I Read Comic Books discussion

I'm not sure how many of you use Hoopla but it's a great resource that many libraries use in the U.S. If your library participates, all you need is a library card to access it. Like for me, our library allows 15 checkouts a month. Almost every comic publisher has comics there, available digitally. That's where I find a lot of the small press stuff I read, along with European comics that have been translated to English. There's also a ton of Manga. There are literally thousands of graphic novels available. They have their own app to read your graphic novels in too.

The other nice thing is the last week of the month, they offer 12 bonus borrow graphic novels from a variety of publishers They don't cost against your monthly borrows at all . Those are out now. It's typically older but good stuff. This month they have Gotham by Gaslight, Do a Powerbomb, Hellblozer, Time Before Time, a couple of manga books, etc.

https://www.hoopladigital.com/collect...

I use Hoopla and Libby with my library card

I was absolutely ecstatic to start using Hoopla. Unfortunately, my library only allows 4 checkouts per month so I used those very quickly LOL.

Check out those bonus borrows Nick. They should be available till Saturday.

Another pro-tip with Hoopla. I use my wife's library account too so I can double the amount of borrows I get each month.

Nick wrote: "I was absolutely ecstatic to start using Hoopla. Unfortunately, my library only allows 4 checkouts per month so I used those very quickly LOL."

You should see if there are any other libraries in your area that will allow you to sign up for a digital card with them. Sometimes you only have to be in-state for them to let you use their digital services and that would get you some additional borrows!

Adam works at a library and knows what he's talking about.

Ooh, I didn't know about the extra end of the month borrows! That's awesome, I'll have to check that out.

I always get stuck with the library running out of checkouts for the day really early, have to stay up until midnight to get something borrowed. :)

Yeah, Erin, on the last day of the month, I typically spend an hour deciding on how to use the rest of my borrows so I don't waste them.

As a librarian, I appreciate the Hoopla shoutout! They have a surprisingly strong selection, with no wait time. While I use it mostly for audiobooks, I have found some great graphic novels there.

Nancy wrote: "As a librarian, I appreciate the Hoopla shoutout! They have a surprisingly strong selection, with no wait time. While I use it mostly for audiobooks, I have found some great graphic novels there."

Agreed, for graphic novels I find it useful for people trying to read the next installment in a series if we have received our physical copy yet as Hoopla gets them day-of release.

Nancy wrote: "As a librarian, I appreciate the Hoopla shoutout!"

I've wondered whether libraries have any control over what things are available on their Hoopla subscription. Does the library decide they prefer to have certain titles and not others?

Also wonder whether the library itself pays a flat fee, or pays a fee for each item that a borrower checks out.

Ed wrote: "Nancy wrote: "As a librarian, I appreciate the Hoopla shoutout!"

I've wondered whether libraries have any control over what things are available on their Hoopla subscription. Does the library deci..."

I don't know that the library gets a lot of control over what is/isn't part of their subscription, but it has changed some in the last couple years. My understanding is the library pays per checkout, hence different borrowing limits depending on your library system.

Yep, I know they pay per checkout and it's not insignificant. A think it was a couple of bucks per checkout so I always make sure and read anything I take out.

Libraries have no control over content. We have to pay per checkout, so that's why some libraries restrict how many you can check out. I handle social media for our library and I used to promote it on our Facebook page, but that led to big bills, although it is displayed on the website for all our patrons to see.

I've seen some libraries who have to restrict their daily allowance of borrows if it balloons too high on a given day and encourage you to try again tomorrow. It's wild.

Do you pay the same for checkout of a single issue of Saga compared to a trade paperback? Or is the price different based on the cover price of the physical item?

Chad wrote: "Yep, I know they pay per checkout and it's not insignificant. A think it was a couple of bucks per checkout so I always make sure and read anything I take out."

I do the same. But I still try to avoid leaving some of my "borrows" unused.

We get 10 per month and I've never seen any problems from daily usage. Our library is well funded from our property tax, though. It is already the highest line item on my bill and yet we recently voted to increase that tax.

I do the same Ed and we get 15 a month. Plus I sometimes use my wife's borrows as well when I run out.

Our library is very well funded as well. I can't remember the exact number on my last property tax bill but it was over $500 which I'm cool with. I use the library all the time and I think it's a terrific resource for people in the community.

As a librarian, thank you for continuing to support your community!

I get so frustrated when my Hoopla has missing issues of a series for no apparent reason. I just finished The Deviant Vol. 1 which covers issues 1-4 and now I want to read the rest, but hoopla only has single issues 1, 4, 6, 8 and 9. (This happens with other series, too, but this is the one that is annoying me today.)

I typically write Hoopla and let them know when issues are missing because it grates on me too. If it helps the vol. 2 trade comes out in a few weeks.

I had been reading some issues of Metal Hurlant on hoopla. But now they've disappeared. The new English series is gone, as well as all the older French ones. Looks like everything from Humanoids has gone. So sad. I can easily imagine comics in French weren't getting much readership there and so weren't considered worth the money, but I'll miss them. (A small number of comics in French are still available.)

I think some of their contracts are expiring. There haven't been any new Boom comics for at least 6 months.

It wouldn't surprise me to see them fold or reorganize at some point. I know a lot of libraries have dropped the service because they charge too much.

You may want to check if your library has Comics Plus. My library just got it. I haven't had time to use it yet but I checked it out the other day and they had a lot of publishers other than the big 2 which I could care less about anyway. Those I can get from MU or DCI. It looks like there are no limits to how much you can check out like there is with hoopla so that's a plus. One of the things that made me most happy is that they had most of 90s Valiant. Those comics are great.

My library doesn't have "Comics Plus". I didn't know about it either. Maybe I can ask them about it and also get my IRL club to pester them about it.

Ed wrote: "My library doesn't have "Comics Plus". I didn't know about it either. Maybe I can ask them about it and also get my IRL club to pester them about it."

As a librarian I can tell you that is cost a lot less than other 'streaming' options that get pitched to libraries. The staff there is also outstanding and really helpful. I've worked for 2 different systems that offer the service and we've had a good experience both places. (there might also be a large library system near you that current has it and offers any state resident a digital-only card if it helps)

That's very true Adam. I know you have a state wide program in Ohio as you've mentioned it before. There were ones in IL and MI when we lived there too. Not sure about here in NY. The library system on Long Island is so robust that I've never needed to look into it. But our property taxes also provide a lot of money to the library, I think this year's was $567 which I'm totally cool with. Not only is it an amazing resource for residents but my wife and I would spend more than that on books without it and I'd probably end up donating those to the library anyway after reading them. I don't mind paying taxes on things I can see a direct benefit from in my community.

It seems like both Sacramento and L.A. libraries would allow me to use Comics Plus. I'll consider it, though I have enough to read right now.

Ed wrote: "I had been reading some issues of Metal Hurlant on hoopla. But now they've disappeared. ..."

It looks like books by Humanoids have come back. Yay!

In other library-related news, library distributor Baker & Taylor is going out of business. An article in "The Comics Journal" says this will have a huge effect on lots of libraries ability to get comics.

Yeah, I read that article about Baker and Taylor the other day. They've been around for over a hundred years. They provide something like 50% of comics and graphic novels to libraries. It's going to be a big loss, especially for smaller library systems. Apparently, they even would provide books shelf-ready for libraries that had smaller staffs. (I'm assuming that means they automatically imported them into their online card catalogs and sent the books already marked and stamped for the shelves and probably reinforced the binding and covers. We had to do all that stuff ourselves when I worked at the library back in the 90s.) Smaller libraries run pretty lean. The system here on Long Island has a huge property tax base to support them. It's in our property tax bill and I think we paid $567 last year just to the library (which I'm OK with because I think it's a terrific community resource.)

The closing of Baker & Taylor was brutal to libraries. The other big book distributor is Ingram, but they are overwhelmed with the influx of new libraries and are very behind on shipping. Plus, the ordering and shipping model is completely different than B&T and is very clunky. I order graphic novels from a local comic book store, but not all libraries can do so.

Losing B & T was brutal. They might not have been a perfect operation, but they really did a lot of things well. My last library used them forever and as Nancy indicated, the alternatives aren't great. It's going to take some real getting used to.

I finally got access to "Comics Plus" and I'm not impressed. I like that the number of borrows is unlimited. But they don't have panel-by-panel view, which is how I prefer to read. (They do offer the ability to read 1/3 of a page at a time, which works for some comics with conventional grid layouts.)

The search function is also less helpful than Hoopla. I can search by title, but searching by author name doesn't work.

Ed wrote: "I finally got access to "Comics Plus" and I'm not impressed. I like that the number of borrows is unlimited. But they don't have panel-by-panel view, which is how I prefer to read. (They do offer t..."

It certainly isn't as refined as hoopla, but with the way hoopla's pricing is going, they are going to keep seeing reduced checkouts from libraries. Comics Plus recently was acquired by another company and the hope is that might see some investment in the infrastructure of the interface.

My local library canned nearly all of its Hoopla content; they said it wasn't being borrowed, but I suspect it's because of the price like you said. If they are pricing smaller libraries out of using it, what is the point of it being an alternative....

F. P. wrote: "My local library canned nearly all of its Hoopla content; ..."

I don't understand that. According to Nancy above, on Hoopla, "Libraries have no control over content." They can limit the number of checkouts, but that seems to be all.

Adam wrote: "... Comics Plus recently was acquired by another company and the hope is that might see some investment in the infrastructure of the interface ..."

Interesting. I hope it turns out that way.

But when a big company bought Comixology, it got worse not better.

When a big company bought this website, it stayed about the same.

Spoiler: it was the same big company in both cases.

Looks like the new owner of Comics Plus is "Beanstack". They seem to focus on material for school-age children. So, I'm unsure they'll continue to expand in adult material.

My guess is ComicsPlus will continue to steer clear of Marvel and DC which is fine since they have their own services. Getting access to the smaller press stuff is much more important to me.

F. P. wrote: "My local library canned nearly all of its Hoopla content; they said it wasn't being borrowed, but I suspect it's because of the price like you said. If they are pricing smaller libraries out of usi..."

Libraries have no control over content, yet, to save money, they can turn off a category. Hoopla titles cost a set amount per checkout, so newer titles cost us more. Thus, a library could block movies, but keep audiobooks. Or, a library could set a maximum price threshold, and the most expensive movies or books could be hidden from the patrons' view. In summary, Hoopla decides the titles, while libraries can modify to some degree what is available to their patrons according to their budgets.

Thanks for that info

...So then I'm living in an alternate universe? When I log into my Hoopla on my Samsung device, in the comics category, for example, there is only one comic in it. One. I've searched high and low from different directions and categories on the site--and that's the only comic. The classics have only about 50-100 listed, and nearly all of them are "bound" with covers from the same series. The mysteries have about 100 books.

Specifically for comics, there is no way for me to access any of the other numerous comics I've seen when I've scrolled through the Hoopla website on my computer; there is no way for me to access all the Hoopla-borrowable books other people talk about here on Goodreads.

Am I supposed to believe the general library/Hoopla info or my eyes looking on my Samsung device--and my husband's eyes? And the mouths of two separate librarians at the library, who when my husband asked them why there isn't more Hoopla content available and can they put some up, those librarians said they removed the content because no one was using it and they aren't adding anymore.

I didn't feel up to writing a long post above using detailed language--I had already talked about the library removing access to content in another thread here in response to Adam. I am reporting what my specific, local library said. If they are lying or are wrong, how am I supposed to know? I had never used the library/Hoopla service before. If they are somehow refusing to do what they're supposed to do, I'm not willing to get my husband to do something about it. People who work at local libraries around here are usually poorly paid; I'm not going to make a big outcry and ruin their days over a Hoopla membership.

I had said to Adam in the October thread: "The Hoopla didn't yield me anything with my library--they have very few books in it, and only 1 comic (!). People hadn't been using it, so the library canned access to nearly all the books. Libby has some comics...."

From another of my posts there: "They barely even have any Hoopla access to classics."

This is from a search I just did:

"Yes — while Hoopla’s core catalog is the same for all participating libraries, individual libraries can block specific titles, formats, or content types based on their own policies, licensing agreements, or budget rules...

Types of Blocks Libraries Can Apply

According to Hoopla’s support information and librarian feedback:

Title‑by‑title blocks — e.g., blocking a specific book, movie, or audiobook.

Content rating restrictions — e.g., blocking titles with adult language ratings.

Price/loan cost limits — e.g., blocking eBooks priced above $3.99 per loan to control budgets.

Format restrictions — e.g., blocking certain digital formats or media type..."

--The fact is that full Hoopla content is not in any way, shape or form available for Hoopla through my library on my device, period. I wish it was. Maybe some people are living in or near big cities, where they've never experienced exactly what and how much a library can block because they haven't turned on their private devices and seen a major block in action. Or maybe Hoopla changed something and libraries can select what they want, rather than what they DON'T want--so libraries can select only a small catalog from what's available--I have no idea. Probably no one other than the individual people involved can know what exact private agreement two parties have in a transaction; they may be bound to not publicly say much about the transaction.

But, it doesn't matter what's going on at my end if those books just are not on Hoopla for me and are not depicted on my device.

Also, some of my husband's former rural students couldn't make it to class because they had no gas money. If my library has restricted Hoopla content to allocate the funds to other programs that help local poor people who can't afford books at all and have nowhere to read them, I think that's the better thing. The library's in town, but everyone in the town isn't rich. The library has a sitting area and old people can meet there and read free books, magazines, do puzzles, etc. The library had also told my husband in response to his Hoopla questions, "Use Libby." The place has a few other digital programs, but it apparently can't afford to have them all or in depth.

I've always believed books should be priced as cheap as possible to encourage widespread reading, not just because I'm a writer, but because I used to have no money for books--and I just generally can't stand when people are limited in their reading and information gathering by how much money they have. I hate that years ago, only the "aristocracy" could read and had access to lots of information.

I price my own books low because of all this and have given a lot of them away. I also have always very much supported libraries and would buy from their book sales, and sometimes wouldn't mind bringing books back late to incur small fees because I want the libraries to be paid sometimes. I also volunteered to work at library book sales.

At this point in my life, I'm neither rich nor poor. I've got plenty of comics to read through other subscriptions. And I also now have Libby to read other kinds of books; I've already found some comics on there.

I'm just happy to be reading at all and also happy that I can afford more books than I used to be able to afford many years ago. If I can't fine-tune to my having maximum access in a reading program, it's fine with me. I have other things to do too.