3M Android App
The 3M Cloud Library app for Android allows you to checkout, download, and read ebooks directly on your Android device without the need to transfer the books from your computer.
Compatibility: tablets and smartphones with Android version 2.1 and above; now including the Nook Color, Tablet, HD/HD+. Please note that tablets made with limited access to the Google Play app store (such as the Pandigital Supernova and Kindle Fire) are unable to get the app directly on the device. Devices that cannot get the app must have ebooks transferred to them via computer for now. More information on what to do with these devices.
These instructions were made from screenshots on a Motorola Droid.
- Getting Started
- Overview of App
- Searching/Browsing for a Book
- Check Out a Book
- Reading a Book
- Holds
- Return a Book Early
- Reading Multiple Books, Using More Than One Device
- Log Out of the App
Getting Started
1. Download the 3M Cloud Library app to your device.
Android Smartphones & Tablets:
- Go to the Play Store app. Search for "3M Cloud Library" and install the app.
- Don't know how to install apps yet? Click here for detailed instructions.
Nook Color, Tablet, HD, HD+:
Note--some of the newest Nook Tablet HDs have access to the full Google Play store as above.
- Go to the "Shop" tab on your Nook's menu. Search for "3M Cloud Library" and install the app.
- Don't know how install apps yet? Click here for detailed instructions.
When downloaded to the device, the app icon looks like this (the background on this device is green). If you have a large number of apps, please realize that the app is alphabetized as "Cloud Library."
2. Open the app to set it up for your initial use (should only have to do this once). Answer each field!
a. Select State/County-pick KS from the menu.
b. Select Library--for Kansas, there is only one Cloud Library, but you must select it to continue. It is named "State Library of Kansas - Capitol Building."
c. Enter Your Library ID--tap here to enter your 6-digit Kansas Library Card number. At this time your regular public library card number is not compatible with the new system. If you need a Kansas Library Card, please visit your public or school library to get one.
d. Enter Your Library Pin--this is your birthdate in MMDDYYYY format. Example: January 1, 1980 should be entered as 01011980 or 01/01/1980.
e. End User License Agreement--open this and tap "agree" to continue. A green check will appear on this section when it is complete.
d. Tap the Login button to finalize your setup!
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Overview of App Features
The 3M Cloud Library has 4 main tabs, accessible by tapping their buttons at the top of the app. Each section is described below.
Shelves
These are the display cases of the library. Right now, other than the "New This Week" and "Popular This Week" we have to make the shelves manually. As you can imagine, that leads to the shelves falling behind quickly. Later this summer we will have more options to create shelves that pull in books automatically. Until then, please realize our limitations, and thank you for your patience!
To browse all of the books in a Shelf, click List View (left image, circled in green). This brings you a page that is easy to scroll through. Note that each book's checkout status is shown on the list view as you scroll down (right image).
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Shelves Main Screen
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Shelf List View
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Categories
This is the subject browse area. A category is shown by the cover of one book in that subject and the title of the category. Note that Categories has a Filter button (left image, circled in red). Tapping this allows you to limit to browse only books available for checkout right now (center image). Opening a Category, such as Fiction, allows you to then browse in the sub-categories or choose to "show all" within a main category (right image).
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Categories Main Screen
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Filter Categories Popup
To set this to "available for checkout" tap the line,and the selection button will turn green. The popup will close and return you to the results. |
Sub-Categories View in Fiction
Sub-categories will change over time as 3M works on indexing books. If you see a title where it does not belong, do not worry about this for now. |
Search
Try simple searches for best results. A keyword, author last name, part of a title. Shown below is part of a search screen. The word "dog" was searched.
Refine Search Result button allows you to opt to only see books that are currently available for checkout in your searches. This currently pulls up a second page--set the option then hit your device's back button to go back to the search screen. Note: if you did a search before setting the "only available" option, the search will need to be re-run. Tap the magnifying glass to accomplish this (circled in green).
My Books
This is your account screen. The My Books screen has an area that shows what books you are reading, the books that you have on hold, and buttons related to account information. These sections are shown independently below.
Currently Reading area has the wood-paneled background. It will show the books you have currently checked out, and how much longer you have on those books. List View (circled in red) allows you to view your checked out items in another format. You can tap each book to see the book's detail page, where you can also check the book in. Choose the back button on your device to return to your main My Books page.
Holds will always estimate how long of a wait you can expect on a book (for more on this see the holds section below). The holds section on the app will show the three books closest to checkout. Tap the "Show All" button (circled in green) to see the full list of your holds.
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Your User Data Area Wish List is an area to save books that the library does not have yet. If you stumble across a book that is suggested, but we do not have, you may add it to the wish list. If the library purchases that book you will be notified by the system. Reading History preserves what you have read, and any ratings you have applied to those books. Message Center will be a place that you can read notices and updates from the library, and notifications of items available on your holds or wishlist (if you have not yet seen that the book is available yet). The way that the library can post may change over time. Account Profile only shows that you are signed up with the State Library of Kansas Cloud Library, but it is also where you may "Log Out Account." This will return you to the login page, where a another person could sign in with their account. This will only be necessary if you share your mobile device with another person. |
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Search or Browse for a Book
If you are looking for something to check out right now, we recommend using Categories or Search.
Categories (subject browse)
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Search
Examples of a keyword:
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Check Out a Book!
When you have found a book you are interested in, click on the book's cover. This will pull up the Book Detail page. Note that you can view a full summary as well as similar books to the one you are interested in. Usually these are other books by the author.
Obviously, from here tap the green "checkout" button to check out this book. If the book is currently checked out, the button will be gray and allow you to place a hold instead.
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Immediately after tapping Checkout, the My Books tab comes up. The new book will appear on in the Currently Reading list, and a gray loading bar will move across the bottom of the book cover. When this is complete, the book will open so you can begin reading immediately. Typically a book takes less than a minute to download. The book has been checked out to you for 14 days. |
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Reading a Book
Turning Pages: tap the edges!
Tap on the right edge of the page, or swipe towards the left from the right edge to proceed through the book. To back up, do the same action from the left edge.
Book Options: tap the center.
Tap the center of your book page to bring up the display options menu. In addition to having display options, it is a good way to check how far you are in the book (shows chapter)
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Book Options: Main Menu
We have circled all of the options in different colors for these instructions. RED: Return to My Books GREEN: Book details page. Access the summary, table of contents, bookmarks, similar books list. There will also be an option to check the book in on this screen. ORANGE: Display settings (details on these at right). PURPLE: Search within the book. Works reasonably well by keyword. YELLOW: Bookmarking / notes feature. Tap this to bring up a note that looks like a Post-it (3M also manufactures Post-its). You may leave the note blank to set a generic bookmark, which is accessible through the book details screen (circled in green). You may also enter notes on to the Post-it. You may wish to do this when reading a cookbook, to save where the recipes you like best are.
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Book Options: Display Settings
Font Size: use the A- to shrink the text, A+ to increase. Margin Size: use these buttons to decrease or increase the amount of white space around the border of the book pages. Brightness (pointed out with pink arrow): move the dot left and right on this slider to find the most comfortable screen brightness. Night View: tapping the empty box for this feature will invert the colors of the screen (black background, white text). Some people find this more comfortable for reading in the dark. Lock Rotation: if your device is touchy, and rotates the screen at the smallest tilt, turn on Lock Rotation. The book will not rotate while this is on. |
Holds
When a hold is placed, the progress of a hold is shown on the My Books screen. It estimates the wait period for a book based on the number of people ahead of you in the list, the number of digital copies of that book the library owns, and the maximum checkout period of 14 days. Example: if the wait is 32 days, you know that someone has it checked out right now, and there are two people ahead of you. The math: 14 days x 2 = 28 days, so the person that has it now has 4 days left on the checkout.
Notifications: for now, you must set your email address for holds through your 3M web account. Click here to learn how to do this. The option to set this inside your 3M software will be available soon.
Place a Hold
While searching or browsing the collection, any book that is currently checked out by someone else can be placed on hold. These will have gray hold buttons instead of the green checkout buttons shown on currently available books.
Manage Your Holds
Want to view all of your holds? Decide you do not want a book on your holds list anymore?
On the My Books tab, tap the "Show All" (left image, circled in green). This will bring up the full list of books on hold (center image). The holds will be organized by number of days remaining on hold. Tap a book to pull up the book details (right image). The hold may be removed from this screen.
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My Books: Hold List
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Full Holds List View
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Remove a Hold
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Hold Available
When a hold comes available, the hold-wait countdown will be replaced with a green "Check Out" button. Tap this and finalize your checkout.
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Returning a Book Early
If you are finished with a book, please return it. This will make the book available for the next person to use. Here is one way to to this:
On the My Books screen, click on the "list view" button (circled in red).
This will bring up the list of your currently checked out books. Tap the one you are finished with. You should now see the book details page (left image). Tap the red "Check In" button. This will pull up a page where you are asked to rate the book, then tap the "Return" button to finalize (right image). Rate the book by tapping the number of stars you would give the book.
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Book Details: Check In
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Finalize Check in: Rate & Return
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Multiple Books or Multiple Devices
Reading Multiple Books at Once--The Cloud Library is supposed to save your place when you close a book. You may set a bookmark to be certain of finding your place again.
Reading on Multiple Devices--The Cloud Library is supposed to save your place in your book, so you can pick up where you left off on another device. Please realize that it will not be perfect. Devices do not have the same page size (more text fits on the screen of a tablet than a smartphone). Set up your account on the other device as above. Open your account, and select your book. The book will need to download into this new device.
When finished reading for the day, always be sure to close the book and return to the My Books screen. This should set your progress in the book. You could also set a bookmark manually to be certain. For more on bookmarks, see "Reading a Book."
Using 3M on both Mobile App & PC--you should now be able to open the book in both versions of the app. As above, realize that the display between reading the book on the computer and your mobile device is different.
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Log Out of the App
It is not necessary for you to log out of the app, unless you share a device with another person. If you need to log out:
Go to the My Books tab. Scroll to the bottom and select "Account Profile," the last selection on the My Books tab (left image). This will show you the button to log out (right image). Note: the two small gray boxes in these images are where your Kansas Library Card number would appear.
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My Books: Account Profile
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Account Profile: Log Out
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