# read ebooks borrowed from the public library? return my kindle 2?



## cleverusername (Dec 28, 2009)

hey guys, this is my first post. i recently received a kindle 2 for christmas (merry christmas, btw) and while i am enjoying it now, i am considering returning the item. my concerns are below, no particular order:

1. i recently got a library card. and it re-amazed me that i have always had access to almost any book that i have wanted, for free. well, our taxes paid for it, but i'm not paying anything more per book. so, why pay for an e-book on amazon when i can go get it for free?

2. with said library card, i can check out e-books from the same library system. so while not as convenient as reading on the kindle, reading the pdf on a computer i own is similarly free (no kindle to buy, no ebooks to buy). question, though: is there a way to get the library ebooks onto my kindle?

3. what's up with mp3 playback on the kindle? do i need to reformat them, etc? my father in law loaded some up, long story short is that they aren't working.

4. i'm concerned about the functionality of the kindle in the long run. the nook, while it isn't perfect, is powered by android, which is powered by google. between the google developer kit and the incredible reach that google has in, well, everything... enough said.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

I, too, was a huge proponent of the public library system. For the first few months after I got my Kindle, I still got a majority of my books from the library. That, however, has changed. I recently read a library book for the first time in months, and I found that I missed my Kindle profoundly whilst reading it. I like my e-book reader. I like not having to turn pages. I like not having to take the book back to the library when I haven't finished it because someone has it on hold.

As for the price of books, there are a boatload of books you can get for free, or near free. Particularly if you like the classics, everything is available in a format that the Kindle can access. I keep a separate Amazon wishlist for Kindle books I want, that I can sort by price. I check every day to see if something has dropped significantly, and if so I grab it. Otherwise, I tend to purchase books that are less than $6 each, often less than that. Eventually, they all fall.

Reading a PDF on a computer is not the same as reading an e-book. A monitor is light shining directly into your eyes. Not good for your eyes.

The MP3 playback on the Kindle works. You do need to make sure the files are indeed MP3 (many people think all music on their PCs is the same file format, and that is often not the case), and make sure you put them in the Music folder on the Kindle. If they are put anywhere else, the Kindle does not know they exist.

The nook is a fine e-reader. Just got mine for Christmas. However, they do seem to have a lot of failures out of the box. Tech support for the nook so far is not so good. I am fortunate that my nook is not giving me any problems, but if you want to see the definition of frustration, go spend some time on the B&N e-book forums.


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## Casse (Oct 16, 2009)

The reasons I have a Kindle - 

1) Travel often - heavy suitcases with the books

2) Time - I don't have time to get to the library or return books. I don't mind paying to feed my reading habit  

3) Tiny library - Very small selection at the local library.

If the traveling doesn't apply and your fine with the selection / time involved with the library then the Kindle may not be for you. It's my new favorite thing but it's not for everyone. Good luck with your decision!


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## cleverusername (Dec 28, 2009)

for the books that i have looked up, i have had a 0% success rate of getting one with $0.00 as the price. it's great that there are lots of free ebooks compatible on the kindle for the community at large, but there are close to an infinite amount of free books available at the library. admittedly, 6 bucks isn't going to break the bank. but it costs me either free (if i bike) or very little (if i drive) to go collect my free book at the library. 

on another note, i wonder what would happen if the android powered nook could read the ebooks i can check out from the library and download. that would be $0.00 all the time with the only requirement being internet access. which, those of us reading this, already have. oh, plus a library card. reason i bring this up - android (which powers nook) is a platform that could power such an app. and i can almost guarantee that kindle/amazon will not do it, considering that an ebook library would be to the kindle store what napster/torrents/pirating was to the digital music industry. (this is my hypothesis, i want feedback on this pls)


unfortunately, the files loaded on my kindle are verified mp3. perhaps i need to send my kindle back for exchange?

don't get me wrong, i believe that i am reading faster and noticed that i have better comprehension and retention. for that, i definitely enjoy my kindle. but we have seen this decade repeat a very harsh lesson - people will not pay when they can get it for free. or in the case of AOL, people will go straight to the internet instead of paying a service provider for email, news, im, etc.


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## ElaineOK (Jun 5, 2009)

You are aware that Kindle runs on Linux?  Oh, and since Kindle runs Linux it is required by the General Public License (GPL) to release its source code.  Lots of people far more knowledgeable than I have poked and prodded the code and blogged their findings.  

Call Customer Service about the mp3 problem, oh, and I hate to sound stupid; but have you checked the volume?  Does text to speech work?  That will help trouble shoot the sound chip and volume control issues.

What format does your library support?  That will tell you which ereader (if any) will support them.  

If you don't like the Kindle, send it back.  

Elaine 
Norman, Oklahoma


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## cleverusername (Dec 28, 2009)

pidgeon92 said:


> The nook is a fine e-reader. Just got mine for Christmas. However, they do seem to have a lot of failures out of the box. Tech support for the nook so far is not so good. I am fortunate that my nook is not giving me any problems, but if you want to see the definition of frustration, go spend some time on the B&N e-book forums.


would you mind sharing the link to that forum, please?


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

As a wise woman once said to me, the Kindle is not for every one.  You have very specific reasons why perhaps the Kindle is not the right ereader for you.  It's ok.  Different people have different needs/expectations.  I haven't heard yet whether the Nook will be able to access library books, though. (Admittedly, I haven't checked recently.) The Sony ereader can, I believe.

As for the functionality of the Kindle, my needs and expectations are that I will be able to read books on it.  It does that function quite well.  I don't need it to do anything else.

Betsy


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## cleverusername (Dec 28, 2009)

ElaineOK said:


> You are aware that Kindle runs on Linux? Oh, and since Kindle runs Linux it is required by the General Public License (GPL) to release its source code. Lots of people far more knowledgeable than I have poked and prodded the code and blogged their findings.
> 
> Call Customer Service about the mp3 problem, oh, and I hate to sound stupid; but have you checked the volume? Does text to speech work? That will help trouble shoot the sound chip and volume control issues.
> 
> ...


i'm not familiar with linux or the blogs that you've referred to. could you post a link(s)?
text to speech works, as does volume control.
for library ebooks, the file is DL'd as URLLink.acsm. after opening that, the book opens in Adobe Digital Editions. 
i actually like the kindle, and if this were '07 or '08, i wouldn't really think much about the future of the platform because of no serious competition. alas, there is an android powered competitor, with a very open platform. all i care about is not paying for stuff when i can get it for free, legally.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

also, twice you have mentioned the nook running on android. I know the lower color screen may indeed be android, but it is not used anywhere near its full potential, and does it actually run the e-ink portion? I played with a Nook this past weekend, and was totally not impressed by it. 
I do not like to do serious heavy reading on my pc due to the whole eyestrain/backlight issue. I love reading on an e-ink screen which both the kindle and the nook have. I read about 25 books per month. reading that much on my pc is impossible, I can only read/look at it for a half hour or so befor I have to go do something else to let my eyes rest.


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## cleverusername (Dec 28, 2009)

BTackitt said:


> also, twice you have mentioned the nook running on android. I know the lower color screen may indeed be android, but it is not used anywhere near its full potential, and does it actually run the e-ink portion? I played with a Nook this past weekend, and was totally not impressed by it.
> I do not like to do serious heavy reading on my pc due to the whole eyestrain/backlight issue. I love reading on an e-ink screen which both the kindle and the nook have. I read about 25 books per month. reading that much on my pc is impossible, I can only read/look at it for a half hour or so befor I have to go do something else to let my eyes rest.


i hear you. i prefer the e-ink too. 
as for android, it is the operating system for the nook which displays the text via e-ink. just as linux is the OS for the kindle which displays the text via e-ink, as mentioned above.

believe me, i wasn't 100% impressed with the demo nook either. the nook that is shipped to end users is a strikes-and-gutters proposition, either much much better than in-store demo units or DOA. personally, i think firmware should ship as fully functional should the item never connect to the www for update in the worst case. so, even for someone like me that considers waiting on the sidelines for a little longer, i find the initial nook offering a little troubling.

still, like you said, the android part to the nook is nowhere near its potential. bad for the nook today, potentially dangerous to other e-readers in the longer term.


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## BoomerSoonerOKU (Nov 22, 2009)

While Android might be a nice OS, it certainly is the new kid on the block when it comes to open source OS's.  If you aren't familiar with Linux do a little research and you'll see that Linux (based off of Unix) has a long history of open source and heavily documented/supported success.  Similar to the Nook vs. Kindle debate, if someone offered me a device using Android or Linux, I'd most likely go with the Linux based unit because of the strong track record.  

In short, don't let the choice of OS for an e-reader blind you to the actual abilities/shortcomings of the different brands.  If there is something Android can do, Linux can do and vice versa.


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## cleverusername (Dec 28, 2009)

this ultimately is not a debate of linux vs android because people don't care what OS runs their e-ink. 

the relevant part, to me, is this: there is an apple app store for iphone users, and the android market for android phones, but no equivalent linux application store/market. if you think that the kindle has the potential to add apps relevant to reading (such as the ability to read books DL'd from the library) which is why these devices even exist, i only ask that you provide the evidence and trends that supports such a hypothesis.


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## libros_lego (Mar 24, 2009)

As of now, it sounds like the kindle is not for you so it might be better if you return it. When something that fulfills your needs comes along, maybe you can try that.


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## Seamonkey (Dec 2, 2008)

As has been said, Linux has been around for a long long time..

I wouldn't dream of trying to convince you to keep the Kindle, but you have it and you have a certain number of days before you can send it back, so I'd suggest continuing to explore while you do have the Kindle.

As for Nook.. I don't have one and have no idea where the best Nook Forum might be. I'd guess there would be one associated with the BN.com site? Anyway, that seems like a good place to ask about the Nook.

As for the library, I've heard that there ARE waiting lists for e-books at libraries. Perhaps you could talk to the librarian, assuming there are still librarians at librairies and they could tell you the situation at your library or library system and hopefully they could even tell you which e reader would work best with their files.

Quick search.. looks like http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com is one place to start..


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## Seamonkey (Dec 2, 2008)

Ok, that is confusing.. you've been mentioning Android in each post and then say people don't care what the OS is?

Anyway, since I was posting while you were, I think I agree with Jenni.. send it back.


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## BoomerSoonerOKU (Nov 22, 2009)

cleverusername said:


> this ultimately is not a debate of linux vs android because people don't care what OS runs their e-ink.
> 
> the relevant part, to me, is this: there is an apple app store for iphone users, and the android market for android phones, but no equivalent linux application store/market. if you think that the kindle has the potential to add apps relevant to reading (such as the ability to read books DL'd from the library) which is why these devices even exist, i only ask that you provide the evidence and trends that supports such a hypothesis.


If that's your concern then if you would like an e-reader you'll probably want to look at the manufacturers who are making their money on the device more so than the actual book (i.e. Sony). Amazon and B&N are booksellers first and foremost (at least Amazon was) so the ability for you to get free books isn't really in their best interest. As far as an app store for Linux/Linux based devices it's already there. There might not be a centralized location because there are many flavors of Linux, but there are also tens of thousands of developers out there that make almost any type of application you could ever want for Linux based machines.


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## Thumper (Feb 26, 2009)

cleverusername said:


> 1. i recently got a library card. and it re-amazed me that i have always had access to almost any book that i have wanted, for free. well, our taxes paid for it, but i'm not paying anything more per book. so, why pay for an e-book on amazon when i can go get it for free?


There are thousands upon thousands of books you can get for your Kindle that aren't in wide library distribution; the sheer number of excellent indie-published books is reason enough, IMNSHO and completely biased opinion, to keep it. And with the kindle, you can get a large percentage of those for under $2.

Library funds are decreasing. Available titles for the Kindle are increasing. Another reason to keep it.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Seamonkey said:


> ...
> As for the library, I've heard that there ARE waiting lists for e-books at libraries. Perhaps you could talk to the librarian, assuming there are still librarians at librairies and they could tell you the situation at your library or library system and hopefully they could even tell you which e reader would work best with their files.
> ...


This matches the e-book system used by our local library. There are limits to the number of copies of an e-book that can be checked out at one time just as if the e-books were physical copies of the book. The result is there is a wait for popular books just as there is a wait for popular DTV.


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## cleverusername (Dec 28, 2009)

Seamonkey said:


> Ok, that is confusing.. you've been mentioning Android in each post and then say people don't care what the OS is?
> 
> Anyway, since I was posting while you were, I think I agree with Jenni.. send it back.


of course most don't people care that their kindle is linux powered. most end users of whatever brand and platform probably don't either. i bring up android, though, because of its potential. (hint - the nook has already been hacked)

what people do care about, however, is the machine's ability to do its job. for these devices, the task is to let me read books. since i can obtain electronic books for free.99 via my library, i am frustrated that i don't have a solution to view these books. the only other solution is to find pdf versions of books, which as we all know, is incredibly clunky on the kindle.

as far as sending it back... maybe you guys are right.


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## cleverusername (Dec 28, 2009)

Thumper said:


> Library funds are decreasing.


economic times are tough, but that's a shame nonetheless.


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## parakeetgirl (Feb 27, 2009)

I have a library card and still read DTBs..but I wouldn't give up my Kindle. It sometimes takes my library a while to get new releases in-with the Kindle, I have access to most of these books in under a minute. And the Kindle store prices are still a heck of a lot better than most bookstores.

I'm a voracious reader so I don't mind spending my disposable income on books..I don't smoke, so I don't have that expense.


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## kb7uen Gene (Mar 13, 2009)

As a visually impaired person, I have never needed to buy a book during my entire life.  This is because of the National Library Services for the Blind Talking Book Program, which has been around since the 1930's.  Over the years, I have read tons of books from NLS, first on 8 rpm records playing on old tube talking book machines which were bigger than many sewing machines.  Then we moved to cassettes on tabletop players, and finally, we have moved on to the digital download of talking books on a iPod sized player.  But I have also always enjoyed going to bookstores and picked up paperbacks when I was able to read them.  I stopped buying books many years ago because I could no longer see the print without going through terrible eye strain.  However, since I had cateract surgery and bought a Kindle, I am back into buying books again.  There is something special about buying a book and holding it and knowing it is yours, I used to feel the same way about buying a record or LP at a music store.  And while this is not the same for the Kindle ebook or iTunes download, in a sense they are still mine to have and access always.

As I stated earlier, NLS has gone digital with their talking books, and now I can go to the library download section on the web site and grab as many books as I want with no limits on quantity.  However, unlike a regular library, the NLS books never time out.  I can keep them forever and read them whenever I want.  I have a NLS digital tabletop/portable, 2 Lbs, player, which was provided to me and I use it at home, and a Victor Reader Stream player, which I purchased, and I carry it with me everywhere just like I do the Kindle 2.  There are blind people who would never think of spending a dime on a book because they have had this free service all their lives, and that is their choice.  But I will continue to buy books, whether it be an ebook for the Kindle, from Audible.com, or from my local bookstore for later scanning into the computer and then over to the Kindle.  And I will still use the National Library Services for the Blind Talking Book Program as well.  They all have their place and I am glad they are all there.

Gene


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I think that it would be in your best interest to keep the kindle.  It's the reading experience that matters and your arguments that are pro Android do not convince me that the reading experience would be improved with it.

However, since you seem to be pretty skeptical and dead set against it, why don't you return it now before you find out what a great reader kindle is (or before you forget and the 30-day return period lapses).

Just curious.  Who gave you the kindle for Christmas?  Did you ask for it?  Were you disappointed to receive it?


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## Prazzie (Oct 25, 2009)

cleverusername said:


> of course most don't people care that their kindle is linux powered. most end users of whatever brand and platform probably don't either. i bring up android, though, because of its potential. (hint - the nook has already been hacked)


Hint - so has the K2  The nook has been hacked to pieces to B&N's detriment (they will have to cover the costs of the illicit data transfers if nook is used as a tablet.), so B&N will be doing whatever they can to undo these hacks. As for Android's potential...what potential does Android have that Linux doesn't?



cleverusername said:


> what people do care about, however, is the machine's ability to do its job. for these devices, the task is to let me read books. since i can obtain electronic books for free.99 via my library, i am frustrated that i don't have a solution to view these books. the only other solution is to find pdf versions of books, which as we all know, is incredibly clunky on the kindle.


Have you actually done some research to find out what you can read on your Kindle and where you can find books for it? There are thousands of free ebooks available for the Kindle and the "clunky" PDF books are really not an issue at all. Hint - download Calibre or Mobipocket Creator and in less than a minute your clunky PDFs will be Kindle-ized! Faster than biking to the library.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

You were very lucky to receive a kindle as a gift.  I had to buy mine!


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## Todd (Dec 16, 2009)

mlewis78 said:


> You were very lucky to receive a kindle as a gift. I had to buy mine!


LOL x2 ^


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## Varin (May 12, 2009)

WHy does everyone keep going on that the nook's Android OS has potential? Nothing has been guaranteed, no hints of future plans (these apps are just dreams right now) so all people really are saying is, "Look, it says Android, that means something MIGHT happen!" 

"Might" and "Potential" don't mean anything...

Also, about library ebooks, like others have said, some libraries don't have ebooks, and others have books with a very small and limited selection, and even then there are waiting lists, and even then you have but two weeks to read the book, so I would not be so impressed with library ebooks at this point.


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## cleverusername (Dec 28, 2009)

mlewis78 said:


> You were very lucky to receive a kindle as a gift. I had to buy mine!





mlewis78 said:


> I think that it would be in your best interest to keep the kindle. It's the reading experience that matters and your arguments that are pro Android do not convince me that the reading experience would be improved with it.
> 
> However, since you seem to be pretty skeptical and dead set against it, why don't you return it now before you find out what a great reader kindle is (or before you forget and the 30-day return period lapses).
> 
> Just curious. Who gave you the kindle for Christmas? Did you ask for it? Were you disappointed to receive it?


i am indeed lucky to even be researching this. my mrs. is a very perceptive person, i didn't even know that i wanted a kindle type device. apparently i have been burning through lots of newspapers and books and i didn't even notice.



Prazzie said:


> Hint - so has the K2  The nook has been hacked to pieces to B&N's detriment (they will have to cover the costs of the illicit data transfers if nook is used as a tablet.), so B&N will be doing whatever they can to undo these hacks. As for Android's potential...what potential does Android have that Linux doesn't?
> 
> Have you actually done some research to find out what you can read on your Kindle and where you can find books for it? There are thousands of free ebooks available for the Kindle and the "clunky" PDF books are really not an issue at all. Hint - download Calibre or Mobipocket Creator and in less than a minute your clunky PDFs will be Kindle-ized! Faster than biking to the library.


thanks for the links. funny because i actually DL'd both of those within a day of opening the kindle's box. haven't had a chance to look at them in depth, between all the happenings of chrsitmas and work and blablabla. today will be day 3 of owning a kindle, so while i haven't mastered all things kindle, apparently i have done a good job of pissing people off! (which isn't my intent, btw)

as for android's potential, or whatever platform, the point isn't what language has more goodness or what set of computer guys is more talented. potential for what end is what matters. android is a convenient and real case-in-point: a centralized android market + a game-changing app (this is hypothetical) + a means to propagate that to end users ["go viral", "in the parlance of our times"], which is the part that matters the most in the whole process. show me the equivalent linux market that could empower kindle users and i'll happily start using that as my example. ok, too much conjecture here, i'm going to experiment with those programs.



Anarel said:


> WHy does everyone keep going on that the nook's Android OS has potential? Nothing has been guaranteed, no hints of future plans (these apps are just dreams right now) so all people really are saying is, "Look, it says Android, that means something MIGHT happen!"
> 
> "Might" and "Potential" don't mean anything...
> 
> Also, about library ebooks, like others have said, some libraries don't have ebooks, and others have books with a very small and limited selection, and even then there are waiting lists, and even then you have but two weeks to read the book, so I would not be so impressed with library ebooks at this point.


weren't people saying the same thing about ebooks and the kindle?


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## gadgetgirl003 (Mar 22, 2009)

Cleveruser,
I have a kindle and love it, but from what you have said, really it sounds to me like the Sony reader would be the best e-reader for you. Several people who own a Kindle also own a Sony Reader for reading library books. THh Sony book store sells books for a much higher price than Amazon's kindle store, but you could read your library books on it. Maybe one day in the future you would decide to to get Kindle for the lower prices if you decide to return it now.


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## cleverusername (Dec 28, 2009)

gadgetgirl003 said:


> Cleveruser,
> I have a kindle and love it, but from what you have said, really it sounds to me like the Sony reader would be the best e-reader for you. Several people who own a Kindle also own a Sony Reader for reading library books. THh Sony book store sells books for a much higher price than Amazon's kindle store, but you could read your library books on it. Maybe one day in the future you would decide to to get Kindle for the lower prices if you decide to return it now.


hmm... indeed. thank you for the recommendation. i just started looking into this whole e-reader business 3 days ago. before that, ereaders weren't even on my radar.


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## malebenj13 (Jul 8, 2009)

I don't know if it's worth noting, but Android _is_ Linux. It is based off the Linux kernel. There are obvious differences between Amazon's flavor of Linux, which is developed in house, and B&N's which, as you mentioned, is developed by Google. While B&N's implementation is somewhat more hackable, there is no particular reason why this should be so. There is also nothing stopping them from improving the security of their device - if Amazon can make Linux on the Kindle reasonably secure, so can B&N with the right programmers. Much as I cannot run other Linux programs on my Kindle even though it runs Linux, there is no guarantee I would be able to run other applications on a Nook reliably for the lifetime of the device. B&N seem to have potentially rushed their device to market. There will be updates and these updates can and almost certainly will disable many of the hacks that are being implemented today.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

It sounds like you mostly want to be able to read library books.  If that's the case, the only sure solution I know of is the Sony.  Rumor has it B&N will allow it, but I am not certain.  Kindle currently does not; at least, not without a lot of hoop jumping that is probably against the terms of service.  I won't be surprised if someday it does.  Conclusion:  you want a Sony.  You have 30 days to send the Kindle back, no questions asked, for a refund.  Good deal.

I would suggest, though, that before you jump that way, you double check with your library to see what system they use and be sure to get a compatible device -- I'm not sure either Sony or B&N has a 'no charge' return policy if you find it doesn't work.  The other thing is, there might not be a lot of the books available you want to read -- see how many title they have (some library systems are quite limited; others have agreements with bigger systems so are more extensive) and whether they're ones you want to read.

Classics and books in the public domain are free anyway, of course. . . .and you don't have to give 'em back. 

One other thing to consider, that I'm not sure has been mentioned: getting out of your comfort zone can be a good thing. I admit that one of the best things about the Kindle for me -- and something I totally did NOT expect -- is that I've been exposed to a lot of independent authors that I would never have read before because I would have been hesitant to spend $8 or $12 on an unknown.  But many of these "indies" sell their ebooks for only a few dollars.  If it looks like a good story, I'm willing to take that chance.  AND they're not just at Amazon, but also available through other sites like Smashwords.  As a result. . . .I've found some new 'favorite' authors that I can't find in libraries or local bookstores.  So, yay for me! 

Bottom line:  it's you're decision.  But you have probably figured out that most of the regulars around here are REALLY happy with their Kindles.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

You have already gotten a lot of good advice, so I will only chime in to add that the main reason I would not give up my Kindle is the convenience.  I travel for work and read A LOT and it's much easier to carry the Kindle than a pile of books.  I also don't have to worry about due dates for the library.
I do have a library card and I do use it for books that are not available on Kindle or cost more than I am willing to pay.
However, I am reading more genres and different authors thanks to some of Amazon's marketing gimmicks (free books) and authors here on Kindleboards.  I spend a lot of time at manybooks.net downloading classics.  I am currently going through all of the Sherlock Holmes stories (well, that one came from Amazon and was 0.99).
I will also make the comparison between the Kindle and a computer.  If you are always waiting for the next best thing to come along, you'll never actually make a purchase.  There will always be improvements and "something better" down the road.  Amazon does listen to its customers (well, mostly) so if you kept your Kindle and sent in your comments and suggestions for improvements, they may be included in a future Kindle.


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## Mandy (Dec 27, 2009)

Judging by your posts, it sounds like your best bet would be to return the Kindle and wait a year or two. Maybe by then some of these ereaders will have developed to your liking. In the meantime, if you decide that you liked the Kindle after all, you can always order another. Or you can just ship your Kindle to me, my birthday is approaching!   J/K At least you're getting a pretty good idea as to whether you really want an ereader at this stage. If you're still debating, you really do need to check out these free books! As someone who's building her library in anticipation of a Kindle, I'm amazed at the free/nearly free material available!


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## Cuechick (Oct 28, 2008)

This thread just makes me so glad I am not married!


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## Cammie (Nov 15, 2008)

I have both a Sony 505 reader and a Kindle.  I bought the Sony reader primarily to access free library books.  Despite belonging to my local library system and two out-of-state library systems, I have to say that the availablity of library ebooks has been pretty hit and miss....mostly miss.  There are long waiting lists for many books with cut-offs for the number of people who can be on the waiting list.  I have waited weeks to months at times for my turn at a two week loan.  In a six month period, I was able to borrow 2-3 books immediately and have been waitlisted on 4-5 books only 2 of which I was finally able to borrow after a long wait.  Admittedly, the books I'm interested in borrowing are recent bestsellers or sequels from a favorite author.

So far, the purchase of the Sony 505 has not been a great investment for me as far as library books are concerned since I've pretty much given up trying to access the free library ebooks.  On the flip side, I have a long list of free or almost free books waiting to be read on the Kindle.  There is access to so much free or lost cost material with the Kindle that I don't mind spending $5-$10 per book for the 3-4 other books that interest me each month.

I do like that the Sony reader format allows me access to other ebook retailers so I do not regret the purchase.  I think my Kindle and Sony readers complement each other.  The Sony 505 is a well crafted beautiful reader that I would recommend to anyone as a supplement to their Kindle (I think it's discontinued but have heard of many clearance sales for the device).


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## Prazzie (Oct 25, 2009)

Now that you mention the Sony format, Cammie, I just download the ABC Amber Sony Converter today. I had a couple of .LRF documents that I converted to be read on the Kindle. Another useful tool to have and extremely easy to use (and free!).

Good advice you gave cleverusername!


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I would suggest using the Kindle for a couple weeks.  This way you can see if you actually LIKE the ebook experience.  Download a couple of freebies that might appeal to you and try it out.  You do have through January sometime to return it, assuming it was purchased after a certain date (last year it was Nov 1, is it the same this year?)

Betsy


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## cleverusername (Dec 28, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> One other thing to consider, that I'm not sure has been mentioned: getting out of your comfort zone can be a good thing. I admit that one of the best things about the Kindle for me -- and something I totally did NOT expect -- is that I've been exposed to a lot of independent authors that I would never have read before because I would have been hesitant to spend $8 or $12 on an unknown. But many of these "indies" sell their ebooks for only a few dollars. If it looks like a good story, I'm willing to take that chance. AND they're not just at Amazon, but also available through other sites like Smashwords.


thanks for the reference to smashwords. it is likely to destroy my reading sequence.



Andra said:


> I will also make the comparison between the Kindle and a computer. If you are always waiting for the next best thing to come along, you'll never actually make a purchase. There will always be improvements and "something better" down the road. Amazon does listen to its customers (well, mostly) so if you kept your Kindle and sent in your comments and suggestions for improvements, they may be included in a future Kindle.


this is an important point. some of you may be familiar with kenrockwell.com, a photography page. he argues that it's better to have a camera and take pictures rather than to sideline yourself waiting on the perfect combination of newest, best price, etc.



Mandy said:


> Or you can just ship your Kindle to me, my birthday is approaching!


haha. based on the responses of this board, even if another platform were to take over, the kindle wouldn't just evaporate. seems to have a good resale value, so that means financing the next new thing whenever that is.



Betsy the Quilter said:


> I would suggest using the Kindle for a couple weeks. This way you can see if you actually LIKE the ebook experience. Download a couple of freebies that might appeal to you and try it out. You do have through January sometime to return it, assuming it was purchased after a certain date (last year it was Nov 1, is it the same this year?)
> 
> Betsy


indeed.



Octochick said:


> This thread just makes me so glad I am not married!


haha. marriage is fantastic. got a brand new kid out of it.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

cleverusername said:


> would you mind sharing the link to that forum, please?


It is the B&N ebooks help board:

http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/eBooks-Help-Board/bd-p/eBooks_Help


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

If I may add my two cents worth ... I don't think the Kindle (or any ereader at this point in time) is really meant to replace libraries - they're meant to replace your local bricks and mortar bookstore (Barns and Noble, Books a Million, etc.) If you never or rarely buy a book, then you'll probably be better off returning the Kindle. On the other hand, if you DO buy books, the Kindle provides a medium that is much more convenient. It carries a large number of books without much weight, most of the books are less expensive than their hardback version (and often cheaper than the paperback version), their easier to hold open and you won't lose your place in the book, even if you don't open it for several days. You don't have to travel from your home to purchase books and the number of titles is probably much larger than you'll be able to read in your lifetime.


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## Prazzie (Oct 25, 2009)

FearNot said:


> I don't think the Kindle (or any ereader at this point in time) is really meant to replace libraries...


Maybe so, but remember this article? It's an interesting move on that school's part. We got a long lecture from the dean last year about how many millions they spend on new library books each year, but according to student library records, students are hardly using the library. And it's true, when I go there, there is a queue to use the computers and access the internet, but the book sections are nearly empty. It will be very interesting to see what the future holds in terms of libraries and ebooks.


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

Well, of course you can remove SOME books from a library to eReader environment (most literature books lend themselves to it), but with today's state-of-the-art eReaders libraries are still a necessity - can you imagine trying to use an atlas on a Kindle? That's not to say that between a good computer with internet access and the Kindle you can't come close.

Besides, libraries provide services other than just reading material. They tend to be a socializing location among other things (although, a $12,000 expresso machine?? Yikes!!!!).


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## anivyl (Nov 12, 2009)

I am not a voracious library user as I am one of those hated ones who ended up not returning the books for various reasons, e.g. I would never get the book elsewhere again etc etc etc.

besides all that, like most people, I have discovered that there are long waiting lists for books, there is not enough books in the library to go around (perhaps due in part to people like me), not to mention since I can't cycle or drive, if a library is too far, it is TOO FAR. The only public libraries within a reasonable distance of here or work are both pretty small and not well stocked. the others that are within the same distance but belong to universities doesn't cover enough 1) fiction material or 2) does not have enough copies of anything and thusly I am again stuck.

I will admit, for those with singular copies, they are not available on kindle anyways. the point is, nothing is perfect and one is always good to supplement the other but not to take over in its entirety. because I am more of a fiction person (and occassional historian and biography type), the kindle is more than enough for me without all the distress trying to get a book a library might cause me.

The Kindle has been hacked too. just like the nook (and yes, I believe someone's already mention android is a very distant cousin of linux), they both have potentials for happy book related apps. However, while I love my multiple use gadgets, I think e-readers should very much stay e-readers. I have my iphone with me for any other reasons, TV included, and my laptop for all my gaming and geeking purposes.

With that much gadgets surrounding me already, if I had needed the Kindle for anything but reading, it would be a farce. the converse could be true, with that much gadgets that I can read with, why would I need a kindle? The laptop is heavy, big strain on the eyes, can't go to shower with me or to bed with me. My iphone is a big strain on the eyes and I really hate the small screen-ness. If anything, to continue with my geeking purposes, I should get a mac or a true linux box, not a Kindle mock-up.

However, reading from your arguments for the nook and against the kindle, as well as for the library, I had say currently your kindle is not for you. and that's not a bad thing


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## Prazzie (Oct 25, 2009)

Nice post, anivyl.  To add to your hacked Kindle link, Kindle has the font hack, the custom screensaver hack, it's been hacked to enable full internatinal web browsing, Amazon's DRM has been hacked, making the Kindle a completely open ereader - what more do people want?!  (I know, I know, colour e-ink, video playback, the ability to fetch your slippers...)

I'm with you, I just want to read on it!


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## KindleChickie (Oct 24, 2009)

I think you answered your own questions.  You mainly want to be able to take advantage of your librarys ebook resources for free.  Nuttin wrong with that.  So you need to give up your Kindle and get a Sony, or wait for Nook to find out if it will read them.


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## kb7uen Gene (Mar 13, 2009)

I second that, I bought my Kindle 2 when it was $359.  Now it is $259, but that is totally my fault, such is the life of an early adoptor.  As far as Android is concerned, it may be the pretty boy on the block at the moment, but it is also my best guess that it also contributes to the sluggish nature of the Nook.  Android probably requires much more in the way of resources from the nook, whereas Lynx is very lean which makes it more snappy under the hood.  Just my opinion, but I bet you there is some truth to it.  I got a chance to play with the Nook, and no offense to the new Nook users on this list, but I didn't find it to be a very user friendly device.  Although I did like the back lit virtual keyboard the Nook had better than the one on the Kindle 2.  I think Barnes and Noble had the right idea on that one.  Anyway, I won't be parting with my Kindle 2 anytime soon.
Gene


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## cleverusername (Dec 28, 2009)

Prazzie said:


> Nice post, anivyl. To add to your hacked Kindle link, Kindle has the font hack, the custom screensaver hack, it's been hacked to enable full internatinal web browsing, Amazon's DRM has been hacked, making the Kindle a completely open ereader - what more do people want?! (I know, I know, colour e-ink, video playback, the ability to fetch your slippers...)
> 
> I'm with you, I just want to read on it!


i just want to read my library books on it. big difference from wanting it to do whatever else you mentioned.

anywhoo, given the current market, it's an acceptable tool for reading books, and the competition simply isn't for their various reasons. so the practical answer is simple - use it at least till the 30 day point of no return date. if i keep it longer, monitor the market trends, and sell it before the resale value bottoms out to finance the next solution. i think we can all agree that this market has hardly matured and that it's tough to pick a long term winner today. 


anivyl said:


> The Kindle has been hacked too. just like the nook (and yes, I believe someone's already mention android is a very distant cousin of linux), they both have potentials for happy book related apps. However, while I love my multiple use gadgets, I think e-readers should very much stay e-readers. I have my iphone with me for any other reasons, TV included, and my laptop for all my gaming and geeking purposes.


thanks for the link. the issue is the DRM-free part, is it likely that a hack can add that capability to the kindle? then i'll be able to have my library books/ rule the world.


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## Casse (Oct 16, 2009)

After reading your other posts on this topic.... I'd send it back. 

E-readers are not for everyone... Since you don't mind the trip to the library, have access to a selection that your acceptable with, and don't seem to need the portability then an e-reader is probably not for you.

Maybe check out the apple tablet that's coming out soon


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

I agree with Casse. It really sounds like the Kindle is not for you. I vote you return it.


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## anivyl (Nov 12, 2009)

cleverusername said:


> the issue is the DRM-free part, is it likely that a hack can add that capability to the kindle? then i'll be able to have my library books/ rule the world.


while I agree with others that you should send your kindle back because i feel it's not for you, i will answer this: there's so many hacks out there and the drm on kindle books have been hacked too (as well as drm of non-kindle books). but this board does not support the discussion of hack-arounds that... is of the illegal sort. I still want to pay my authors too, unless they don't want my money, and then I head another way.

i would highly suggest a google search.


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## Prazzie (Oct 25, 2009)

cleverusername said:


> i just want to read my library books on it. big difference from wanting it to do whatever else you mentioned.


Hi cleverusername, that comment wasn't aimed at you. It's a Kindle in-joke - if you hang out on the Amazon forums or read the 1-star Amazon Kindle reviews by non-Kindle owners (or sometimes even articles by poorly informed journalists!), you'll see the silly demands people make before they'd be willing to buy a Kindle. These go along the lines of "I will never buy a Kindle until it has a color e-ink screen, offers better web browsing, the ability to play movies etc..." Ie, until Kindle is a netbook.

I feel that the consensus has been reached on the first page of this thread already - you should probably return your Kindle and find a more suitable device, or wait until one emerges. All the best with your quest!


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## cleverusername (Dec 28, 2009)

Casse said:


> After reading your other posts on this topic.... I'd send it back.
> 
> E-readers are not for everyone... Since you don't mind the trip to the library, have access to a selection that your acceptable with, and don't seem to need the portability then an e-reader is probably not for you.
> 
> Maybe check out the apple tablet that's coming out soon


fortunately, my library is less than a half mile away and they'll deliver books to the requested location from another library. thus far, the selection has been fantastic, with many titles available on overdrive. these are indeed good things.

having used the kindle for a few days now, i am re-reading sections less. comprehension and retention seem to be better. this gift definitely blindsided me, and overall the experience has been positive. i'm off to research the sony readers, see how those folks like their unit. it's funny that just a few days ago, an e-reader wasn't even on my radar. so it may not be the kindle in the long run, as many of you have helped me realize, but an e-reader nonetheless.



anivyl said:


> while I agree with others that you should send your kindle back because i feel it's not for you, i will answer this: there's so many hacks out there and the drm on kindle books have been hacked too (as well as drm of non-kindle books). but this board does not support the discussion of hack-arounds that... is of the illegal sort. I still want to pay my authors too, unless they don't want my money, and then I head another way.
> 
> i would highly suggest a google search.


i saw a few of these items while surfing this afternoon. the fact is that we all can get books for free to begin with (from amazon, the library, etc) but hardware can be limited by the files it can or cannot read. the frustrating part is that the end user gets shut out arbitrarily based on the hardware. if there were an e-reader that could read them all... 


Prazzie said:


> Hi cleverusername, that comment wasn't aimed at you. It's a Kindle in-joke - if you hang out on the Amazon forums or read the 1-star Amazon Kindle reviews by non-Kindle owners (or sometimes even articles by poorly informed journalists!), you'll see the silly demands people make before they'd be willing to buy a Kindle. These go along the lines of "I will never buy a Kindle until it has a color e-ink screen, offers better web browsing, the ability to play movies etc..." Ie, until Kindle is a netbook.


then i would move on and complain about the color screen and full gaming capability


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

Welcome to Kindleboards!

I think it's great that you're doing the research for this now! As Prazzie said, too many people dismiss e-readers without doing the work first. While they're not for everyone, and while ultimately you may decide that there isn't one out there that will fulfill your particular wants, it's nice to see someone who isn't just dismissing them offhand without actually checking into their capabilities. You might want to check mobileread.com; that forum has sections for virtually every e-reader on the market currently.

I'm not certain you're ready for any e-reader at all if you prefer library books over purchasing them. There isn't a model out there right now that is *ideal* for library e-book downloads, though the Sony comes closest from what I understand. And as others have said, libraries don't have unlimited copies available any more than they do paper ones. My local library--which has a pretty darn substantial ebook and audiobook collection--didn't have ANY downloadable copies of five recent books I picked up.

Yet, for one recently released book in particular, they had 42(!) copies of the hardcover available. Wait time for the hardcover was three days, including time to get it to my local library from one of the other branches. And that was after I was 4th in line on the wait list for it (hubby wanted to read it, so I picked it up for him). No ebook file available from the library at all, four months after release of this New York Times bestseller. But I purchased and had that book on my Kindle 2 minutes after midnight on the day of release back in August. Libraries just aren't well set up for ebooks yet, even the best funded of them, and it's going to be a while before that happens.

I do believe all e-readers will eventually be library-capable though. It just takes time for new feature sets to be developed and the market isn't pushing for that one yet.

And yes, many of us find that comprehension and speed especially are increased on an e-reader. I, for one, wouldn't go back to paper books willingly. 

Good luck, and do let us know what you decide! Always interesting to see what reasons people have for either sticking with a particular device or giving it up.


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## BK (Feb 5, 2009)

I was -- and still am -- an avid patron of the library. Mine is close by (between home and work), has a good selection of books and an excellent online reservation system.  HOWEVER, the wait for new books can be very long, and it's hard to get books in series order.  I'm in a monthly book club, and because of long waiting lists, I've found it's often impossible to get the next Book Club book in enough time to read it before the designated club meeting.  

Even though I prefer reading on my Kindle, I still borrow books from my library. There's a stack of Robert Ellis novels on my nightstand right now. But for Book Club selections, classics, books I don't want to wait in line for, books I want to take on trips, and books I want to keep, my Kindle makes me very happy.  

I am also thrilled with the ability to read newspapers and magazines on my Kindle. The prices are terrific, and the newspapers and periodicals don't stack up for recycling.  One of my favorite Kindle bargains is the Sunday New York Times for 75 cents. Amazing!

You might want to consider keeping your new Kindle as a supplement to and not a replacement for the library.  If you travel at all, you'll certainly be happier carrying one lightweight Kindle vs. a stack of heavy library books!  And if you decide you need a travel guide, you'll have it in seconds! 

Just a few more things to think about before returning it...


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## kindlevixen (Jan 13, 2009)

I am going to echo someone above, if you really want to read library books on your kindle it is possible.... you just need to do some googling. 


That said, I have found the ebook system to be frustrating. My online library (in Las Vegas, NV) has lots of ebooks, but often they are slow to be released or there are limited copies with waitlists. I use it occasionally, but not very often. I like the instant gratification of whispernet


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## anivyl (Nov 12, 2009)

cleverusername said:


> the fact is that we all can get books for free to begin with (from amazon, the library, etc) but hardware can be limited by the files it can or cannot read. the frustrating part is that the end user gets shut out arbitrarily based on the hardware. if there were an e-reader that could read them all... then i would move on and complain about the color screen and full gaming capability


 yes, I would really suggest you google alot  unfortunately, besides pointing out converters like mobipocket, I can't post more links to some places that would "open up" the hardware for you, or else turn things to suit your hardware.


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## luvshihtzu (Dec 19, 2008)

I use my Kindle for all the books that my library system doesn't have and there are a lot of them.  I do find after using the Kindle for the past year, I prefer reading on it over all the hardcover and paperback books.  Love being able to change the font size to suit me.

If you are planning on buying another type ereader (Sony or others) to use the Overdrive system, be sure to check out your library.  Our library system here in Tucson only has just over 600 ebooks.  Most are romances and how-to ebooks.  Phoenix has over 16,000 ebooks available, but we can't use their system.  Just make sure you know what your system is offering.  I find for the few books I read on my Sony, the waiting list for a particular title and short check out time make it worthless.


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## Pirate (Jul 5, 2009)

Prazzie said:


> Hint - so has the K2  The nook has been hacked to pieces to B&N's detriment (they will have to cover the costs of the illicit data transfers if nook is used as a tablet.), so B&N will be doing whatever they can to undo these hacks. As for Android's potential...what potential does Android have that Linux doesn't?
> 
> Have you actually done some research to find out what you can read on your Kindle and where you can find books for it? There are thousands of free ebooks available for the Kindle and the "clunky" PDF books are really not an issue at all. Hint - download Calibre or Mobipocket Creator and in less than a minute your clunky PDFs will be Kindle-ized! Faster than biking to the library.


How do you kindle-ize a pdf file using Mobipockeat Creator. I downloaded it but could not fine any to use a pdf file/

Jim


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## angelad (Jun 19, 2009)

luvshihtzu said:


> I use my Kindle for all the books that my library system doesn't have and there are a lot of them.  I do find after using the Kindle for the past year, I prefer reading on it over all the hardcover and paperback books. Love being able to change the font size to suit me.
> 
> If you are planning on buying another type ereader (Sony or others) to use the Overdrive system, be sure to check out your library. Our library system here in Tucson only has just over 600 ebooks. Most are romances and how-to ebooks. Phoenix has over 16,000 ebooks available, but we can't use their system. Just make sure you know what your system is offering. I find for the few books I read on my Sony, the waiting list for a particular title and short check out time make it worthless.


Libraries are still largely behind on electronic formats, although there has been some progress.


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## anivyl (Nov 12, 2009)

Pirate said:


> How do you kindle-ize a pdf file using Mobipockeat Creator. I downloaded it but could not fine any to use a pdf file/
> 
> Jim


if you have the mobipocket version for publishers, there's a section for pdf files.


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## tahitigirl (Apr 9, 2009)

Pirate said:


> How do you kindle-ize a pdf file using Mobipockeat Creator. I downloaded it but could not fine any to use a pdf file/
> 
> Jim


Hi. Under the section "Import from existing file" click "Adobe PDF". Click "browse" and choose your PDF file. Then click "import". Then click the "build" icon. Select "no compression" and "no encryption". Click "build". You can now close the program. On your computer, you should now have a folder called "my publications". In this folder you will find a folder with the file name of the pdf file you converted. Inside that folder will be a file with the extension ".prc". This prc file can be read on your Kindle. Just transfer it to your Kindle using your USB cable. Put it inside the "documents" file on the Kindle. Or you can import it into Calibre and transfer it that way.

Hope this helped.


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## kindlevixen (Jan 13, 2009)

Pirate said:


> How do you kindle-ize a pdf file using Mobipockeat Creator. I downloaded it but could not fine any to use a pdf file/
> 
> Jim


There is a tutorial for converting PDFs here:
http://www.fictionvixen.com/2009/11/converting-pdf-files-for-kindle.html


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## Tigress780 (Oct 3, 2009)

Like some have mentioned, I too read library ebooks on my Kindle. It only required a bit of research on how to do it. I don't feel bad about doing this because once the "check-out" period has passed the book is no longer accessible.


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## luvshihtzu (Dec 19, 2008)

I have the Kindle2 and Kindle DX for most of my reading. I also have a used Sony 505 for Overdrive library books.  

After reading 10 of the Overdrive/Adobe Digital Editions ebooks on the Sony 505, I probably will end up selling that reader at some point.  The ADE format is pretty bad for most of the books and makes reading rather uncomfortable.  Some pages only have two or three lines on them where others are full.  Also trying to use the Sony for increasing font size is not as pleasant as the increasing font size on my Kindles. The Sony only has three actual font sizes.  I way prefer my Kindles.


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## Neekeebee (Jan 10, 2009)

luvshihtzu said:


> I have the Kindle2 and Kindle DX for most of my reading. I also have a used Sony 505 for Overdrive library books.
> 
> After reading 10 of the Overdrive/Adobe Digital Editions ebooks on the Sony 505, I probably will end up selling that reader at some point. The ADE format is pretty bad for most of the books and makes reading rather uncomfortable. Some pages only have two or three lines on them where others are full. Also trying to use the Sony for increasing font size is not as pleasant as the increasing font size on my Kindles. The Sony only has three actual font sizes. I way prefer my Kindles.


I've had my Sony 300 for a couple of weeks now, and I also prefer reading on my Kindle 1. I haven't done much research on the Sony's so I thought it was just the 300 (Pocket Edition) that only had 3 fonts. My library has both Adobe PDF and ePub ebooks, and the ePubs look a lot better. I got one book that is written in letters/emails/notes and it was impossible to read in PDF format on my Sony. Oh, and it took me an hour to figure out that you can only read one type of library book (PDF or ePub, whichever is the latest type you download) at a time--no switching back and forth between the two types.

For the most part, though, it is working pretty well. IMHO, If your public library has a lot of ebooks you want to read, it's a pretty good deal.

N


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