Borrow library books without making a trip
You don’t need to be a bookworm to know e-book readers (e-readers for short) offer several advantages over their paper-based brethren: You can carry thousands of books on something thinner than most magazines; it’s possible to shop anywhere, anytime; you can adjust the font size and style to your liking; dictionary definitions are a tap away; and many models are waterproof.
Plus, digital books are often cheaper than paper versions. For instance, Sally Field’s “In Pieces” costs about $3 less for the electronic version. “Vince Flynn: Red War” by Kyle Mills costs about $7 for an e-book compared to $15 for paper.
But guess what. You can spend even less – nay, nothing – by simply borrowing books (and audiobooks) for free from your local library to read on your e-reader or tablet. Here’s how.
❚ Get carded: The first step is to get a library card if you don’t already have one. Keep in mind not all cities are set up for electronic book lending yet. But if they aren’t now, they will soon.
❚ Let’s get digital: The next step is to ensure you have an e-reader that supports borrowing from the library – a function that’s available on most Kobo and Kindle models today. You’ll also need to be on a wireless network to download the content. (Older e-readers may let you connect to a PC via a USB cable to drag and drop content over, but that’s quite cumbersome.)
Alternatively, you can also use one of many e-reader apps on a tablet (or smartphone or laptop) to borrow books for free. More on this in a moment.
❚ Shift into OverDrive: If you’re on a Kobo, go to the Settings area and look for the section called OverDrive, which is a free service offered by many public libraries that allows you to browse, borrow and place holds on library books directly from your e-reader. Your Wi-Fienabled device will automatically search for nearby compatible libraries, but you’ll need to sign into OverDrive using your library card info, Facebook or an existing OverDrive account.
For Kindle e-readers or those who want to read on a tablet, use OverDrive’s sister app, Libby, or go to your library’s website (see the next step).
❚ Start browsing: On a Kobo that supports OverDrive, you can start searching or browsing for content right after you select a library, type in your library card number and sign into Overdrive. Tap an e-book to open its details page, then tap the three little dots to borrow it or place it on hold (if owned by your library). Borrowed e-books will appear in the Books section of your Kobo, just like purchased e-books.
For Kindle readers, there are a couple of ways to borrow e-books. One is via the free Libby app – for iOS, Android and Windows phones and tablets – and Libby can send your library books to a Kindle if that’s the device you prefer to read on. Another option is to go directly to your library’s website and find the Downloads or E-Books and Audiobooks section. On the San Francisco Public Library website, for example, go to e-Library, and then click Kindle to peruse the offerings.
❚ Download and enjoy: Because a digital file can be copied unlimited times, you might think it’s odd you still need to see if an e-book is available for borrowing, but that’s how the system works because libraries purchase a specific number of digital books.
The borrow time is usually a week, but it may vary. On the day it expires, it won’t be accessible on your e-reader, but at least you don’t have to go to your library or face overdue fines.