I'm regretting giving my husband a Kindle 3

[SkyDream]

Strongly recommend Sony for reading library books.
Besides having the same screen quality as K3 it's best for ePub and Libraries.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

we have quite a few people here who read an awful lot of library books on their Kindles. there is a certain desert dwelling Grandma that is a very good resource

Sure it can be done, but some people don't want to have the hassle of removing DRM, which may also be illegal in some places. And removing DRM from library books isn't like removing DRM from books you've bought for personal use - you're effectively stealing books from the library.

[wvcherrybomb]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Relying on DRM-removal to feed a Kindle is essentially negating the Kindle line's most valuable feature, the fact that it isn't a PC peripheral like other readers that are dependent on PC-based software. Take that away and what you have is a generic reader. And most generic readers don't require extra steps to use library ebooks.

Actually, you wouldn't be taking away anything by using the Kindle to read library books. It is adding to it's appeal. It's not like you have to chose one or the other. You can still use all the original features of your Kindle AND read library books.

And, I believe that most other readers require side loading of library books also. Why is it different on the Kindle?

Additionally, as others have mentioned here, library lending with eBooks is vastly different than with pBooks. The selection is much more limited and waits are often long. It may end up being a much smaller portion of the OP's reading than was originally intended.

[travfar]

Of course you can return your Kindle. Holiday returns is until the end of Jan.

I thought the third party frameworks and apps allowed epub books to be read on the Kindle. Is that only for non DRM protected books?

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by travfar

Of course you can return your Kindle. Holiday returns is until the end of Jan.

I thought the third party frameworks and apps allowed epub books to be read on the Kindle. Is that only for non DRM protected books?

Correct! DRM has to be removed, before anything else can be done.

[wvcherrybomb]

Originally Posted by HarryT

you're effectively stealing books from the library.

Not if you delete the book when you are done. If you keep it or share it, then yes, you are stealing.

I am 100% against any kind of theft but I honestly don't see it that way. If you borrow a book from the library, you are given the right to keep that book a certain amount of time and read it. If you do just that, then how can it be considered stealing?

It's my understanding (I could be wrong) that the DRM laws pertaining to personal use are very non specific. I would certainly say this falls under personal use.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Sure it can be done, but some people don't want to have the hassle of removing DRM, which may also be illegal in some places. And removing DRM from library books isn't like removing DRM from books you've bought for personal use - you're effectively stealing books from the library.

everyone I know returns them after the alloted time. and it is my understanding that laws pertaining to DRM are gray at best

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

everyone I know returns them after the alloted time. and it is my understanding that laws pertaining to DRM are gray at best

It's not a question of whether or not you return them before the alloted time. Once you've removed the DRM, you've circumvented the expiry mechanism. Although removing DRM from a book you've bought may be legal in the US (as you say, it's never been tested in court), removing library DRM is a whole different kettle of fish. It is almost unquestionably illegal.

[kindlekitten]

as there hasn't been a challenge to it, I'm personally not going to lose sleep over it. additionally with all of the free and inexpensive books, my TBR pile is crazy big and I feel no loss from not having library books at the moment

[GA Russell]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Another point to consider about library lending is that, even if your library offers ebooks, they will probably have very long waiting times for most popular books. Many people have reported having to wait months. Given that you can generally buy bestsellers for under $10, and get thousands of classics completely free, is it really worth the bother?

Harry's point is just what I was going to say. Perhaps a year from now the typical library's eBook inventory will be in equilibrium with the demand, but for the immediate term I wouldn't place too much emphasis on that need.

Amazon's Customer Service has a terrific reputation, so returning the Kindle should not be a problem, and makes more sense to me than going to the bother of stripping the DRM off library books.

If you decide to return the Kindle, I would look into the Sony 650 and the jetBook Lite, both of which are good with the library. I and many others believe that those two models have better screens than the nook and the others with the old eInk vizplex screen.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

as there hasn't been a challenge to it, I'm personally not going to lose sleep over it. additionally with all of the free and inexpensive books, my TBR pile is crazy big and I feel no loss from not having library books at the moment

I would personally feel uncomfortable telling people that the Kindle can read library books (especially in large red letters) without making it absolutely clear to them that they are probably breaking the law in doing so. Let's give people the whole story.

[kindlekitten]

then tell the whole story and post the law Harry

[HarryT]

You haven't noticed that I've already done so?

[ProfCrash]

Keep in mind that there are thousands of public domain books you can download. Check the Free Kindle books in this forum to get an idea of how many free books you can download for the Kindle.

If the library is really important to you then you probably want to return the Kindle and get a Nook. I suggest the Nook because it has the same 3G or WiFi connectivity for the same price point as the Kindle. The Sonys are nice but do not have the wireless connectivity unless you are ready to pay a premium.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

If the library is really important to you then you probably want to return the Kindle and get a Nook. I suggest the Nook because it has the same 3G or WiFi connectivity for the same price point as the Kindle. The Sonys are nice but do not have the wireless connectivity unless you are ready to pay a premium.

The benefit of the Sony is that it's the only ePub device which currently has the same "Pearl" screen that the Kindle does. I suspect the OP would be disappointed going from a Pearl screen to an older 2nd-generation screen such as the nook has.