Open Internet Lending Library?

[mikaelalind]

Originally Posted by ahi

Haplessly at the mercy of francophile Swedes! Mwuhahahaha!

Is there a Swedish national initiative to make eBooks available? What sort of books can you easily get? Just classics, or contemporary literature as well? The Hungarian Electronic Library has a lot of books, even some fairly recent still-copyrighted stuff (though fewer "blockbusters" from that category), both classic and contemporary and all free.

- Ahi

The initiative is national, and you can get both fiction and non-fiction. The fiction is mostly contemporary. The company that provides the libraries with e-books, also provide the booksellers. I think there is roughly 2000 books available, but there is a lot of audiobooks included in that number. But it is a start, and it is increasing day by day.
Now if there was just sometime to read the e-books on, despite computers. But e-readers are coming this autumn, or maybe early 2010.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Xenophon

For many US library systems, the test for getting a card is either a driver's license or other official ID with your address on it OR a piece of mail (like a bill) addressed to you. In either case, they check that you live inside their service area (which usually matches the boundaries of the taxing entity that supports the library). Library cards expire once every few years. Renewing your card requires showing up in person and showing evidence of residency.

It's the same in the UK. You generally have to either live or work in a place to be able to join the library there.