I used to really love Scribd/Everand too! I was always a little annoyed about the lack of transparency over the "unlimited"/throttled borrows, but I generally rolled with it. Shortly before they switched to a credit based subscription it seemed like they were really quick to throttle borrows which was lame. I ended up canceling my subscription when they officially switched over to the credit model for the exact reasons you've laid out here, it's just too stressful for me having to juggle credits month-to-month.
And don't get me started on the whole owning but not really owning e-materials. It's really frustrating.
I used to download about 5 or 6 titles I wanted to listen to next. As I finished one, one of the saved ones would change to "available on mmdd". But it offered a preview of about 5 to 10%, maybe a few chapters. If you scrolled to the end of the preview, then log out completely, the next time you logged back in, the full title was available. I did for months. Maybe a year.
At the time I was in the currently reading Facebook group and it was all everyone was chatting about. I mentioned all this and everyone who tried it, it worked. But something must have given the game away, because a few weeks later they closed the loop. Either someone in the group ratted us out, or maybe the sheer volume of extra borrowing became more noticeable.
I sent a few emails to them about it all, but they never answered any so I quit.
I, too, am primarily an audiobook reader these days. I hope it's just a season of life. I do miss the time to sit still & get lost in a book, but I just can't devote my time to that these days.
You hit the nail on the head when you talk about PURCHASING an audiobook. I just looked at my catalog, I own about 100! But they'll only sit there (in the cloud??) because it's unlikely I'll read them again & I can't pass them along to someone else who might enjoy them (a personal gripe I have about my ebooks, too).
I'd jump on a subscription service with joy since I can't always get the audiobooks I want from my Libby cards!
That is so true — I didn't even mention not being able to share the already purchased audiobooks, which feels like a crime in and of itself.
Companies are missing out on this unlimited subscription service and I want someone to step up to the plate! Show an interest in what would make subscribers happiest...not the bottom line. This feels like a no-brainer, and I'm so sad Everand pulled this on its users.
I loved the old Scribd too. It saved my reading life during the pandemic. Once they began limiting the number of audios you could access I started falling out of love with it. I actually discovered a work around and stupidly shared it, but they closed that loophole eventually and I cancelled my subscription in a huff. It's not too much to want it all when that was the original offering.
I'm liked you, I am always listening to something, and I fly through audiobooks, around 15 or 16 a month, so I'm forever on the lookout for an all you can eat package. The library is great, but it takes a lot of planning to get holds in, and I often have 9 of my 10 allocated holds tied up in a queue.
I didn't realise Scribd/ Everard had made so many changes. I'm sure there are commercial reasons for that, but it seems mean spirited to not offer some kind of unlimited package, even for an extra premium.
It TOTALLY saved me during the pandemic, too! OMG, Rita — what was the workaround that is now a defunct loophole?!
Right — all I want is exactly what drew me to the platform to begin with...I cannot imagine how this is anything except trying to grab more cash. Can you imagine if a streaming service limited your movies or tv shows to 3 a month?! ABSURD.
I used to really love Scribd/Everand too! I was always a little annoyed about the lack of transparency over the "unlimited"/throttled borrows, but I generally rolled with it. Shortly before they switched to a credit based subscription it seemed like they were really quick to throttle borrows which was lame. I ended up canceling my subscription when they officially switched over to the credit model for the exact reasons you've laid out here, it's just too stressful for me having to juggle credits month-to-month.
And don't get me started on the whole owning but not really owning e-materials. It's really frustrating.
It is SOO stressful. I cannot juggle this. I don’t want to. They stole my joy.
Yessss! Remembering to use those credits each month is like a job!
1000%
I used to download about 5 or 6 titles I wanted to listen to next. As I finished one, one of the saved ones would change to "available on mmdd". But it offered a preview of about 5 to 10%, maybe a few chapters. If you scrolled to the end of the preview, then log out completely, the next time you logged back in, the full title was available. I did for months. Maybe a year.
At the time I was in the currently reading Facebook group and it was all everyone was chatting about. I mentioned all this and everyone who tried it, it worked. But something must have given the game away, because a few weeks later they closed the loop. Either someone in the group ratted us out, or maybe the sheer volume of extra borrowing became more noticeable.
I sent a few emails to them about it all, but they never answered any so I quit.
Oh, that is awesome! I would’ve been stoked.
Totally.
I, too, am primarily an audiobook reader these days. I hope it's just a season of life. I do miss the time to sit still & get lost in a book, but I just can't devote my time to that these days.
You hit the nail on the head when you talk about PURCHASING an audiobook. I just looked at my catalog, I own about 100! But they'll only sit there (in the cloud??) because it's unlikely I'll read them again & I can't pass them along to someone else who might enjoy them (a personal gripe I have about my ebooks, too).
I'd jump on a subscription service with joy since I can't always get the audiobooks I want from my Libby cards!
That is so true — I didn't even mention not being able to share the already purchased audiobooks, which feels like a crime in and of itself.
Companies are missing out on this unlimited subscription service and I want someone to step up to the plate! Show an interest in what would make subscribers happiest...not the bottom line. This feels like a no-brainer, and I'm so sad Everand pulled this on its users.
I loved the old Scribd too. It saved my reading life during the pandemic. Once they began limiting the number of audios you could access I started falling out of love with it. I actually discovered a work around and stupidly shared it, but they closed that loophole eventually and I cancelled my subscription in a huff. It's not too much to want it all when that was the original offering.
I'm liked you, I am always listening to something, and I fly through audiobooks, around 15 or 16 a month, so I'm forever on the lookout for an all you can eat package. The library is great, but it takes a lot of planning to get holds in, and I often have 9 of my 10 allocated holds tied up in a queue.
I didn't realise Scribd/ Everard had made so many changes. I'm sure there are commercial reasons for that, but it seems mean spirited to not offer some kind of unlimited package, even for an extra premium.
It TOTALLY saved me during the pandemic, too! OMG, Rita — what was the workaround that is now a defunct loophole?!
Right — all I want is exactly what drew me to the platform to begin with...I cannot imagine how this is anything except trying to grab more cash. Can you imagine if a streaming service limited your movies or tv shows to 3 a month?! ABSURD.