Great River Digital Library Now Available to Kindle Users

Great River Regional Library (GRRL) is pleased to announce that its Digital Library is now compatible and accessible with Kindle devices.

GRRL’s Digital Library provides popular eBooks and eAudiobooks in formats for use with computers and portable devices. Digital resources check out for a limited period, just like printed books. The Digital Library is powered by OverDrive, a third-party provider of digital library services. Previously, OverDrive was not compatible with Kindle, the popular eBook reader sold by online retailer Amazon. OverDrive has worked with Amazon to make its downloads now compatible on all Kindle devices or by using free Kindle apps on iPhone®, iPad®, Android™, and other mobile devices. (There may be a small number of PDF titles that are not yet available for Kindle, but that number will continue to decrease.)

“We are delighted that we can provide our digital library services to Kindle users,” said Mic Golden, the library’s collection development coordinator. Kindle is the most popular e-reader on the market, and Golden anticipates increased use of the Digital Library. “We have a limited budget with which to respond, but we hope to meet increased demand.”

All browsing, searching, and checkout of eBook titles at GRRL will be unchanged. When a user checks out a Kindle Book, a "Get for Kindle" link will be presented that opens a new window (or tab) at Amazon prompting the user to login to their Amazon account. Fulfillment will occur at Amazon's website so users will need an Amazon account to access the library eBook in the Kindle format. No purchase or credit card is required to create an Amazon Kindle account; users only need to provide an email address.

Once signed in, the user will select which Kindle device or free Kindle app they want to deliver the title to for reading. Browse, check out, and fulfillment of Kindle Books from the library can be completed from web browsers on PC and Mac, iPad, and numerous other tablet devices. As with items checked out to other digital devices, the eBook will expire at the end of the lending period.