Using library books on the Kindle

NLight95 · 02-22-2011, 08:35 PM

My local library has books available for download on its web site but the librarian said they won't work with the Kindle (of course!). If I had an epub reader I would download a book using my library card and it would stay on my e-reader for two weeks then automatically delete itself (unless I renew it for another 2 weeks, one-month max).

Does this mean that I can't rent books from my local library at all on the Kindle? I've read some posts saying that it's possible but it involves an extra step. But if so, I'm confused as to how the book would automatically be removed. I'm left a bit confused as to how it would work.

ATDrake · 02-22-2011, 08:41 PM

The book would not be automatically removed. It would be your responsibility to remove it once you were done (excepting Mobipocket format books, which would expire on time if only tweaked and not stripped).

Getting library books onto your Kindle is possible, but you have to be willing and able to break and strip the DRM on most of them, and also converting ePubs to Kindle format.

The first part is technically illegal in a number of countries, and some people are not comfortable with this method and prefer to buy a second e-Pub supporting reader instead if they can afford one, or just do without library downloads altogether.

Others consider it fair use as long as their tax dollars paid for the library service and they don't pass the files around and delete them off the Kindle once they're done. It's really up to the individual to decide.

Hope this helps.

GoSharks · 02-23-2011, 12:13 AM

When you download library books to your computer, typically you have already installed a free program such as Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) to which the e-book automatically downloads. This copy of the e-book is DRM protected and is readable for your loan period on your computer through ADE. At the end of your loan period, the book becomes unreadable...the file does NOT auto-delete, you must physically delete it from your computer.
If you wish to read the library e-book on a Kindle, after downloading to ADE, you must convert it from epub format to a format readable by the Kindle (the most commonly used one is the MOBI format) and strip the book of its DRM. This is usually done through another free program called Calibre which must be install separately to your computer and have a plug-in must be installed which does the DRM stripping while converting from epub to MOBI. The e-book is then sideloaded or wifi'd to the Kindle. At this point, the e-book is readable by a Kindle and no longer has a time limit on its readability.
The setup is not particularly difficult (about a 3 out of 10) nor time consuming (about 20 min). Once setup, the process is fairly seemless (takes longer to describe than to do).
The legality depends upon where you live. The morality/ethics depends upon your own personal compass. I choose to delete the books when I am done reading them.

I have no knowledge of how things work with epub reading e-readers, I assume it is more straight forward, however you are constrained to reading the book within the loan period from the library as it will become unreadable after the time is up. At my local library, you are not allowed to renew e-books, you must check them out again...as there are few copies of each e-book for loan and a LONG wait time to hold and download, this can be annoying.

Hope this makes things more understandable.

NLight95 · 02-23-2011, 04:36 PM

I downloaded and installed ADE but when I went to create a new acct my Google email address was already being used, so I used my yahoo address instead. In any regard I now have it installed.

I usually have a book read in two weeks time unless I'm really busy, so if it becomes unreadable to me that's fine. It's not much different than taking out a regular book in that regard. I have to check my library's policy on loaning e-books since they just started providing the service a few months ago.

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm still in the process of buying an e-reader and this info will help.

GoSharks · 02-23-2011, 05:03 PM

FYI-
In many states (U.S.), you are able to get library cards from cities even if you do not live within that city as long as you can prove residency within the state....so during your travels within your state, a five minute stop into a library for a card may expand your library e-book availability (you usually have to show up in person to get the card). I personally have library access to most of the major cities within my state, and they all have different e-book inventories.

wvcherrybomb · 02-23-2011, 06:32 PM

We REALLY need a sticky on this subject since it comes up every couple of weeks.

ATDrake · 02-23-2011, 06:37 PM

Eh, I think that people won't even bother to look at the stickies any more than they use the search function.

They'll just merrily post away new questions which the mods will then have to merge, and then we'll get even more questions about "Where did my thread go?!?"

wvcherrybomb · 02-23-2011, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATDrake

Eh, I think that people won't even bother to look at the stickies any more than they use the search function.

They'll just merrily post away new questions which the mods will then have to merge, and then we'll get even more questions about "Where did my thread go?!?"

You're probably right. I was going to mention the search function but I didn't want to appear unfriendly as the OP seems like a very nice, sincere person.

GoSharks · 02-23-2011, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATDrake

Eh, I think that people won't even bother to look at the stickies any more than they use the search function.

They'll just merrily post away new questions which the mods will then have to merge, and then we'll get even more questions about "Where did my thread go?!?"

So true....but at least I won't get carpal tunnel typing "look at the sticky" several times a week!

CRussel · 02-23-2011, 08:04 PM

I disagree. I think a sticky message, with no replies allowed, would be perfect for this topic. It IS a question folks ask all the time, and they will probably still do so. But at least some of them will read the sticky and spare the rest of us.
I would be willing to write the post, but I honestly think there are others here who would be more appropriate to write it.

NLight95 · 02-23-2011, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wvcherrybomb

You're probably right. I was going to mention the search function but I didn't want to appear unfriendly as the OP seems like a very nice, sincere person.

Thanks for your kind remarks. Perhaps I should have searched the forum posts more thoroughly (my fault there) but I agree with you that a sticky would be a good idea. I typically check those first since I'm on quite a few forums (I've lost count really

).

GoSharks · 02-23-2011, 08:59 PM

I hate to see this thread come to an end....everyone's being so nice! I wish the other threads were this civil!!

wvcherrybomb · 02-24-2011, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NLight95

Thanks for your kind remarks. Perhaps I should have searched the forum posts more thoroughly (my fault there) but I agree with you that a sticky would be a good idea. I typically check those first since I'm on quite a few forums (I've lost count really

).

If you haven't found what you needed, feel free to PM me and I will help you out.

NLight95 · 02-24-2011, 07:23 PM

Corresponding with courteous and polite forum posters like you guys and gals is certainly a pleasure. If only choosing an e-reader would be an easy choice!

Currently I'm leaning more toward the PRS-950 but the Kindle is certainly attractive as well. Still doing my research...

02-22-2011, 08:35 PM	#1
NLight95 Connoisseur Posts: 52 Karma: 670 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: none	Using library books on the Kindle My local library has books available for download on its web site but the librarian said they won't work with the Kindle (of course!). If I had an epub reader I would download a book using my library card and it would stay on my e-reader for two weeks then automatically delete itself (unless I renew it for another 2 weeks, one-month max). Does this mean that I can't rent books from my local library at all on the Kindle? I've read some posts saying that it's possible but it involves an extra step. But if so, I'm confused as to how the book would automatically be removed. I'm left a bit confused as to how it would work.

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02-22-2011, 08:41 PM	#2
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	The book would not be automatically removed. It would be your responsibility to remove it once you were done (excepting Mobipocket format books, which would expire on time if only tweaked and not stripped). Getting library books onto your Kindle is possible, but you have to be willing and able to break and strip the DRM on most of them, and also converting ePubs to Kindle format. The first part is technically illegal in a number of countries, and some people are not comfortable with this method and prefer to buy a second e-Pub supporting reader instead if they can afford one, or just do without library downloads altogether. Others consider it fair use as long as their tax dollars paid for the library service and they don't pass the files around and delete them off the Kindle once they're done. It's really up to the individual to decide. Hope this helps.

02-23-2011, 12:13 AM	#3
GoSharks SQUIRREL!! Posts: 1,636 Karma: 8400000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: California Device: K-Fire, PW2, PW3	When you download library books to your computer, typically you have already installed a free program such as Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) to which the e-book automatically downloads. This copy of the e-book is DRM protected and is readable for your loan period on your computer through ADE. At the end of your loan period, the book becomes unreadable...the file does NOT auto-delete, you must physically delete it from your computer. If you wish to read the library e-book on a Kindle, after downloading to ADE, you must convert it from epub format to a format readable by the Kindle (the most commonly used one is the MOBI format) and strip the book of its DRM. This is usually done through another free program called Calibre which must be install separately to your computer and have a plug-in must be installed which does the DRM stripping while converting from epub to MOBI. The e-book is then sideloaded or wifi'd to the Kindle. At this point, the e-book is readable by a Kindle and no longer has a time limit on its readability. The setup is not particularly difficult (about a 3 out of 10) nor time consuming (about 20 min). Once setup, the process is fairly seemless (takes longer to describe than to do). The legality depends upon where you live. The morality/ethics depends upon your own personal compass. I choose to delete the books when I am done reading them. I have no knowledge of how things work with epub reading e-readers, I assume it is more straight forward, however you are constrained to reading the book within the loan period from the library as it will become unreadable after the time is up. At my local library, you are not allowed to renew e-books, you must check them out again...as there are few copies of each e-book for loan and a LONG wait time to hold and download, this can be annoying. Hope this makes things more understandable.

02-23-2011, 04:36 PM	#4
NLight95 Connoisseur Posts: 52 Karma: 670 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: none	I downloaded and installed ADE but when I went to create a new acct my Google email address was already being used, so I used my yahoo address instead. In any regard I now have it installed. I usually have a book read in two weeks time unless I'm really busy, so if it becomes unreadable to me that's fine. It's not much different than taking out a regular book in that regard. I have to check my library's policy on loaning e-books since they just started providing the service a few months ago. Thanks for the tips guys. I'm still in the process of buying an e-reader and this info will help.

02-23-2011, 05:03 PM	#5
GoSharks SQUIRREL!! Posts: 1,636 Karma: 8400000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: California Device: K-Fire, PW2, PW3	FYI- In many states (U.S.), you are able to get library cards from cities even if you do not live within that city as long as you can prove residency within the state....so during your travels within your state, a five minute stop into a library for a card may expand your library e-book availability (you usually have to show up in person to get the card). I personally have library access to most of the major cities within my state, and they all have different e-book inventories.

02-23-2011, 06:32 PM	#6
wvcherrybomb Sharp Shootin' Grandma Posts: 847 Karma: 1123940 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sunny Florida Device: Kindle 3, Kindle Fire, Literati (has been adopted by my daughter)	We REALLY need a sticky on this subject since it comes up every couple of weeks.

02-23-2011, 06:37 PM	#7
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	Eh, I think that people won't even bother to look at the stickies any more than they use the search function. They'll just merrily post away new questions which the mods will then have to merge, and then we'll get even more questions about "Where did my thread go?!?"

02-23-2011, 08:04 PM	#10
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,287 Karma: 80074820 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), iPad Air M3	I disagree. I think a sticky message, with no replies allowed, would be perfect for this topic. It IS a question folks ask all the time, and they will probably still do so. But at least some of them will read the sticky and spare the rest of us. I would be willing to write the post, but I honestly think there are others here who would be more appropriate to write it.

02-23-2011, 08:59 PM	#12
GoSharks SQUIRREL!! Posts: 1,636 Karma: 8400000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: California Device: K-Fire, PW2, PW3	I hate to see this thread come to an end....everyone's being so nice! I wish the other threads were this civil!!

02-24-2011, 07:23 PM	#14
NLight95 Connoisseur Posts: 52 Karma: 670 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: none	Corresponding with courteous and polite forum posters like you guys and gals is certainly a pleasure. If only choosing an e-reader would be an easy choice! Currently I'm leaning more toward the PRS-950 but the Kindle is certainly attractive as well. Still doing my research...

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