News for Kindle Lovers!!!

[*NikkiBell*]

I just saw this on Amazon and wanted to share being that there are so many Kindle lovers here on the boards.

Amazon to Launch Library Lending for Kindle Books
Customers will be able to borrow Kindle books from over 11,000 local libraries to read on Kindle and free Kindle reading apps

Whispersyncing of notes, highlights and last page read to work for Kindle library books

SEATTLE, Apr 20, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

(NASDAQ: AMZN)-- Amazon today announced Kindle Library Lending, a new feature launching later this year that will allow Kindle customers to borrow Kindle books from over 11,000 libraries in the United States. Kindle Library Lending will be available for all generations of Kindle devices and free Kindle reading apps.

"We're excited that millions of Kindle customers will be able to borrow Kindle books from their local libraries," said Jay Marine, Director, Amazon Kindle. "Customers tell us they love Kindle for its Pearl e-ink display that is easy to read even in bright sunlight, up to a month of battery life, and Whispersync technology that synchronizes notes, highlights and last page read between their Kindle and free Kindle apps."

Customers will be able to check out a Kindle book from their local library and start reading on any Kindle device or free Kindle app for Android, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, PC, Mac, BlackBerry, or Windows Phone. If a Kindle book is checked out again or that book is purchased from Amazon, all of a customer's annotations and bookmarks will be preserved.

"We're doing a little something extra here," Marine continued. "Normally, making margin notes in library books is a big no-no. But we're extending our Whispersync technology so that you can highlight and add margin notes to Kindle books you check out from your local library. Your notes will not show up when the next patron checks out the book. But if you check out the book again, or subsequently buy it, your notes will be there just as you left them, perfectly Whispersynced."

The full article is at:
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1552678&highlight=

 

[myweegirls]

Ooooh, yes please! I'll be watching this closely and hoping my library system is one of the adopters...

XO
Liz

 

[WaltD4Me]

Oh! Thanks for posting this! My sister and I have been looking into an e-reader for my mom for her birthday. I much prefer the Kindle for her, but my sister wants to get her the Nook mostly because you borrow library books on it, so this kills that argument.

 

[nancycg56]

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

That is awesome. Dh will love this.

 

[That's So Raven]

Yay this definitely great news for me!

 

[YukiPhnx]

I wonder if they'll do the same for Canada!

 

[mom2knk]

I just saw this and came to report it, but you beat me to it, Nikki!

I'm so excited about this!

 

[LazyKat]

So excited about this, thanks for sharing!!!

 

[mainegal]

" a new feature launching later this year that will allow Kindle customers to borrow Kindle books from over 11,000 libraries in the United States."

Not sure I understand this. Exactly how Amazon making books available to the 11,000 libraries in the United States?


What I want to read from Amazon is “Library eBooks from OverDrive now work on the Kindle”. Now, that would be good news!

Maybe this is it.
"Amazon is working with digital content distributor OverDrive in order to deliver the library books to Kindle users. Although OverDrive offers e-books to a number of different devices in various formats, all the books borrowed through the Kindle Lending Library will apparently be in Kindle format only. "


http://arstechnica.com/media/news/2...s-preserved-notes.ars?comments=1#comments-bar

 

[Minniemouse07]

While this is great news, the reality of how many library books are actually available from your local library electronically will vary wildly.

I check in on Books on the Knob for updates on free books etc and they had the following to say about the new feature....

What it won't do, though, is provide access to large numbers of books that you can read without paying (other than the property taxes you pay to support your library, already), as the selection for most libraries is very, very limited. Those who have complained of poor book choice on Kindle are comparing the selection to paper books; other ebookstores have more limited selections (although they are rapidly expanding) and libraries the most limited yet (many have spent most of their digital budgets on audiobooks in past years and some still do). That looked like it was starting to change (some libraries are actively adding books at a fast pace, rather than adding physical locations, but one I belong to hasn't added any new ebooks in months), but the modification of lending terms by publishers such HarperCollins will put an end to that, if their terms become the norm. No library will be able to afford more than a few very popular ebooks, if they have to repurchase ever 26 lends (theoretically a year, but that's only if no one ever returns one early, which many do with EPUB and ADE). Any book that is destined for many hundreds of lends will instead get most of their purchases on paper (as the publishers want).

There was more commentary but that is the gist about the library availability which I thought was interesting.

That all said, it is a step in the right direction for Kindle and hopefully libraries will eventually be able to catch up and have more electronic media available, as budgets allow!

 

[hughjulia]

I suspect that any ebooks your library has already purchased will not work with the Kindle either now or in the future. Those books are in an unsupported format, most likely ePub.

What this deal does is allow libraries to purchase books in the Kindle format for the purpose of lending to individuals who have Kindles or the Kindle app.

The downside is that libraries may have to choose which format they are going to purchase a book in. Do they go with the Kindle format or the ePub format. The Kindle is wonderful. However, ePub is supported by the Sony reader, the Nook, Kobo, Cruz and a bunch of obscure readers.

Amazon doesn't want ePub to become the dominant standard by way of the library system.

 

[mainegal]

This is from the Overdrive Blog
Kindle Library Lending and OverDrive – What it means for libraries and schools

http://overdriveblogs.com/library/2...rive-what-it-means-for-libraries-and-schools/


The Kindle Library Lending program will integrate into your existing OverDrive-powered ‘Virtual Branch’ website.

Your existing collection of downloadable eBooks will be available to Kindle customers. As you add new eBooks to your collection, those titles will also be available in Kindle format for lending to Kindle and Kindle reading apps. Your library will not need to purchase any additional units to have Kindle compatibility. This will work for your existing copies and units.


I think this is very good news for libraries and the people who use them!

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Great news! Thanks for sharing, Lyn!

 

[hughjulia]

This is from the Overdrive Blog
Kindle Library Lending and OverDrive – What it means for libraries and schools

http://overdriveblogs.com/library/2...rive-what-it-means-for-libraries-and-schools/


The Kindle Library Lending program will integrate into your existing OverDrive-powered ‘Virtual Branch’ website.

Your existing collection of downloadable eBooks will be available to Kindle customers. As you add new eBooks to your collection, those titles will also be available in Kindle format for lending to Kindle and Kindle reading apps. Your library will not need to purchase any additional units to have Kindle compatibility. This will work for your existing copies and units.


I think this is very good news for libraries and the people who use them!

That is absolutely incredible!

I can’t think of a better outcome.