How do I use the 3M Cloud Library?

To use the 3M Cloud Library you will need a library card, a PIN (if required by your library) and the 3M Cloud Library App downloaded to you PC, MAC, iPhone, iPad, or Android device. A 3M Cloud Library App for Kindle Fire can be downloaded through the GETJAR App Market. E-books downloaded to your PC can be transferred to a Nook, Kobo, Literati or older Sony Reader. It is also possible to side load books to the Kindle Fire and newer Sony readers. See directions below.

What e-readers are compatible with the 3M Cloud Library?

At the present time, you can transfer books from your PC to the following e-readers: the original Nook, Nook Simple Touch, Nook Color version 1.41, Kobo, older Sony readers and the Literati Reader. By downloading some additional software, it is also possible to side load books from your PC to new Sony readers, the Kindle Fire and other e-readers. Please contact your library on about any side load process.

How long can I keep an e-book?

The Lending period is set by your library.

How many e-books can I have out at one time?

The number of e-books you can have out at one time is set by your library.

Can I return an e-book early?

Yes. You can check an e-book in early using the 3M Cloud Library iOS App and 3M Cloud Library Android App. If you intend to read your e-book on an e-reader using the 3M Cloud Library PC App to transfer the title you CANNOT check the e-book in early using the 3M Cloud Library PC App. The title will remain on your e-reader device for the full lending period. After that in will become inaccessible and have to be manually deleted from your e-reader.

How do holds work? Can I place holds on an e-book? How many holds can I have?

Holds work the same as with physical books, you are allowed to put an e-book on hold. The number of holds allowed is set by your library.

How do I cancel a hold?

Go to the “My Books” page and click on “Show All.” This will take you to a new page that will display a “Remove from Hold List” button next to each book on hold. Simply click on the button next to the hold you wish to delete.

Why doesn’t the library buy every best-selling title in e-book format?

Not all publishers will sell e-books to libraries.

Why do I have to wait for an e-book? Aren’t these virtual?

Libraries have to purchase an e-book in the same way they purchase physical books. The publishers require us to abide by one copy/one user model just as we do with physical books. Unfortunately, we don’t have the funds to buy enough copies to fill every request immediately.

E-books are less expensive than print books. Why doesn’t the library own more e-books?

The price that we pay to the publishers for e-books is higher than the price charged to consumers.

Is it possible to renew e-books?

We are currently working on a more elegant way to renew items within the 3M Cloud Library System. Until then you can simply check in a title then check it back out as long as there are no other patrons on hold for that title.

What is my Adobe Digital Editions ID?

This is usually the email address and password you used when setting up the account on the Adobe website where you initially applied for an Adobe Digital Editions ID. If you cannot remember your password, you can request assistance from Adobe at this website.

When installing the 3M Cloud Library Software on my computer, I accidentally accepted the 3M Cloud Library ID instead of installing my personal Adobe Digital Editions ID. What should I do?

Follow the directions below for your version of the Windows operating system to delete the 3M Cloud Library ID from your computer:

For Windows 7 or Vista:

1. Go to the Start menu.
2. Search %appdata%
3. This should pull up a list of folders. Delete the 3M Cloud Library folder (basically just its cache, it is also where it stores an Adobe ID for DRM purposes).
4. The next time you check out a book in the 3M Cloud Library App and open it, the 3M Cloud Library will use whatever Adobe ID your Adobe Digital Editions is authorized with. If you do not have ADE, it will ask if you wish to use the system-generated ID or to enter your own.

For Windows XP:

1. Go to the Start menu.
2. Click on "My Computer."
3. Choose the C drive.
4. Select Documents and Settings.
5. Go into the User folder or folder named with the Username for the computer.
6. Choose the Application Data folder (this may be hidden--if you can't find it go up the Tools Menu. Select: Folder Options->View->Show hidden files and folders.)
7. Find the 3M Cloud Library folder. Delete this (basically just its cache, it is also where it stores an Adobe ID for DRM purposes).
8. The next time you check out a book in the 3M Cloud Library App and open it, the 3M Cloud Library will use whatever Adobe ID your Adobe Digital Editions is authorized with. If you do not have ADE, it will ask if you wish to use the system-generated ID or to enter your own.

The 3M Cloud Library App is prompting me to update the software? Should I do this and why?

If the 3M Cloud Library Mobile App or 3M Cloud Library PC App is prompting you to update the software accept the update. The 3M Cloud Library is making improvements to their software on a regular basis and will issue an update every month or so. To ensure that the 3M Cloud Library Software or 3M Cloud Library App work properly, it will be necessary to update the software each time it prompts you to do so.

What is the 3M Cloud Library?

It is a mobile technology that allows you to browse, checkout and read titles on your personal devices.

Do e-books titles have unlimited availability?

No, e-book titles are still one copy to one user, similar to a physical book your library has purchased a certain number of title s a copies for you to checkout. For example if your library has one copy of The Hunger Games and it is already checked out you would have to place this item on your hold list to wait until it is available.

Do I need to create a account specifically for the 3M Cloud Library?

No, the 3M Cloud Library will use your existing library account, there is no need to create a separate account.

How big is the 3M Cloud Library collection? Does my library carry all of these titles?

Currently the 3M Cloud Library offering has over 300 publishers and over 200,000 titles.

You library chooses the titles and content to offer.

How can I renew a book?

Right now we don’t have a renewal functionality built in. If a book is on hold it will automatically transfer to the next person in the queue. If the book is not on hold you can go through the check out process again.

Why can’t I access the 3M Cloud Library?

There are a few reasons why you cannot access the 3M Cloud Library.

• You do not have a valid library card and need to contact your library staff
• Your library currently does not use the 3M Cloud Library

Does the 3M Cloud Library offer audio books?

At this time the 3M Cloud Library is only offering e-books that are in your library’s collection.

Can I print pages from the e-books or print my bookmarks?

No, at this time there is no option to print content from the e-books.

Do I need my library card or do I have to memorize my barcode in order to access the 3M Cloud Library?

No, you only need this information the very first time to log into the 3M Cloud Library.

How to I browse and check out a book?

After you have logged into the 3M Cloud Library simply browse the collections using the Shelves, Categories or Search functions to find and click on a title. Then you can “Checkout” or “Add to Hold List” button to checkout or reserve a title. Once the title is available you can checkout and read the book within any of the 3M Cloud Library Apps.

What is the 3M Cloud Library iOS App?

The 3M Cloud Library App for the Apple iOS allows you to browse and check out e-books right on your device. The 3M Cloud Library App is self-contained, meaning you do not need any other device or PC to load books onto the iOS device. Simply browse, check-out books and start reading all right on your iOS device.

Is using the 3M Cloud Library iOS App the only way to read e-books from my library?

No you can download Apps to read e-books from your library with the 3M Cloud Library App downloaded to your PC, MAC, Nook, Kindle Fire, Android devices and more. Please see the left side of this page for links to the 3M Cloud Library Apps.

How do I obtain the 3M Cloud Library App for my iOS device?

Our free 3M Cloud Library App can be downloaded from the Apple App Store. You can search for “3M Cloud Library” and the 3M Cloud Library App should come right up. There are no charges for downloading nor using the 3M Cloud Library App.

How do I find out what version of software that I am running?

Click on the (i) in the upper left corner of the screen while running the 3M Cloud Library App. Here you will find our “About” section which shows the current software version.

Does the 3M Cloud Library App automatically self-update?

The App Store will alert you to any new version of the application as they become available. It is the best practice to use the newest version as it will often add new functionality or fix any known issues.

After selecting the state I do not see any libraries listed?

This could mean that you are not currently connected to the internet. The 3M Cloud Library App pulls the latest list of libraries once the state is selected. Without an internet connection you will not see any libraries. The other possibility is that you have selected a state without any 3M Cloud Libraries at this time.

I see other libraries as choices; however, my library system is not listed. What should I do?

This would mean that currently your library is not part of the 3M Cloud Library system. The 3M Cloud Library is a service we provide to local libraries that subscribe to our system. So it all starts with your local library signing up to use our system. You may want to tell your library that you are interested in the 3M Cloud Library and they can contact one of our sales reps to get things moving.

The 3M Cloud Library iOS App crashes, what happened?

Try doing a complete power-off of the iOS device. If after performing complete shutdown of the iOS device and restart it doesn’t resolve the issue then the 3M Cloud Library iOS App may have corrupted itself or some other issue may be at hand. You may want to try simply reinstalling the 3M Cloud Library App to see if it resolves the issues.

The 3M Cloud Library iOS App crashes, I have reinstalled the 3M Cloud Library App but it still seems to crash?

It has been found that sometimes when running lots of software that the iOS device itself can get low on system resources. You may want to close some Apps that are open but not needing to be run at the moment. In order to check this you can press the menu button at the bottom of the device twice quickly (like when you double-click on something). At the bottom will appear all the Apps you have running in memory. To close some of them, simply press and hold on one of the icons along the bottom. After a moment they will start to shake and a red (-) sign appears in the upper left of the icon. Click the (-) on each App you want to close.

Why can’t I access the 3M Cloud Library?

There are a few reasons why a you cannot access the 3M Cloud Library, should you encounter issues with accessing or logging on please contact your library to ensure your account is active and has no holds on it.

I am getting “Login failed…check your network connection” messages when trying to login. What is going on?

The "Login failed, check network connection" message has been known to display as a default when the software isn't sure of the error. First make sure you can connect to the internet using Safari and trying an external web page like Google or 3M. If you are connected and can get around on the web then you can rest assured that the problem isn't a network connection issue. The most common causes for this error are issues with your library account. You should contact your library to ensure your account is active and has no holds on it.

How can I switch to another library or select a different account?

Click on “My Books” at the bottom of the screen. Once there select “Account Profile”. Here you can select “Change Library Identification”. You can select the state, library, ID, Pin and then accept the End User License Agreement. This will allow the Login button to be pressed and your new selections to become active.

How do I select e-books for checkout?

You can select books from any of the Shelves, Categories or Search screens. As an alternative, you may select e-books from the 3M Cloud Library Kiosk (located in the library), the 3M Cloud Library PC App or Android devices you have the 3M Cloud Library App installed onto. They will all sync up together.

What are the “Advanced search” options in the Search tab or “Filter” in the Categories tab?

These features allow you to search your local library’s collection of e-books using the sort by filter. The advance filter has two options:

Show only books available to checkout. (If you keep the option off, you can select books that are checked out allowing you to place them on hold for when they become available.)

Include books not in my library. (This option will allow you to see all e-books in the 3M Cloud Library system. Depending on the libraries setup you may be able to add to the wish list for when libraries are considering purchasing books, consider it a way to suggest your library purchase the books your desire.

Can the 3M Cloud Library iOS App read the text on the screen aloud to me? (Text-to-Speech)

No. At this time only our 3M Cloud Library E-readers that are available from your library to be loaned out have the ability to read out loud the text. There may be Apps that will provide text-to-speech functions but not as a native option to the 3M Cloud Library iOS App.

How change the viewing options while reading a book?

You can tap the screen once while reading a book to bring up a menu at the top of the screen. Hitting the (*) button near the top middle will produce a menu to allow for Font Size, Margin Size, Night Mode, and locking of the orientation.

The font size isn’t big or small enough?

If the font size is not big or small enough, try tapping the A- or A+ button several times. When it is at the maximum it will gray out and no longer become active. We are working at providing more sizes for the iOS device.

I am getting an error message when I try to check out books. The error message says “Download Failed. Please activate your device with your Adobe ID first.”

You probably have an older version of the 3M Cloud Library App installed on your iPad or iPhone. Please remove the current version and go to the App Store to download the most current version. It is strongly suggested you enable automatic downloads for Apps as there may be changes to the 3M Cloud Library App.

How do I logout?

For your convenience the 3M Cloud Library App will remember your login information since the iOS device is usually used by a sole user and is considered a personal device.

How can I check in a book early?

In the “My Books” tab, select “List View” in the upper left corner of the screen. Here you can do a “Check In” of your book early.

What happens when the e-book lending period expires?

The e-books will expire and cannot be read after the libraries lending period has ended. There are no late fees as a result.

How can I renew a book?

Right now we don’t have a renewal functionality built in. If a book is on hold it will automatically transfer to the next person in the queue. If the book is not on hold you can go through the check out process again.

My FAQ question was not answered here.

In the event you have questions that are not answered in this document please contact your local library.

What is the 3M Cloud Library Android App?

The 3M Cloud Library Android App is an Android App designed for using the 3M Cloud Library on your Android devices.

What are the system requirements for the 3M Cloud Library Android App?

The operating system requirements are: Android Version 2.2.2 (Froyo) or Higher.

**Due to the many different hardware Android devices available, compatibility with the 3M Cloud Library App cannot be guaranteed. If you experience usage issues then please make sure your device is up-to-date with the latest versions of your device's firmware and Android OS Version.**

What does the 3M Cloud Library Android App do?

It installs on your Android device and allows you access to your local 3M Cloud Library at anytime, this includes:

• Browse your local 3M Cloud Library collection of digital books anytime and anywhere *(provided they have an internet connection).
• Check out a book or place a book on hold.
• Download and read a digital book right on your Android device.
• Check in a book or look at your reading history right from your device.
• Check your message center or wish list.

Can I download the 3M Cloud Library App on another device like the iPad or Amazon Kindle?

No, this software is specifically for Android devices. Apple iPad, iPhone, and iPod along with Barnes & Noble’s Nook have their own 3M Cloud Library Apps.

How do I get the 3M Cloud Library App on my device?

Go to the Google Play store and perform a search for 3M Cloud Library, this will take you directly to the 3M Cloud Library App for downloading. This 3M Cloud Library App is free.

How do I install the 3M Cloud Library App on my Android device?

Please follow these steps:

1. After you have downloaded the 3M Cloud Library App from Google Play click on the install tab and accept & download the 3M Cloud Library App.

2. Open the 3M Cloud Library App and click on and accept the End User License Agreement.

3. Proceed to login to your state/county and select your local library branch. Enter you library ID & password/pin.

Congratulations! You are now logged into your local libraries 3M Cloud Library on your Android device. You will be able to use the 3M Cloud Library App anytime and anywhere. **(You must be connected to the internet)

** Due to the many different hardware Android devices available, compatibility with the 3M Cloud Library App cannot be guaranteed. If you experience usage issues then please make sure your device is up-to-date with the latest versions of your device's firmware and Android OS Version.**

What if I need to change my library?

You can do this by clearing out your 3M Cloud Library App data. Go to Settings/Apps/All/3M Cloud Library/Clear Data.

How do I clear the cache?

You can clear your cache by going to Settings/Apps/All/3M Cloud Library/Clear Cache.

How do I un-install the 3M Cloud Library App?

You can un-install the 3M Cloud Library App by going to Settings/Apps/All/3M Cloud Library/Uninstall.

What do I do if I receive an error while the 3M Cloud Library App is running?

Close the 3M Cloud Library App and perform the clear cache function.

What is the 3M Cloud Library PC App?

The 3M Cloud Library PC App is an innovative way to browse, borrow and read popular e-books from your local public library. You will need a valid library card to use the 3M Cloud Library PC App. If you do not have access to a library card, please inquire at your local library as to how to get one. Your library credentials will give you access to the thousands of titles available to you as a member of your local library.

How do I get the 3M Cloud Library PC App?

Go to the following web site: http://ebook.3m.com and click on the “PC App” button on the left sidebar of the page. This will open a web page where you can click on the “Download 3M Cloud Library for Windows” icon in the upper left corner of the screen. Follow the instructions to install the software.

NOTE: You must be logged into Windows with local administrator rights to install the 3M Cloud Library Software.

What are the system requirements for the 3M Cloud Library PC App?

Here are the system requirements: Supported Operating Systems: Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP with SP3

Recommended hardware configuration: Dual Core CPU, 2 GB RAM, minimum 40 MB disk space needed for installation and an internet connection of at least 1.5 Mbps

How do I connect to my library?

Once you have installed the 3M Cloud Library PC App, you will be asked to select the state and library that you have an account with. Enter your account information, accept the license agreement and click Login. If you do not see your library, contact them to see if they have subscribed to the 3M Cloud Library system.

I cannot log into my library. What’s wrong?

First, make sure you have an internet connection. Second, make sure you have selected the correct library. Third, make sure you have entered your account and PIN/password correctly. If you have outstanding fines or fees on your account you cannot log in. Lastly, if you are still having problems, please contact your library for additional support.

How do I log out of the 3M Cloud Library PC App?

The 3M Cloud Library PC App does not have a “log out” capability. It is intended for an individual to use as a personal App so it will remember your information when you open the 3M Cloud Library App.

Can I transfer books I’ve checked out on the PC to my personal e-reader?

Yes you can! Once you have checked out a book to your PC, you can transfer a copy to your e-reader. To do this, connect your e-reader to your PC using a USB cable. When you connect it and go to the My Books tab in the 3M Cloud Library App, you will see a green button appear on each book you have checked out that says “Download to Device”. Click this green button to transfer a copy of the book to your e-reader. Supported e-readers: Nook (original), Nook Touch, Nook Color (must have Nook version 1.41) and Kobo.

Note – It is important that the PC and the e-reader have both been activated with the same encrypting account – either and Adobe ID account or a 3M Cloud Library ID account. If these are different you will see a message that these are different. Changing the account if you already have books on the device will prevent you from opening some of the books.

Where can I find videos or help on the 3M Cloud Library PC App?

You can find some videos on YouTube that are helpful:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Les4DOvVF5U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrhuEChBPJw

You can also get help from your local library.

When I start the 3M Cloud Library PC App I get the message “3MCloudLibrary.exe has stopped working. I have tried to uninstall and reinstall it but it still will not load. What can I do?

There is a folder you might want to delete after you do the uninstall. On Windows 7 is it C:\Users\userid\AppData\Roaming\3MCloudLibrary where userid is the Windows account you are logged in as. On Windows XP it is C:\Documents and Settings\userid\Application Data\3MCloudLibrary

This has some connection information and cached data that may be causing the issue.

What is the 3M Cloud Library Web App?

The 3M Cloud Library Web App is a simple to use web interface that will allow you browse and check out popular e-books from your local public library. You will need a valid library card to use the 3M Cloud Library App. If you do not have access to a library card, please inquire at your local library as to how to get one. Your library credentials will give you access to the thousands of titles available to you as a member of your local library.

How do I get the 3M Cloud Library Web App?

Go to the following web site: http://ebook.3m.com and at the bottom left of the page, select your state and library that you belong to. There may also be a link on your own library’s web page as well.

What are the supported web browsers for the 3M Cloud Library Web App?

Supported web browsers are: Internet Explorer 8 and 9, Firefox, Chrome and Safari.

How do I connect to my library?

Once you have connected to your library’s 3M Cloud Library Web App, you will be asked to select the state and library that you have an account with. Enter your account information and click Login. If you do not see your library, contact them to see if they have subscribed to the 3M Cloud Library system.

I cannot log into my library web site. What’s wrong?

First, make sure you have an internet connection. Second, make sure you have selected the correct library. Third, make sure you have entered your account and PIN/password correctly. If you have outstanding fines or fees on your account you cannot log in. Lastly, if you are still having problems, please contact your library for additional support.

How do I log out of the 3M Cloud Library Web App?

Once you have logged in, you will see a button labeled Logout in the top right corner of the screen. To log out, click that button.

What can I do with the 3M Cloud Library Web App?

You can browse the books that your library has and once you have logged in, can check them out to your account. The 3M Cloud Library Web App currently does not have the ability to read books or transfer books to any device. You would need to either use another 3M Cloud Library App (iOS, Android, PC App) or when in the library, go to the staff and ask to check out a 3M Cloud Library e-reader. The library staff would use the 3M Cloud Library Download Station software to call up the books the you have checked out and transfer them to a 3M Cloud Library e-reader that would be checked out to you.

If I’ve finished reading a book before the loan period or I don’t like the book I checked out, can I check it in early?

Yes. To check a book in early, go to the My Books tab and then click on List View for the Currently Reading area. Each book will have a red button called “Check in” that you can click to return the book.

You can also remove books that are in your hold list by clicking the List View button for the Hold List section and click on the Remove from Hold List.

Where can I find videos or help on the 3M Cloud Library Web App?

There is a video for the 3M Cloud Library Discovery Station that has the same functionality as the 3M Cloud Library Web App:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9knZLsSc13Y&feature=youtu.be

You can also get help from your local library.