More on your libraries and Overdrive with KindleThis is supplemental to "Where and how to find libraries using Overdrive + other info & photo guide."
About that Kindle book graphic at the left: When you arrive at your library, online, this is the image you'll want to click on, as it leads you to a set of e-books that are definitely available for the Kindle (as well as for other formats).
At that group of e-books, you'll see the total number of loanable Kindle books there, for your county and any of its city or town libraries sharing what is available. So far, at each library, the number of Kindle books is larger than the number of ePub books (used by the other online e-book stores).
I mentioned earlier the two methods of searching for libraries near you that partner with Overdrive.
Current search form (and results shown)
The Current Search form is on the Overdrive Home page (Link: search.overdrive.com ), at the top left, and it covers searches for products (1st tab), libraries (2nd tab) and bookstores (3rd tab).While searching by zip code will narrow it down best, the search can be for a specific library name as well, or by city.
Searching by zip code gets you a listing in what seems random order, but it's by the number of miles from your zipcode and covers a wide area. There's no other information shown. Clicking on a library name in the results list leads you directly to a page that shows the library's street address and the site of the overall library that covers it.
There are 50 results per page and you can't search them on one page.
"Classic" search form (and results shown)
The Classic Search form is given a text link at the Home page just above the top banner that displays the Current search form described above. The pure-text link leads us to the Classic Search form page (Link: search.overdrive.com/classic/ ).With this one, you can specify the media type, in this case "eBook." This results-page is easier on the eyes, as it's normal text fonts that are black, vs the light blue, blobby results of the newer search form above.
(Speaking of 'media,' Amazon announced today that they signed an Agreement with 20th Century Fox for video streaming.)
Also, the Classic search results listing shows the mileage from the zip code you search on (which I find very helpful). However, this one is sorted by the overall Group that the library belongs to and which determines how many Kindle books will be carried by the smaller library.
There are glitches in the database. I found "El Cerrito" covered in Northern California Digital Library, which has 1,200 more books than the county library structure has. However, when I got to the No. Calif. Digital Library website, I found that 'El Cerrito' is not listed as a participating library. In fact, the Northern California Grouping shows a LOT of library and city names, while the actual OverDrive page for the Northern California Digital Library instead shows just a very small group of participating libraries.
Also, I'm in the Northern California San Francisco area, and my listing of a 100-mile area shows Los Angeles Public Library, which is in Southern California, about 500 miles away, so you'll just need to double-check libraries you don't already know.
OVERDRIVE VIDEO ON HOW TO BROWSE, CKECKOUT, AND GET LIBRARY eBOOKS ON THE KINDLE
On September 22, Overdrive added a very useful video guide to getting library books on your Kindle at Overdrive libraries. It's a good guide, but I couldn't help noticing that their example for a Lending Period choice was limited to 5 days! They say that this depends on the library, of course. Reports are that most are 7 to 21 days with either 7 or 14 days the more frequent default now.
WAIT LISTS
The Kindler Effect! is already in evidence. In the various libraries I checked last night, almost every book was on a wait list, some with 20 or so people. This would be book titles available for Kindles AND ePub readers.
I did read 2 brief interviews with librarians who said they were very happy to be able to do this and see the Kindle mob able to join in, though they didn't quite put it that way.
KINDLE APPS FOR iPAD/iPHONE - VIDEO AND TEXT GUIDE TO THE LIBRARY PROCESS
How to use the Kindle App for i(Devices) for library borrowing - includes how to sync it.
He mentions 3G and doesn't seem limited to WiFi - If so, that would be because he pays the 3G bill to his carrier, as opposed to the Kindle-device 3G being paid to AT&T by Amazon.
Kindle 3's (UK: Kindle 3's) K3 Special ($114) K3-3G Special ($139) DX Graphite
Check often: Temporarily-free late-listed non-classics or recently published ones
Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources. Top 100 free bestsellers. Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published non-classics, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.
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