Some libraries here do have e-book lending using Overdrive but they are ePub books downloaded via Overdrive and it works really well especially on the iPad. Without the iPad you have to download to PC and then transfer to device. I was wonderng whether, if or when, we get the Kindle-Library agreement here, it will supplement that, or if those libraries already supplying ebooks have to stick with just that or be able to supply both ePub and Kindle. If Kindle is done via Overdrive then I don't see a problem for them to supply both. However, if Kindle uses a different system then I can't see those libraries already using Overdrive having the finance (at the moment) to set up another system as well.
Luckily, living in London, I belong to several different libraries although only my most local one provides ebooks at the moment. The others are still experimenting with e-audio-books with the intention of going down the ebook-path shortly.
But once a library belongs to one system, it is hard for them to get out of that agreement. One of my libraries were signed up to an ebook provider which changed its platform and that has not been a happy experience for the library or the end-user. We got used as guinea-pigs while the provider sorted out its problems with the software. I gave up in the end and told them that I really didn't have the time to be installing and uninstalling software and losing (large) files into the ether of my computer and that they should just tell me when they had got it working properly. I think that has delayed that library from going down the ebook route as yet.[/quote]
Yes to the Overdrive, at least in my county system. It's very easy, but you can't download them via the Whispernet ammy provides with the Kindle. You have to be connected to Wifi, or save to Kindle via USB (a snap). From what I understand, each library contracts for "X" # of books, genres, etc. I go to the Overdrive site from my library and only see what's availableto King County Library, which IMHO is pretty damned good
