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Sarcasm aside, I suspect the library buys the book and uses overdrive for the distribution. I saw the monthly cost somewhere. I order paper books online the very same way. Those have to be manually delivered to my local library.
The library is not required to buy any more books because kindle owners can now check out library books. I can only checkout a book for a period of time, and then it is returned (I don't even have the option of keeping it out longer, via renewal or fine). I cannot check out a book if someone else has it checked out. Actually, the library has to submit useage statistics to the village board when asking for money, and my reuse of the library is going to look good on their statistics. And since they are already paying for overdrive, it isn't costing them a thing. Who exactly is the victim in this scenario? Again, if I sold the books, or created my own lending library, clearly the author can complain. But if my using the library causes the usership to go up, and the library to get more funding, which they will use buying more books, I just don't see who is harmed.
Now, there are some victimless crimes that are crimes because they involve behavior that we want to discourage. What behavior are we discouraging with me borrowing library books? And it is borrowing, even if the DRM is stripped. I do not keep the books. I am sitting at home, reading, instead of causing trouble out on the streets. What is not to love?
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