How to Borrow a Kindle Book from the Public Library

The other day I was at the library and I noticed they had a “petting zoo” set up so patrons could play with all the different options for ereaders. I love the library but even more I love reading books on my iPad so being able to read library books on my iPad is a dream come true for me. Ask your librarian if your library has ebook borrowing options or visit your library’s website to figure out what is available to your community.

My library is a part of the Northern California Digital Library powered by Overdrive. Overdrive seems to be the most popular service powering digital libraries so if your library also uses Overdrive this is how you borrow Kindle books.

1. Log in to the Overdrive website. My library has it set up so that all I need to do is enter my library card number, I didn’t need to do anything else to set up an account.
2. Search the catalog for a book you’d like to read. I can search either via the Overdrive interface or via my library’s complete online catalog which provides a direct link to the book in the Overdrive catalog if it’s available digitally as well. This is what a search result looks like:
   
   (If a book you’d like to read is not currently available, it’s search result will have an option to “Place a hold” rather than “Add to BookBag”. When you place a hold, you’ll get an email as soon as it’s available to add to your bookbag and then you’d proceed through the rest of the tutorial in the same manner.)
3. Click “Add to BookBag” which will take you to this screen:
   
4. Continue to add other books of your choosing (my library allows up to 8 ebooks checked out a time for up to 3 weeks each). Once you’re ready to checkout click the “Proceed to Checkout” link:
   
5. Use the “Lending period” drop down box to select how long you’d like to have the book for. I always go for the 3 week maximum. Then click the “Confirm Check Out” button:
   
6. Make sure you have a Kindle or appropriate app downloaded before you proceed. I use the Kindle for iPad app. Then click the “Get for Kindle” button which will take you over to Amazon.com:
   
7. In the green box in the upper right hand corner, select the device you want your library ebook sent to (I make sure my iPad is selected) and then click the yellow “Get Library Book” button:
   

Read your library ebook and enjoy! Kindle books (at least via the Northern California Digital Library) automatically return themselves when they are due (which is another dream come true).

But let’s say you’ve already got the maximum 8 books checked out and you want to return one you already read so you can get another.

1. Navigate to Amazon.com > Your Account > Manage Your Kindle:
   
2. Click the “Actions” drop down button next to the item you’d like to return. Select the “Return this book” link. Then press “yes” to return the book and clear up a slot to borrow another.

Related posts:
I’m Finally Sold on eBooks Thanks to Kindle for iPhone
Link Love: Kindle Lending, Public Email Addresses, and more
iPad Anxiety: Should I Really be getting a Kindle?

272 readers

2947 followers

491 fans