Kindle’s Library Lending service now live in Seattle
Amazon is starting to take the wraps off its newest creation for their popular reading platform by giving complete access to local libraries on their Kindle eReader. While not available for everyone yet, users in Seattle, WA (U.S) will be happy to know they have dibs first, and will be the initial beta group.
This eBook lending isn’t a first for the public library system. This partnership is with Overdrive media, whom already offers ebooks for rental in Adobe DRM ePub format. Current owners of the Nook and Sony’s eReaders (among others) already have access to borrowed library eBooks. However, the implementation that Amazon is using with their Kindle is a much smoother experience. Instead of visiting the library website, downloading the book, and then loading the borrowed book onto your eReader through USB, Kindle owners will simply visit the site, log on, and will have books delivered to their Kindle automatically using wi-fi or 3G data. I’d like to drop the website hassle and have access through the Kindle directly, but not much of a hassle for free books.
Update: The new service is now live across the US. Enjoy the freebies!
[theebookreader via Engadget]
