Borrow E-Books, On Kindle Required – The New York Times

Q. Do you have to have a Kindle to borrow e-books from the library? Can you use a different device or computer instead?

A. While you generally need a Kindle device or Kindle reading app to borrow e-books in the Kindle format, many public libraries offer e-books in other formats that work on a wide variety of devices. Visit the website of your local library to see what software is needed to check out and read e-books in other formats.

Most major libraries have dedicated, easy-to-find sections of their sites devoted to lending electronic materials — the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library system, Boston Public Library, Louisville Free Public Library, the Salt Lake City Public Library system and the San Francisco Public Library are just a few around the country. The E-Book Central page on the website of the New York Public Library explains all the options for borrowing digital content and has links to the library”s own reading app, NYPL SimplyE, for Android and iOS devices.

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The OverDrive app, which works with the e-book collections of thousands of public libraries, is avilable for Android and iOS devices, most computer platforms and certain e-readers. Credit New York Times

Depending on the library, you can install the free software and borrow books in formats compatible with the Axis 360 digital media service, cloudLibrary or Adobe Digital Editions software.

Thousands of libraries around the country use software and services from OverDrive.com to lend e-books. The site has a list of libraries nationwide that offer e-books and other digital content — and instructions on how to borrow them. The OverDrive site has its own free reading app for borrowing electronic material on Amazon and Nook tablets, as well as on Android, iOS and Windows Phone devices.

the OverDrive software is also available for Google Chrome, Windows and Mac computers if you want to read on a laptop or desktop computer. For the streamlined approach, the Kobo Aura One e-reader allows you to check out the OverDrive-managed content directly from the Kobo book catalog instead of having to use Adobe Digital Editions to read the e-books, but not every library supports the Aura One device yet.

In addition to the software required by the library, you typically need a valid library card from the institution to borrow electronic books and other downloadable content. Check with your local branch for specific information on e-book lending periods, for renewals and returns.

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