13,256 views

How to Borrow Singapore NLB eBooks from iPad

By on January 21, 2011 in FEATURED, LOCAL, Tablet, TECHIE

Yesterday, I read an article on Digital Life about eReaders. In this article, it states that iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab can be used to borrow Singapore NLB (National Library Board) eBooks.

In the article, it wrote two methods to read NLB borrowed eBooks on iPad. As I am going to utilize the 1024 X 768 resolution of the iPad, I will only show you one method using Bluefire Reader.

To do this, there are a few things that you need to do or register.

Preparation

  • Here are the simplified steps:
  • Create a Singapore NLB Account (Free)
  • Create Adobe Account (Free)
  • Download and install Bluefire Reader to iPad (Free)
  • Install Dropbox on your PC (Free)
  • Download and install Dropbox to iPad

Create a Singapore NLB Account (Free)

  • Free to register for Singaporean

Click Here to Register

Create Adobe Account (Free)

  • This Adobe Account is needed for Bluefire Reader later.

Click Here to Register for Adobe Account

Download and install Bluefire Reader to iPad (Free)

Install Dropbox on your PC (Free)

  • You will need the Dropbox for storing the .ACSM file that you download from NLB

Click Here to Create Dropbox Account

Download and install Dropbox to iPad (Free)

So, now you have all the necessary component to read NLB eBooks.

How to Read NLB eBook from your iPad

In this section, I will guide you on how you can read the NLB eBook from your iPad. To use Bluefire Reader, the process is not straight forward.

You will need to use your PC to borrow the books from NLB. Once borrowed, NLB will create a ACSM file that you need to use to download the eBook. As with other physical books in NLB, the borrow duration is 21 days or 3 weeks.

Here are the simplified steps:

  • Go to NLB site to borrow book
  • Download the ACSM file
  • Drop the ACSM file to your PC Dropbox
  • Open the ACSM file on your iPad Dropbox to download the eBook to Bluefire Reader

Go to NLB site to borrow book

You will need to use the NLB account to log in to borrow book

Click Here to NLB Overdrive site

Download the ACSM file

Once you borrowed the ebooks, you will see them in your “My eBookshelf”. You will need to go to “Account” to select “My eBookshelf”.

Once inside, you will see something as shown on the picture above. Click the “Download” button to download the ACSM (Adobe Content Server Message) file.

Drop the ACSM file to your PC Dropbox

Once downloaded, drop this ACSM file into your PC Dropbox

Open the ACSM file on your iPad Dropbox to download the eBook to Bluefire Reader

This is the last step. Open your Dropbox on your iPad. It should synchronize with the same account on your PC Dropbox. Once synchronized, you will see the ACSM file.

Click on the ACSM file. You will see many strange looking lines as shown below. Do not bother with them. Just click on the top right hand corner icon as shown below and you can open this file with Bluefire Reader. It will download the eBook. Once done, you can enjoy reading it. Do note that if this is the first time you open Bluefire Reader app, it will prompt you for the Adobe account ID and request you to authorize it for use on the app.

Hope that I did not confuse you with all the steps. If you think it is too difficult, you might want to try the Overdrive App that you can find on App Store. It seems that it does not have the iPad version and therefore, resolution may be affected. And you will need to have iOS 4.0 and above to use it.

That’s it! Thanks for staying with me.

Related posts:

Free Adobe Photoshop Express App for Your iPad ipad-mini-m1M1 Announces iPad mini and Fourth Generation iPad in Singapore CF Card Reader for iPad and iPad 2 – Video Within ipad-miniWhere to Get Apple iPad mini in Singapore from 2nd November

About Joe Teh

View all posts by Joe Teh →

Subscribe

Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter to receive updates.

, , , , , , , , , , ,

  • Pingback: How to Borrow Singapore NLB eBooks from iPad | TechieLobang – News …  |  Social Tips

  • andrea

    thanks for this! :)

  • http://www.TechieLobang.com Joe Teh

    andrea: No problem! :)

  • daphne

    thanks for the detailed, step-by-step instructions. i would never have figured it out on my own :)

  • http://www.TechieLobang.com Joe Teh

    daphne: Hope it helps :)

  • Blondebones1

    wow! thank-you so much! I’ve been looking everywhere for how to do this!

  • Anonymous

    U’re welcome. Enjoy! :)

  • Tangjyd

    Hi,
    Thanks for the tips. Btw do you know if you can just download the books on the ipad instead of transferring from PC to Ipad via dropbox?

    Thank You

  • Anonymous

    Not sure. But there is OverDrive that you can try. http://www.overdrive.com/software/omc/

  • Lilian Chua

    Try ‘Overdrive Media Console’ Free App that you can download for iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7 and
    even Black Berry.

    In this App, there’s a ‘Get book’ Feature and you have to search for ‘Singapore’ to find NLB and
    click into it and you will see the mobile-friendly version of Overdrive Catalogue (note: only ePUB
    ebooks and MP3 audio books listed, for full list you need to access the normal website, anyway the
    App only support download of these 2 formats). From there you can browse, but to checkout and
    download you need:
    (1) NLB Account (as described in this post)
    (2) Adobe Digital Acc (as described in this post)

    Once everything is setup, your subsequent browse-checkout-download experience would very easy.

    Some features to look out at the ‘Overdrive Media Console’ App:
    (a) You can return a book even before due date, useful when you read fast or regret that title and
    need the quota to borrow more. (each acc only 4 titles at one time)
    (b) There’s indicator on each title to show you how many day left before expiry.

    Ah, the rest you can discover on your own, enjoy!!

  • Iriskwan

    I have problem using safari to download books from nlb overdrive. Message: cannot open page because server stopped responding. When I use mini opera, I can access page, browse, search, do everything except download books. Message: error 256. Do you know what happened. Is there something I can do to be able to borrow books.

    I started borrowing books 2 months ago. This has happened twice. First time I cannot access site for two weeks and then one fine day, I could. Then two weeks later, I cannot. It is more than two weeks and I am still trying to find a solution. I have been in contact with nlb help desk and they are saying there is nothing wrong. They want me to check with overdrive support. Overdrive support told me to use mini opera but I cannot download Books. What’s the point of being able to do everything but not able to download books.

    Will you be able to help me. Thanks.
    Iris Kwan

  • Pingback: ?????????? de ???????? « Kany's Blog – First Day in Singapore