What exactly does it mean to be reading a book?
Books are filled with information, we interpret that information and create knowledge, or something to that effect.
At any rate, reading a book, browsing the internet, watching a DVD, asking a librarian a question, IT'S ALL THE SAME. The transfer of knowledge between minds.
Librarians have dropped the ball, this overdrive/harpercollins thing should never have been allowed to occur. It is now up to each and everyone of us to become each others librarians.
Create collections of your favorite works and share them with everyone you can! Torrents are pretty good for this purpose, but I expect something new to pop up presently, specifically for books.