Tech speak can be difficult, frustrating, and confusing! Here is a glossary of common terms used in the eLibrary services.
- App - A self-contained program or piece of software designed to fulfill a particular purpose; an application, especially as downloaded by a user to a mobile device.
- Device - the machine that will be used to access the material, which can include eReaders, smartphones, and computers.
- Kindle - An eReader made by Amazon. The Kindle Fire can use most of the e-Library apps, the Kindle Paperwhite and other non-Fire devices cannot and can only be used for eBooks. Amazon also makes a Kindle app, allowing access to Kindle material on a non-Amazon device.
- Nook - An eReader made by Barnes & Noble. The modern Nook Tablets can use most of the CyberShelf apps, while the Nook Glow and older tablets cannot. Note that older Nooks are not supported by Barnes & Noble and will often have trouble using eBooks.
- Smartphone - A phone that can download and install apps - almost all will either be Apple or Android (Google) based. All Apple smartphones are iPhones, but there are countless Android phones made by a variety of manufacturers.
- eReader - A non-smartphone device that can only be used for reading digital books and does not support apps.
- Tablet - A tablet computer is a mobile device, typically with a mobile operating system and touchscreen, and a rechargeable battery in a single, thin and flat package. Tablets support the use of apps. Examples: Apple iPad, Microsoft Surface, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Amazon Kindle Fire.
- Digital Rights Management (DRM) - protects access to copyrighted materials, prevents illegal downloading or copying, and sometimes requires specific software.
- eMaterial - any electronic material, including eBooks, eComics, eMagazines, and so on.
- ePub- Electronic publication of a book, and well as a common file format for eBooks.
- OverDrive Read & OverDrive Listen - a method of accessing material from OverDrive by streaming it thorugh a web browser instead of downloading it to a device. This requires a constant internet connection.
- Kindle book- An Amazon.com brand of an electronic publication of a book and can only be used on a Kindle Device or with the Kindle app downloaded from Amazon.com to a mobile device.
- MP3- Audio files, including audiobooks and music.
- PDF- Portable Document Format. A format that is not used much by OverDrive anymore, but still shows up. Unlike most PDFs, these can only be read using Adobe Digital Editions - not the standard Adobe Reader. Not all devices are Adobe Digital Editions compatible.
- Streaming service - An online service, typically requiring a subscription, that uses an internet connection to deliver movie, music, or other media content to a mobile device, TV, or computer.
