You posted your second message while I was typing mine! I am so sorry to hear of her difficulties, and I hope her family's situation improves soon. After you gift the 505 to her, she will be able to use the website inkmesh and find free ebooks in the Sony store. So that should be a great solution for her!
Also does her local library have ebooks? I am a big fan of my local e-library. I buy far fewer books than I used to because of all the free options out there. You can use the e-library finder at this link to check:
http://sonysearch.overdrive.com/
Also, for an annual fee of $15, the Free Library of Philadelphia offers cards to out-of-state residents. I have not tried it myself, but I've seen others recommend it.