Kindle gets Library ebooks!

[bumbershoot]

They are working with the Overdrive system, which is a main e-book system that libraries use. I assume it will be any book in the Overdrive system.

Amazon/Kindle isn't a publisher (well, they do have a self-publishing department, but it's still SELF publishing), they are a bookseller, and I'm not sure that they sell to libraries, so I bet it will be any book in the Overdrive system...

 

[labdogs42]

I am glad to hear that Kindle is finally jumping on the library book bandwagon. I bought a Nook last year and love it. Especially the library lending feature. My library allows me to check out up to 10 ebooks at a time for up to 3 weeks. This all varies according to your library system though.


Since you have a library card with the Access PA sticker on it from a Pennsylvania library you can also join the Free Library of Philadelphia for free. They apparently have a huge selection of Overdrive ebooks. Anybody can join the Free Lib of Philly. But it costs $15 if you don't fall into the following categories.

"A Free Library card is available at no cost to anyone who lives, works, pays taxes, or goes to school in the City of Philadelphia. In addition, anyone who is 65 or older or who has a valid card with an Access PA sticker from another Pennsylvania library can obtain a Free Library card without charge. Veterans and members of the Armed Services can also obtain a Free Library card without charge".

I wish I had signed up for a membership before I moved out of PA.lol.

Oooh, I have one of those stickers! Sweet! I can't wait for this to work!

 

[NotUrsula]

Another question...

Will we have access to all of the existing ebooks available at the libraries or only 'Kindle' books? In other words will the libraries now have to purchase the kindle version of the ebooks....

Make sense?

They are working with the Overdrive system, which is a main e-book system that libraries use. I assume it will be any book in the Overdrive system.

Amazon/Kindle isn't a publisher (well, they do have a self-publishing department, but it's still SELF publishing), they are a bookseller, and I'm not sure that they sell to libraries, so I bet it will be any book in the Overdrive system...

Amazon does sell to libraries, and in fact has an entire department devoted to Library Sales. However, the do not sell Kindle books to libraries; only hardcopy titles.

Overdrive presently offers eBooks in two formats, ePub and Adobe PDF; generally it is the publisher's choice as to which will be used for a given book. If the Kindle software can be updated to handle those formats then they won't need to provide a third format, or allow for automatic file conversion for the device (which is what the Overdrive console software presently does for Apple devices ... v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y.) If Kindle cannot handle the existing formats and won't allow automatic file conversion, then they will need to create one just for Kindle, and publishers will not be particularly happy with them.

The reason for that, as it currently is with books that are sold for the various readers, is that the publishers have to invest time and effort into formatting the book files. Right now the total number of file formats used by the various portable ereader devices on the market is around 30, and publishers are extremely displeased about that. Publishers want every device on the market to use a uniform format so that they only have to format the title once. (FWIW, librarians also want that, and the format of choice among our patrons is actually PDF. It is preferred for 2 reasons: 1) PDF allows the use of home-grown documents on the device as well, and 2) the various major scientific journal publishers have been using PDF since 1997. That material is unquestionably the most expensive licensed by any library anywhere, and none of us wants to have to pay for it to be reformatted.

PS: most of the various library discussions on the topic are speculating that the agreement will allow for automatic file conversion. If so, you will not be able to use Whispernet for library transactions; they will have to be done via a computer.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

All titles currently available in epub or PDF will be made available to Kindles. Libraries will not need to purchase additional ebooks.

According to Library Journal (http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/890266-264/amazon_to_allow_library_lending.html.csp) libraries won't need to purchase additional ebooks - ebooks they already own will be available for kindle download.

Quote:
The lending will be available for all generations of the Kindle as well as Kindle reading apps, and it will integrate with all the existing ebook catalogs in the United States powered by OverDrive. In other words, the libraries-including schools, colleges and public libraries-will not have to add a new format, and the ebooks now available on the OverDrive sites will be immediately integrated with the Kindle, Dan Stasiewski, a marketing associate with OverDrive, told LJ.

"There will be no additional cost to acquire new files to make them compatible," David Burleigh, OverDrive's director of marketing, told LJ.

Another question...

Will we have access to all of the existing ebooks available at the libraries or only 'Kindle' books? In other words will the libraries now have to purchase the kindle version of the ebooks....

Make sense?

 

[RitaE]

There is rampant speculation going on with how exactly it is going to work but it appears the Overdrive system is going to move from "ePub book" "PDF book" "Mobi book" to simply a book license.

It's been speculated that since Amazon is the only one who can DRM Kindle books for specific Kindles, the books might possibly show up in your Amazon archives through the check-out period and then disappear - the way Kindle Lending works now.

If that's true, I'm waiting for the Publishers to SCREAM the way they always do

PS: most of the various library discussions on the topic are speculating that the agreement will allow for automatic file conversion. If so, you will not be able to use Whispernet for library transactions; they will have to be done via a computer.

I'm not sure what you mean by Whispernet here. Amazon and Overdrive have promised Whispernet for syncing between devices and note taking, annotations etc. I imagine actual book check-outs will have to be done via the Overdrive portal and not on a Kindle device.

 

[NotUrsula]

I'm not sure what you mean by Whispernet here. Amazon and Overdrive have promised Whispernet for syncing between devices and note taking, annotations etc. I imagine actual book check-outs will have to be done via the Overdrive portal and not on a Kindle device.

That *is* what I meant; transactions between your device and the library's account on Overdrive. If it will be necessary to convert a file during a particular transaction (rather than just to move it or access it), then it will require you to use a computer to download it.

 

[Al_Pacca]

I read the article yesterday and called my library to see if they did overdrive - they will be starting it in June! I actually informed the library about the Kindle - she was as excited as I am!