Getting your hands on a good book to read is as easy as clicking “Borrow” on your tablet. If you are slow to enter the world of e-books, you should know that you can download thousands of e-books and their audio counterparts for free from your phone, computer or tablet. This is a quick and easy way to borrow an e-book from your local public library.
How to access an e-library
Depending on where you live, your library may already have a large collection of e-books. For example, the New York Public Library (NYPL) allows New York residents to sign up for a digital library card and try out available titles. You can register online, create a username (usually your email address or membership number) and enter a password. You will then have access to your e-book library via the app Easy E.. Other library systems across the country may have similar programs; Please visit your local library website for more information.
If a digital library card in your area is out of the question, literary website Goodreads also published a short list of e-readers that are great for e-lending in the United States and Canada. Libby’s online reader app makes e-lending easy and links to your e-reader, Kindle or your Kindle app. The Company OverDrive creates Libby to connect public libraries to readers for easy online borrowing; about 90% of the libraries are supposedly connected to OverDrive and Libby, but you can check their website for participating libraries to make sure this resource is available in your area.
How to borrow e-books through Libby
You need a library card to work with Libby. You can either use your existing card information or visit your local library to get a new card. Once you have the card, download the Libby app and follow the simple setup instructions. The app asks you if you have a library card. If you select No, you will be given directions to get a new map in your area. If you select “Yes”, the app asks whether you know your local branch or whether you would like to “guess your branch”. (The app uses your current location to find the nearest branch of the library.) After confirming your branch, you can start borrowing immediately.
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This is how you link your e-reader to your borrowed e-books
When you have sufficiently searched through and found the desired book (or audiobook) via Libby, select “Borrow” below. The app takes you to the checkout page, where you can select a loan period of seven days, 14 days or 21 days (depending on the library).
After you set the loan period, Libby will prompt you to update the notification settings. You can receive notifications when the loan period expires and be notified when books that you have put on hold are now available. You can also choose to be notified when your favorite author has a new title or when the next part in a series you like is available. This feature allows you to keep track of how long you have left to finish your current book and what to check out next. After the loan period expires, the book will no longer be available on your account or device.
Now that you are ready to read, all of your other e-books can access the book in your Kindle library. When you click the title, you’ll see the option to read it on Kindle or an e-reader. If you select Kindle, you will be redirected to sign in to your Amazon Kindle account. Once you’re signed in, the Kindle app will prompt you to send the book to your device. You have the option to choose which of your Kindle devices to use. When you open your e-library on your tablet, Kindle, or iPad, all of your books are in the same place for easy reading.
