[Micdiddy]

I'm a student and need to save money when I can, so I get a bunch of books from the school library. There should be an e-library that gives you a book for two weeks, then takes it away, or something like that, because I think I may find myself still reading a lot of paper books even after I get my Kindle 'cause they will be free.

 

[TheJohnNewton]

Many libraries do lend ebooks that expire after a certain period.  Check your local librarry.

 

[Micdiddy]

Many libraries do lend ebooks that expire after a certain period. Check your local librarry.

Really?! Yay! I will check my school Library immed.

 

[Guest]

The need to support libraries and my deep love for them is one of many reasons why I haven't joined a lot of people in their "abandon all paper books" mentality.  As long as I can remember, the Library has been my special place, and I wouldn't trade that for all the electrons in China.

 

[Micdiddy]

The need to support libraries and my deep love for them is one of many reasons why I haven't joined a lot of people in their "abandon all paper books" mentality. As long as I can remember, the Library has been my special place, and I wouldn't trade that for all the electrons in China.

Well, as soon as all libraries offer e-books, then I may become an abandon paper books kind of guy. Except I also don't like not being able to let friends borrow books willy-nilly. I have at least 5 books that friends and relatives are reading that I may never see again, and I can't do that with a Kindle.

 

[MonaSW]

Unfortunately Kindle does not easily access e-library books. Sony does a better job of that.

 

[Tris]

The need to support libraries and my deep love for them is one of many reasons why I haven't joined a lot of people in their "abandon all paper books" mentality. As long as I can remember, the Library has been my special place, and I wouldn't trade that for all the electrons in China.

I totally agree with you! I've been to libraries since I was really young, and I still go to my local libraries practically every week. It's kind of like a balancing act, but I have books that I must read and don't mind buying...then there are ones which are 'I can wait or don't really want to buy' where I can just pop in to my library. Though when I do buy I try to get it on my Kindle.

Tris

 

[Angela]

Some of my fondest memories as a child were of the library.

 

[MonaSW]

Mine too. Coming home with armloads of books to read.

 

[Angela]

Mine too. Coming home with armloads of books to read.

Yep, and books were the one thing my mom and I could talk about where I felt like we really connected. We still have that bond where books are concerned.

 

[Guest]

Everybody must now 1) say "you're not such a jerk, Jim," and 2) call their mother.

 

[Guest]

Everybody must now 1) say "you're not such a jerk, Jim," and 2) call their mother.

1) I've never thought you were a jerk
2) sadly Mom's been gone a long time

I used to have tons of books all over my house. I liked to give my books to other people to read when i was done. Well I couldn't find anyone to give them to so, I loaded them all up in my car and gave them all to the library.

I've done that twice. I have ended up rebuying some of the books I wish I had kept. Then last summer, a light bulb exploded in my head and I felt so dumb.

I have a big old china cabinet that is empty. Now it's a book case! It's not even half full yet.

I would like to see libraries have more of an ebook lending technology built into them. That would be kind of cool.

I need to go to my library and show off my Kindle!

 

[Gertie Kindle]

Yep, and books were the one thing my mom and I could talk about where I felt like we really connected. We still have that bond where books are concerned.

It was my mother that first inspired me to read. I take her to the library regularly. She borrows, I buy. Now, she borrows, I sit and Kindle.

Our library system has a wonderful program. If you can't get to the library, you can request books by mail free of charge, no postage for either receiving or returning.

 

[Guest]

WoW, that's very cool.  I thought our system was cool because if you want a book the local branch doesn't have, they will find it somewhere in another branch and send it to the local for pick up.  I guess they all do that though.

I had to do this last year.  The movie Jumper was coming out and I wanted to read the original books first.  They were out of print but an Amazon reseller had one for $6.00, so I ordered it.

It never came so I emailed the seller and she promissed me it was on the way so I waited a few more days.  Still no book.

After some digging, I found that the demand for one of the few books had driven the price from $6.00 to $66.00!  Amazon got my money back for me and I turned to the library.

 

[DawnOfChaos]

I still get dtb books from the library.  Particularly if they aren't available for Kindle or I don't want to spend the cash.  My library also lends out ebooks that I put on my Kindle.  I also have two little kids and I want them to have the library experiences that you all have mentioned. 

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

My library has ebooks, but I haven't checked to see if I can get them on Kindle... What format are they?

Betsy

 

[TM]

I haven't went to the library for years (other than to donate books)... our library is small, and rarely has what I want.

Library ebooks sounds good though....

 

[Atunah]

I haven't been in a library in years. Actually, I haven't been in a library since moving to the US. I was looking on the map where the closest one is here and it is a pain in the you know what to get there. They have an online system where you can reserve copies and they will ship them to your nearest library. I checked for Jane Austen and there were like 25 people in line for waiting already  . They also have ebooks, but I cannot read books on the computer. They use Netlibrary and there is no way of knowing what the format is or if that can be put on the Kindle. At least I don't know that. If that was an option it would be great.

 

[Boston]

Most public libraries that offer eBooks use Overdrive servers but the format is up to them.  Unfortunately, the most common eReader format is secure pdf which the Kindle can't read (Sony can).  Some offer a selection of secure mobi which you can read on the Kindle if you run it through some scripts. 

If the Kindle could read secure pdf (and natively read pdfs), I believe they could convert much of those considering a Sony.  I know its my biggest wish for new features. 

 

[Micdiddy]

Most public libraries that offer eBooks use Overdrive servers but the format is up to them. Unfortunately, the most common eReader format is secure pdf which the Kindle can't read (Sony can). Some offer a selection of secure mobi which you can read on the Kindle if you run it through some scripts.

If the Kindle could read secure pdf (and natively read pdfs), I believe they could convert much of those considering a Sony. I know its my biggest wish for new features.

Yeah that's definitely my biggest wish now too, though I haven't got my Kindle yet so maybe something else will bug the hell out of me.