Amazon Kindle now servicing over 11,000 public libraries

2011-09-25 by . 0 comments

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Have you ever wanted to read a scifi or fantasy novel someone recommended to you, but didn’t want to pay for it? Or you wanted to see if it was good before making the purchase?

You would normally go to a library and see if it was available and then check it out. At least, that’s what we used to do before the internet.

Lately libraries have started to wane with their patron numbers largely due to online stores and ease of access to other, digital, means. Amazon (our favorite online shopping conglomerate), who produces the ever popular Kindle (and all the related mobile/desktop apps) has just agreed to allow wireless transfer of available ebooks from local libraries to patron’s Kindle or mobile device.

The only requirements for this amazing free feature: you need a library card from the participating public library, and an Kindle account (which is free).

The service is quite simple. You get your library card, and go to the library’s online establishment and sign up with the preferred eBook service (my library here in Kansas City uses OverDrive. William Gibson would be so proud!). You then enter your library card number and it will take you to the virtual library. You then find your selection and select “Send to Kindle” which will prompt you to sign into Amazon.com. Then you will have the book sent to the device and available to read for however long the standard checkout time is at your library.

Hopefully, through this program, libraries will start to see more and more customers checking out books and enjoying the vast amounts of free information available to them.

To see if your local library is participating, click here and enter your zipcode (if you reside in the USA).

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