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eReading Room
Library Books on Kindle: A Visual Walkthrough
Have you heard? Library books are now available to borrow on Kindle devices and other devices with Kindle reading software (Windows, Mac, Blackberry, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android, Windows Phone 7) as well as their Kindle Cloud Reader (read without downloading software in your web browser).
Here is a walkthrough of how it works. (If you're scrolling-averse, check out this video from OverDrive.)
Go to ebooks.nypl.org. Click on "View all eBooks" in the left hand column, and then when you see the results page click the box marked Available Now. There was a burst of activity after the announcement yesterday so many books may be unavailable to download now. (You can always put ebooks on hold by clicking Request Item. You'll get an email when the book is available to download.) When you find a book you want, click Add to eList.
Then either click Continue Browsing or Proceed to Checkout. I'm going to check out now!
Enter your library card number and PIN. You have this memorized, right?
Choose the length of lending period you would like. Note that the default is now 14 days! This is to help you get ebooks you have placed on hold more quickly. (You can return manually, if you log into Amazon and go to Manage Your Kindle.) If you need more than 14 days, choose 21. If you need less, choose 7. The ebooks will not be accessible after that time unless you check them out again. Now click on Confirm Check Out.
You're checked out, now click Get for Kindle.
If you're signed into Amazon on your computer, it will recognize you. Make sure you're signed in with the right account. If you're not signed in, just click Get Library Book.
Sign in. If you don't have an account yet, you'll have to create one through I am a new customer. This doesn't require a credit card — just an email address and a password.
Choose where you'd like to have this ebook "delivered." If you've already linked a Kindle or a Kindle app they'll show up in the list here. Then click continue.
Now pop on your device and it should download over your Wi-Fi connection. If you're at the library or another Wi-Fi hotspot, you may have to manually connect first. Go to Menu → Settings → Wi Fi Settings → View → Connect to a network. You may then have to open the browser and follow any prompts on the page for the hotspot location. If the file does not transfer immediately, try going to Menu → Sync & Check for Items.
If you have a 3G model, or no Wi-Fi connection where you are, keep reading.
You can also start reading right in your browser using the Kindle Cloud Reader.
Here's the Kindle Cloud Reader. Do you have the free Know the Past, Find the Future ebook yet? Why not?!
If you, like my colleague Greg, have an older Kindle without Wi-Fi, or you have Internet service at home but no Wi-Fi, there are a couple additional steps to transfer the ebook file from your computer to the device. You'll have the option to download your ebook as a file.
Connect your Kindle to the computer via USB and save the file to the Kindle's Documents folder. There are more images of what that looks like here. If you want to set up additional devices or see what you have checked out at any point, go to Manage Your Kindle.
How much more do you love your Kindle now? Tell us in the comments.
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Comments
This is so amazing! Thank you
Submitted by Anonymous on September 27, 2011 at 9:53 PM.
This is so amazing! Thank you so much for making this happen! It seems that there are many books that are not available on Kindle yet. Will you be adding more?
Great!
Submitted by Anonymous on September 29, 2011 at 12:23 AM.
This is wonderful! Fast and easy. NYPL gets my full support. Thank you so much.
:)
Submitted by Anonymous on September 30, 2011 at 1:36 PM.
Great, but I wish that it provided an approximation on how long it will take before an e-book hold becomes available.
Kindle
Submitted by Anonymous on October 4, 2011 at 8:19 PM.
This is great - thanks very much for the post. Will you be integrating this into your new (and great) iPhone app? Would be excellent if we could not only find and reserve books from there, but also download.
Fantastic! Is there any
Submitted by Nook on October 5, 2011 at 12:16 PM.
Fantastic! Is there any chance of the same functionality coming to Nook devices?
Hi, we have had support for
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on October 5, 2011 at 12:27 PM.
Hi, we have had support for Barnes & Noble Nook for some time.
For more info see
http://www.nypl.org/blog/2011/01/05/get-most-out-your-gadgets-nypl
Nook Quick Start Guide:
http://www.nypl.org/sites/default/files/nook_101_QSG.pdf
If by same functionality you
Submitted by Joshua Soule on October 6, 2011 at 5:05 PM.
If by same functionality you mean the ease of use that Kindles have with our eBooks, no. You have to use Adobe Digital Editions as the middle-man to transfer the books from your PC to your nook. The guide linked above explains the process pretty well.
I would add that some of our patrons report better results with Adobe if the e-reader is plugged and recognized as a separate USB device prior to launching Digital Editions. If the e-reader is not plugged in first, Digital Editions sometimes does not recognize the device.
thanks Josh
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on October 6, 2011 at 5:32 PM.
I jumped to respond and wasn't thinking about the Kindle's ease of use vs. the existing transfer process for other devices. Thanks for the Digital Editions tip!
What's the return process for
Submitted by Anonymous on October 11, 2011 at 10:33 AM.
What's the return process for Kindle books?
Go to amazon.com --> Kindle
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on October 11, 2011 at 10:43 AM.
Go to amazon.com --> Kindle --> Manage your Kindle, then sign in.
You should see a list of all your books -- purchased and borrowed. On the line with the book you'd like to return, click on the "Actions..." button. You'll get several options and one of them is to return the book.
Place in queue? Returning an e-book before it expires?
Submitted by Alisha on October 17, 2011 at 12:11 PM.
1) Is it possible to check on one's current place in an e-book queue? It would be very helpful to be able to estimate how much longer the wait might be.
2) Is it possible to return an e-book before it expires on one's Kindle, if one finishes reading it earlier than anticipated--so that it may be passed on more quickly to those in queue?
Hi Alisha, good questions. 1.
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on October 17, 2011 at 1:06 PM.
Hi Alisha, good questions. 1. not right now, but that's a great suggestion, so thanks for posting it here. 2. Go to amazon.com --> Kindle --> Manage your Kindle, then sign in.
You should see a list of all your books -- purchased and borrowed. On the line with the book you'd like to return, click on the "Actions..." button. You'll get several options and one of them is to return the book. Just like in real life, the sooner you return the book after you're done with it the sooner someone else in the queue gets to enjoy. :)
transfer a library book from kindle archive to be able to read
Submitted by Anonymous on November 20, 2011 at 6:39 PM.
I choose my book from the library and followed all the steps. The book was not downloaded. The library states the book was checked out and it is on my kindle in the archive section. it isn't bold like the other titles there and i cannot go to it. It jumps over this title. how do I get it so I can read.
thank you
natalie
incomplete download
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on November 21, 2011 at 11:47 AM.
From amazon:
Book will not open / receiving an error message when opening a book.
Possible cause:
Incomplete file download.
Delete the book.
Restart your Kindle Keyboard by pressing Home > Menu > Settings > Menu and select "Restart."
Download book again.
If you continue to experience problems, please contact us.
If you go to your Kindle account on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/manageyourkindle it should keep a record of every book you've ever bought or borrowed until deleted. It might show if there were errors with the title there or you could attempt to re-send to the device.
We have heard of this issue before and it seems to resolve by itself when the Kindle regains connection to Wi fi. Good luck.
Natalie - just had the same
Submitted by Anonymous on January 31, 2012 at 11:09 AM.
Natalie - just had the same problem. I don't have wifi so had to download the library book that was sent to my Amazon account to my computer and then put it on my Kindle. But when I just sent the file to the Kindle, it showed up in the Archive section and could not be selected, just like you said.
The trick is to copy the file from my Download folder where Amazon put it and then paste it into the "Documents" folder on my Kindle. Now it shows up with all my other books, ready to be read.
To see your folders on your Kindle, if you are connected via USB cable to your computer: just go to "My Computer" and you will see the Kindle. Double-click on it, and then you'll see the Kindle folders. Hope this helps!
Wish List
Submitted by Linda on November 24, 2011 at 12:46 AM.
Hi
I love being able to get library books on my Kindle. Thanks. But my question - I can't figure out how to start a Wish List. I would love to be able to tell you which books I would like to see you purchase for the Kindle. How do you do this?
Hi Linda, glad to hear you
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on November 28, 2011 at 1:47 PM.
Hi Linda, glad to hear you are enjoying Kindle library books! If there are other books you'd like to see, please let us know with our Recommend a Title form and specify Kindle as the format.
http://www.nypl.org/collections/nypl-recommendations/recommend-book
Approximately what percentage
Submitted by Anonymous on December 15, 2011 at 4:12 PM.
Approximately what percentage of the library's books are available for kindle download? Does the library plan to increase this in the near future?
We don't have the exact
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on December 15, 2011 at 6:06 PM.
We don't have the exact figure for Kindle books right now. We have 48,874 ebooks in our collection total (21,349 unique titles).
Kindle-compatible books only became available to the public library market on September 21, 2011. Since then, we've been developing the ebook collection, actively identifying titles that support all major desktop and mobile devices including Nooks, Kindles, Sony Readers and iPads.
kindle charges through amazon?
Submitted by Anonymous on December 31, 2011 at 9:44 AM.
I am new to this. I would like to buy a Kindle. I read that I can borrow library books and then download through amazon? Do I have to be a member of amazon "prime" to do this? This costs extra. Also, do I have to be wireless?
I am not.
In other words, other than the price of the Kindle, what are the other "hidden" or not so hidden charges?
Thank you.
Ann
Hi Ann, this post explains
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on December 31, 2011 at 11:49 AM.
Hi Ann, this post explains how the process works. You can download library ebooks for free to an Amazon Kindle or any other device that has a Kindle "app" for reading Kindle books.
You do not need to be a member of Amazon Prime. There is a separate "lending library" for Prime users http://amazon.com/kindlelendinglibrary but it is not related to the program offered by public libraries.
To download books from the library you don't even need a credit card, just an Amazon account. You do need wi-fi to transfer your files but you can use ours at the library, and use our computers to download the books if you don't have a computer.
Hope that answers your questions. Stop in to http://nypl.org/ebookcentral if you end up needing help with your new Kindle!
Nothing is available
Submitted by Anonymous on January 7, 2012 at 3:54 PM.
Hi I just joined and have been searching your eBooks titles but it appears that absolutely no books are currently available for "borrow". Is there a way to filter books currently available, and/or are there even books available at all???
Yes, ebooks are definitely
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on January 7, 2012 at 6:40 PM.
Yes, ebooks are definitely available! For popular titles, you may have to request to place a hold. This is great for titles you want to read eventually but don't need right away; you'll forget about them and then get an email notification when they're available -- I find it always gives me a wonderful surprise!
To filter for books that are available RIGHT NOW, follow these steps:
1. go to ebooks.nypl.org
2. in the top far left under "eNYPL Home," click on eSearches
3. Under Expanded Search, select the format you need for your device (Kindle, EPUB, etc.)
4. Select a subject that interests you
5. Most Important: check the box Only show titles with copies available
We hope you find something you like here! Make sure to follow eReading Room for great recommendations from our staff.
Doesn't say a word on how to
Submitted by Anonymous on January 23, 2012 at 5:21 PM.
Doesn't say a word on how to download to ipod touch
this post is all about
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on January 23, 2012 at 5:26 PM.
this post is all about Kindle! For iPod Touch see here:
http://www.nypl.org/ask-nypl/ebookcentral
Apple iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch [PDF]
or, download the Kindle app from the iTunes app store for Kindle format on iPod Touch.
Automatic Return
Submitted by Anonymous on January 30, 2012 at 7:01 PM.
It is unclear as a first time eBook borrower if I need to explicitly return eBooks, or will they simply return at the end of the borrowing period?
No, you do not need to return
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on January 30, 2012 at 8:14 PM.
No, you do not need to return ebooks. They expire at the end of the lending period. You may still see them on your device but you will not be able to open and view them. You'll never get a late fee for an ebook.
If you want to return early so that someone else may enjoy the book, you can, but the method of return varies by device.
Renew Kindlle book
Submitted by Anonymous on March 22, 2012 at 8:35 PM.
How do you renew a kindle book before it expires?
If there are multiple copies
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on March 23, 2012 at 1:15 PM.
If there are multiple copies available, or you have the only copy and no one else is waiting, go ahead and return it (http://amazon.com/manageyourkindle) and then check it out again. You'll have another three weeks and if you're going on vacation or something where you won't have Wi-Fi you can do it before you leave.
If there is a waiting list for the title you will not be able to renew (by renew I mean check it out again) and you'll have to go back on hold to continue reading.
The benefit you have with Kindle is that it will retain the spot where you left off as well as any bookmarks you created, any time you have the book checked out.
I have an Android phone with
Submitted by Anonymous on May 10, 2012 at 7:31 PM.
I have an Android phone with the Kindle app and I downloaded the Kindle reader to my PC. My problem is, when I go from my library's page and click "Get for Kindle" I am taken to the Amazon site, but nowhere on there does it say "send to" or "get library book". I don't know how to fix this! Help me please!
Kindle App
Submitted by Anonymous on May 10, 2012 at 8:00 PM.
I have the Kindle App for my Android phone and my PC. I checked out a book from my local library and when I click the "Get for Kindle" on their website, I am taken to Amazon.com. It shows "Get your library download" but there is nowhere to choose which device to send it to or that says "Get Library Book". The only option I have (after I click on the title of my book) is to use one-click shopping, and I am afraid that will purchase the book that I have already checked out from the library. Can someone please help me???
Thanks!
Trisha
Hi Trisha, First off make
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on May 11, 2012 at 7:56 AM.
Hi Trisha, First off make sure to do this on your PC in a browser. Some mobile devices will not allow you to check out the title on the mobile ebooks site, so instead you will see a BUY button on Amazon.
So once you are on your PC, completing the checkout from the library, you click "get for Kindle," go to Amazon, and the click the yellow "Get library book" button on the right. (Don't click on the title of the book or you will go to the purchase page.) Once you click the yellow button you will be prompted to sign in to your Amazon account. Then you will have a choice of where to send the book. You can send it to your Android phone from your PC.
The reason for this confusing state of affairs is currently Amazon cannot support the library loan feature on their mobile website.
Hope that helps.
Kindle--3G vs WIFI
Submitted by Irene on July 15, 2012 at 7:52 PM.
I am thinking about purchasing a Kindle. I would like to get the one with both 3G and WIFI capability.
My concern is which setting it defaults to when downloading library books. I would like to download books directly to the device, i.e., without having to go through a computer. It seems this must be done only through a WIFI connection. If your Kindle has both of those settings, is there a way to do that?
Thank you for your reply.
Hi Irene. Library books MUST
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on July 16, 2012 at 9:27 AM.
Hi Irene. Library books MUST be downloaded over a wi-fi connection. You check out books on a computer, and they are transferred wirelessly as long as you have a wi-fi network at home (or you can visit a library and use ours.) The 3G connection is for the delivery of books you buy from Amazon, so if you are away from home you can still obtain those easily.
If you don't have wi-fi at home you can connect the Kindle to your computer using USB to transfer library books.
So just to be clear, you do need a computer (at home, at the library, at a friend's) to complete the checkout process as shown above, but once you have done that, the book can be delivered to you anytime your Kindle is connected to wi-fi.
i only have a simple kindle
Submitted by Anonymous on September 9, 2012 at 11:22 PM.
i only have a simple kindle and so when i am on it and click "get for kindle" it wont let me cuz i cant open multiple pages, which is annoying cuz i have limited access to another computer is there a way around this?
You do have to use a computer
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on September 10, 2012 at 7:43 AM.
You do have to use a computer to send the book to your Kindle. You can use the computers at the library to do this if you don't have easy access to one.
browsing Kindle ebooks
Submitted by Anonymous on September 11, 2012 at 3:29 AM.
There doesn't seem to be a Kindle image on the left menu bar any more. I used to be able to browse books by clicking on the image and looking at titles with copies available, as suggested by this article. Now I can't find a way to browse through just Kindle titles. Any suggestions?
You're right, I'll try to
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on September 11, 2012 at 7:49 AM.
You're right, I'll try to update the post. Now you can go to eSearches and either choose Basic Search --> Kindle Book
or Expanded Search --> Kindle Book + Available Now
to just see books that are ready to check out now. Either way, make sure you click the green arrow for the type of search you are doing, Basic or Expanded.
Are academic journals
Submitted by Patricia Lecomte du Nouy on October 15, 2012 at 1:33 PM.
Are academic journals available (such as those available through JSTOR)?
Hi Patricia, are you asking
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on October 15, 2012 at 2:45 PM.
Hi Patricia, are you asking about getting academic journals on Kindle?
You can access journals through our databases
http://www.nypl.org/collections/articles-databases
If you download an article as a PDF or text, you can send it to your Kindle using the email address associated with your device.
More info at http://www.nypl.org/blog/2012/02/08/i-love-reading-epub-and-pdf
Downloading to a Blackberry
Submitted by Anonymous on December 11, 2012 at 4:15 PM.
Can you download ebooks to a blackberry torch?
yes. For touch screens you
Submitted by Lauren Lampasone on December 11, 2012 at 4:50 PM.
yes. For touch screens you need Blackberry v4.7, for non touch screens v4.5 or newer. You also need an SD card. Full instructions here:
http://help.overdrive.com/article/0480/Getting-started-with-BlackBerry
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