How to Get Library Books on Kindle: Your Guide

Most of Tirzah Price’s life selections have been motivated by a need to learn as many books as humanly attainable. Tirzah holds an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and has labored as an unbiased bookseller and librarian. She’s additionally the creator of the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries, printed by HarperTeen, and Bibliologist at TBR: Tailored Book Recommendations. Follow her on Twitter @TirzahPrice.

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Kindles are marvelous innovations as a result of at what different level in human historical past have we been ready to entry tons of of 1000’s of books at our fingertips, in a tool that’s mild, moveable, and appears similar to paper? Besides having the ability to carry round a library’s value of books in your bag, Kindles are wonderful due to their capacity to get nearly each guide you’ll be able to need with the few faucets of a button…however that may be harmful on your pockets! While there are such a lot of nice Kindle offers and budget-friendly choices like Kindle Unlimited to hold you in studying materials, actually one of the best ways to get pleasure from limitless studying on your system for FREE is thru your native library with library books on Kindle units.

If you’re pondering, Wait, I can get library books on my Kindle? Yes, you’ll be able to! With a couple of stipulations and some steps, you’ll be studying extra books than you’ll be able to sustain with. However, studying free library books on Kindle does have a couple of necessities, and takes just a little arrange. Once you’ve gotten issues squared away, although, it’s a reasonably seamless course of. All that’s required is your Kindle, and in case your Kindle is NOT a Kindle Fire, one further system that may join to the web, whether or not it’s your telephone or a public entry pc at your native library. Let’s dive into how to get library books on Kindle units!

Library Cards

The first step could appear apparent, however you’ll want to receive a library card. If you don’t have already got a library card, discover your closest library and head in to get that sorted out. Library playing cards are nearly at all times free. In uncommon circumstances, you may want to pay a membership price in the event you don’t stay in a selected library’s service space, however everyone seems to be at all times welcome in a library, and librarians shall be ready to direct you to the place you will get a free library card. Usually, you will want to present some form of proof of handle — a bit of mail or an I.D. — however not at all times. Ask your librarian how to get began, and I promise you that they’ll be glad to get you signed up.

Overdrive Access

Most libraries have a service known as Overdrive, which is a platform that gives ebooks and digital audiobooks to library customers, and for some, even magazines. If you’re undecided in case your library presents ebooks and audiobooks by way of Overdrive, simply ask! A librarian shall be ready to set you up with an account and assist you to navigate the platform.

Many libraries are a part of a consortium, which implies they share entry to 1000’s of titles throughout library methods. Some massive library methods have their very own Overdrive collections. It relies upon on your library and their budgets. But each e-book on Overdrive is free to entry, which can prevent cash in the long term by borrowing as an alternative of shopping for.

How to Borrow Library Ebooks

a screenshot of an Overdrive website — Overdrive within the browser

Once you’re arrange with your personal library account for Overdrive, there are two methods you’ll be able to entry ebooks: on the browser, by way of your library’s distinctive Overdrive internet handle, or by way of the app Libby. Both provide the identical catalogue, however they give the impression of being just a little completely different. Here’s how my Overdrive accounts look on the browser (above) vs. on the app (under).

a screenshot of the Libby app homepage — Overdrive on the Libby app

You’ll begin off by trying to find a title and viewing the outcomes. Make positive that you’re solely selecting “ebook” outcomes. You may even filter your search to solely embody ebooks.

If a guide is labeled “waitlist,” which means it’s checked out. Most Overdrive supplies are like bodily library supplies, despite the fact that they’re digital — just one individual can try one copy at a time, so if a library solely has one or two digital copies, you’ll have to wait till they’re returned earlier than you’ll be able to borrow them. But in the event you put your self on the ready checklist, you’ll be notified when it’s prepared to try! Some supplies, akin to works within the public area, could have an infinite license in order that they’re at all times out there.

screenshot of Five Total Strangers on Overdrive

Another consideration is what format the guide is offered in. You will discover this data on the best aspect of the guide itemizing, in the event you’re on the browser. in the event you’re within the Libby app, you’ll have to scroll down to the guide’s data, and look underneath “Read With.” In each situations, you’ll need to discover “Kindle” listed underneath format.

When you’re prepared to borrow a guide, click on borrow. A pop-up will seem to affirm the borrow, and you’ll regulate your borrowing interval to be both seven or 14 days, with 14 days as the commonest lending interval. Then you’ll borrow the guide!

Getting Library Ebooks on Kindle

Now that you simply’ve borrowed the e-book, there may be simply a few additional steps to get it on your Kindle system. In Libby, you’ll be proven a couple of completely different choices. You’ll need to click on on “Go to Shelf,” the place you’ll see the books you’ve borrowed listed. Click on “Read with Kindle.” On the Overdrive web site, a pop-up will present up with the button “Read now with Kindle.”

screenshot of success message on
Overdrive website

Once you click on on both, your web browser will open up at take you to Amazon. If you’re not logged into your Amazon account already, you’ll have to register. Once you register, you’ll see the library guide listed, with a yellow “Get Library Book” button, and you then’ll have the choice of delivering the guide to any of your Kindle apps or units. As lengthy as your Kindle has a wifi connection, the guide ought to seem nearly immediately on your Kindle!

screenshot of the Read now with Kindle page on Amazon

How Do I Return Library Books on Kindle?

Once you get your library guide on Kindle, you’ll have it at some point of the mortgage checkout interval, seven or 14 days. Once the guide expires, it’ll now not be accessible to you and the guide will routinely return itself on Overdrive — which implies no overdue fines for you! Sometimes the guide will nonetheless seem in your Kindle Library after it’s been returned, however you’ll be able to merely delete it out of your library, because it’s a guide you now not personal.

If you want to be a superb library person and return books as quickly as you’re finished with them, you are able to do so from the browser or app by clicking on “Loans” underneath your Shelf, after which clicking “Return” on the browser, or “Manage Loan” and “Return early” in Libby.

screenshot of the return early screen on Libby

screenshot of books checked out on Overdrive

And similar to that, you’ve opened up an entire new world of studying on your Kindle! Library books for Kindle are wonderful as a result of they permit you to make all the identical changes to the dimensions and font of the textual content as you’ll for an e-book you buy, however you don’t have to pay for entry to the books. Plus, you’ll be able to entry Overdrive anyplace at any time, so no extra worrying about returning books to the library on time or getting to the library earlier than they shut.

If you need to know extra about how to use your Kindle, learn the way to electronic mail recordsdata to your Kindle.

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