Tired of paying so much for ebooks? Most libraries these days let you check out eBooks, for free, just like regular books.
It works really similarly: libraries have a certain number of copies to lend. If all copies of the book you want are already checked out, you have to wait for someone to check it in.
Unlike regular books though, you can often schedule an automatic checkout when a copy is available, and you don’t have to worry about dropping by the library for returns.What You Need to Get Started
You don’t need much to check out ebooks from your local library, but you do need to check off some things before proceeding:
- First, you need a Kindle or Kindle app, or the official OverDrive app. You can use a physical Kindle device, the Kindle reading app (for devices like the iPhone and Android), or the Kindle Cloud Reader. Currently, any device or application that you could send a Kindle book purchase to also supports library lending.
- Second, you need to check that your local library (or any library with which you have an active account) supports OverDrive lending. The Kindle lending system is built around the OverDrive media distribution network. Pay a visit to OverDrive, select “Library Search” and check to see if your library is participating.
Note: Don’t be confused if the OverDrive search engine shows your local library but the link leads to a site you don’t normally visit—many libraries belong to media collaboratives that service more than one library.
- Third, if you haven’t done so already, you’ll need to get a library card. It doesn’t necessarily need to be the library closest to you, either: you can access the digital collection of any participating library, so long as you have a valid card number.
- Finally, if you’re using a physical Kindle, you’ need access to a Wi-Fi node or a computer from which you can load the books over a USB connection. Unlike books purchased through Amazon, public library books are not delivered via your Kindle 3G connection.
When you’ve got all that sorted, it’s time to proceed!
Finding Ebooks At Your Local Library
While each library web page looks a little different and each library has a varying selections of books, the basic work flow is the same. We’re going to walk you through checking out a book from our local library but, again, we want to stress that unless you live in the region covered by our library’s media collaborative, the web site you use will look slightly different.
After establishing that your local library offers books through OverDrive, it’s time to visit the library’s media web site to browse the selections and pick out a book. Remember in the previous section when you searched for your library on OverDrive and it gave you a link? Even if that link isn’t the normal link you follow to visit your library, you’ll end up there eventually anyway, so you might as well click it. In our example, the local library site is kpl.gov, but the site OverDrive gives us is ebooks.mcls.org—that’s the media collaborative to which our library belongs. Your library may be something different.
Follow the link provided and look for a login link. You’ll need your library card number and/or a PIN (although our local library has a PIN system, we weren’t prompted to use ours).
When you’ve logged in, look for a search tool. We recommend jumping right to the advanced search, when possible. A few weeks ago we heard an interview with Erin Morgensten, the author of The Night Circus, on NPR. The book sounded interesting and was a perfect candidate for our search, since it’s current, popular, and representative of the kind of books people would be trying to check out.
Make sure…
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