The Kindle Library Lending service launched in the fall of 2011 started with 11.000 libraries. The number has grown to about 15,000 libraries and counting in the US, and 18,000 worldwide. This new service offered via a partnership between Amazon and OverDrive has been very instrumental in facilitating this big jump in membership. more
Kindle Library Lending is available to anyone who has an e-ink Kindle, Kindle Fire, or Kindle reading app. The books can be downloaded via Wi-Fi or USB. Loan periods vary by library.
So it looks like a win win situation for both parties. Customers who want to keep a book can purchase them on Amazon. Amazon has the broad customer base and selection of books to bring to the table. I do hope that they can eliminate some of the steps to downloading a book. In some cases it takes a lot of digging to even find the e-book collection on the library’s website.
OverDrive is the repository that is used for holding digital book collections. This includes both e-books and audiobooks. The e-book collections are available on the Kindle, Nook, and any other e-reader that supports ePub format. E-books can also be accessed on the computer. If the service is offered at your local library, a link to it should be fairly prominent on the library’s website.
Most states have a digital library account with OverDrive. North Carolina’s is called the NC Digital Library. From there, select libraries subscribe to the account and offer e-books. If your library doesn’t currently offer them, keep checking back. More libraries are constantly being added to the service. I see articles about individual libraries launching e-book lending all the time.
Between Kindle Library Lending from my local library and the Kindle Owner’s Lending Library, I’ve been able to find a lot of good reading material for free. There are also a lot of reduced priced Kindle books available as well. Each month features 100 Kindle Books under $3.99. The major bestsellers aren’t available on either yet unfortunately, but they do offer a chance to explore new authors and catch up on older bestsellers.
Big complaint: Borrow an ebook from the library on my Kindle Fire (max. 10 titles at a time) and I cannot return it for any reason. It expires automatically in a few weeks, but I’m locked out of any borrowing in the meantime.
Even worse, this also means other patrons cannot get the book I’m forced to keep, even thought I’m finished with it (or choose not to read it at all). Imagine your library forcing you to keep all your books for weeks and you cannot return them and borrow any more — that’s what’s happening.
I bought the KF so I could read books. Now I find that I finish them, cannot get more, and am also forced to lose my place in line for popular books I’ve put on ‘hold’ — since I cannot borrow ANY books, I lose my place and must start over.
Big flaw in Amazon’s process. But they like it, because I can still BUY all the books I want from Amazon (though I cannot lend them to a friend, sell them, or give them away).
Chaz,
I haven’t tried it in a while now, but I’m pretty sure that you can return a book early via the “Manage Your Kindle” page on the Amazon.com site. If I’m remembering correctly, just look in the “Your Kindle Library” section for the book you want to return and choose “Return this book” from the drop-down action menu associated with it.