hit the borrow button and it goes on the bookshelf. Usually libraries limit how many books you can download borrow at one time(My library limit is 6 ..but it could vary between libraries)and they limit how long you can borrow for(Mostly about 7 days ..give or take). That can be shortened when you return the book(after you stripped it of course)...I'll tell you how to return the ebook sooner than due date at the end of the tutorial.
From the bookshelf you can pick the format to download(my library has Kindle/epub/pdf..depending on the book). Choose the format and click download. It will download a ACSM file to your download folder...open the ACSM file with Adobe Digital Editions. And now you have a readable(but restricted) ebook.

Now to strip the book

Now before stripping ..use Google and search for "ePUBee DRM Removal"...sorry dpgroup rules won't allow for direct link. It's an amazing, easy to use, freeware program that will strip the DRM/time limit off these books.

From this point instructions will be about how to take those library books you just downloaded/borrowed and strip them.
For the purpose of this tutorial I have used the book Half Hour Hungries by Sabrina Parrini.
Always borrow & download the book from the library..then open it in ADE(Adobe Digital Editions) before trying to strip it with epubee.

Once epubee is downloaded:

Step 1:
Open epubee and you get the screen below
step1.jpg

Click the add button and you move on to the next step

Step 2:
step2.jpg
See where I circled...double click that and move on to next step


Step 3


step3.jpg


At this point you'll see the book you downloaded from the library and opened with ADE earlier. **Right now that book still has it's DRM/time limit.** Step 3 & 4 will strip that limit. Double click that book(or click it once & then click open..whichever you prefer). This will take you to the next step.

Step 4:

step4.jpg
When you're doing step 3 and the book is added, epubee starts the process and very quickly you get the picture you see above(speed depends on number of books/file size/etc). Once you see "decrypted" in the status..follow the picture instructions and click the button with the circling green arrows. This will take you to your next and last step.

Step 5:
step5.jpg

As you can see by the picture..your book is now stripped and ready for regular personal use. Click and drag it over to your downloads folder. That click & drag makes it much easier to find it & put it into Calibre later(or whatever book filing system you use).

**Additional bonus step:**

If you do the steps above...you obviously no longer need the original and will want to return it. Returning it clears up the limits and allows you to borrow more books. Simply go back into ADE and on the library screen...right click the book you want to return. A list will pop up ...go down the list & click return borrowed item..and DONE..on the same screen click add to library in the upper right corner..delete the original ACSM file from your downloads folder.

Recommendations/Suggestions:

• could the DRM be stripped with Calibre? possibly..but I've never tried it(and have never been a fan of DRM stripping using Calibre anyways)
• if you do this method to get books for quality posts here in DPG...I suggest looking through your library's sections of cooking/business/children's/biographies/etc first. Here in DPG the posts in those sections aren't as high as the romance sections so you have better chances of finding ones there first for posting purposes. (Many of the kids/cooking/biography books I've posted on DPG come from this)
• Follow this order = download book from library ~ open library book in ADE~then strip book in epubee. Apparently epubee gets cranky if the second step is not done.
• Can this be done in other formats?..possibly. I've done this strictly with epub from start to finish. If you try this with Kindle format ...you may need a different version of epubee DRM removal program. I've never tried that...epub was just easier.
• It is like anything else...the more you do it the faster & easier it will get. With my library I can usually get anywhere from 1-6 books a week to post here doing this. I suggest starting with 1 at a time and work your way up from there..if you can do two a week with this you can easily make 7-8 posts a month.
• Remember: This is limited to libraries that allow online borrowing/downloading.

Well that's it for this tutorial. If there are any questions/suggestions/problems...send me a PM and I'll add them in.