Just announced! We'll be able to read library books on our Kindle soon!

[sleepy6553]

This was just posted on my Facebook page by Amazon. Looks like we'll be able to borrow library books on our Kindle soon!

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix....678&highlight=

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by sleepy6553

This was just posted on my Facebook page by Amazon. Looks like we'll be able to borrow library books on our Kindle soon!

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix....678&highlight=

That's cool! Of course the downside is that there'll be longer waits for books with this influx of new customers.

[odelay]

Just seen this on twitter. This was the last of the big missing features, no? Makes the kindle pretty much perfect.

I bet it'll be a while before we see this in the UK, even though we have OverDrive here

Nice to see they're not forgetting k1/k2 users and it will be available for all generations of kindle.

[tubemonkey]

Bad news for Nook sales.

[tubemonkey]

Does this mean libraries will have to buy books in Kindle format too? Their budgets are already strained.

If so, how do they decide which format to buy when they're only buying one copy? When buying multiple copies, will they split the order and get 1/2 ePub and 1/2 Kindle; thereby doubling wait times when all copies are checked out?

[jkeene]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Does this mean libraries will have to buy books in Kindle format too? Their budgets are already strained.

If so, how do they decide which format to buy when they're only buying one copy? When buying multiple copies, will they split the order and get 1/2 ePub and 1/2 Kindle; thereby doubling wait times when all copies are checked out?

If they can work out the rights details, Amazon is certainly capable of creating a shadow copy of the Overdrive epub, stripping DRM and converting the format to AZW. They can loan out the shadow AZW to registered Kindle accounts under their lending control.

Have to see more technical details. I would like to see them not require more purchasing on strained library budgets.

[Mark Rehorst]

I knew it would have to happen sooner or later. There are too many Kindles out there not to have library books available and library lending was the only feature that Kindle was missing. This will be the last nail in the coffin for competitors' ebook readers.

[JSWolf]

Now here we have a some lies...

With Kindle Library Lending, customers can take advantage of all of the unique features of Kindle and Kindle books, including:

Paper-like Pearl electronic-ink display
No glare even in bright sunlight

These features are not unique to the Kindle. They also are part of the Sony x50 line. So Amazon, stop lying to your customers.

As for the library borrowing, I'm hoping that this is not the addition of another format for the libraries to have to purchase because if it is, then the amount of titles the libraries can purchase will drop and that will not be good overall.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by jkeene

If they can work out the rights details, Amazon is certainly capable of creating a shadow copy of the Overdrive epub, stripping DRM and converting the format to AZW. They can loan out the shadow AZW to registered Kindle accounts under their lending control.

Have to see more technical details. I would like to see them not require more purchasing on strained library budgets.

I know, the announcement is so vague. I hate that. Hope to see actual details on the process soon.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

As for the library borrowing, I'm hoping that this is not the addition of another format for the libraries to have to purchase because if it is, then the amount of titles the libraries can purchase will drop and that will not be good overall.

So far, it does sound like it. Need to see the details.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

So far, it does sound like it. Need to see the details.

Amazon is not doing Anyone any favors. The more they try to do, the worse it seems for eBook users world wide. I do hope someone stops Amazon from breaking what already works.

[abookreader]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Does this mean libraries will have to buy books in Kindle format too? Their budgets are already strained.

If so, how do they decide which format to buy when they're only buying one copy? When buying multiple copies, will they split the order and get 1/2 ePub and 1/2 Kindle; thereby doubling wait times when all copies are checked out?

Since we don't know the details yet, it is hard to say. Maybe they're adding ePub support.

But I suppose Libraries will make a decision based on what they feel will best serve the customers - same as always.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by abookreader

Since we don't know the details yet, it is hard to say. Maybe they're adding ePub support.

From the press release:

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.

Doesn't sound like it. Sounds like they expect libraries to buy Kindle books in addition to the ePubs and PDFs they already buy. Need to see the details.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Amazon is not doing Anyone any favors. The more they try to do, the worse it seems for eBook users world wide. I do hope someone stops Amazon from breaking what already works.

They wanna make it work better.

[abookreader]

Yes, in that case they'd have to buy Kindle format books too. But also realize that this is going really slam the waiting list demand with the number of customers wanting to check-out eBooks. Once word gets out, Kindle owners who previously have been sitting on the sidelines are going to come running to Overdrive.

I agree though, budgets are tight. They're going to have to look really carefully across the entire spectrum of what their particular base of patrons want from the library .... genre and format. That's not anything new for library acquisition specialists.