Amazon sent out a press release this morning announcing that they will be adding support for library lending to the Kindle and all of its linked devices.
This is a major step forward for Amazon and I think it’s something that will make it much more attractive to buyers. In fact, if you don’t already have one, why not? The price has come way down and I can’t explain to you how enjoyable it is to read on. In fact, I do far more reading on my Kindle now than on paper, though mostly because it’s made daily newspapers affordable to me without all of the paperwaste. (Buy a Kindle here.)
Now all we need is to get Amazon to collect and pay their fair share of sales tax.
But adding in the support to take my Kindle to the library and check out books is a huge thing and publishers are just going to have to deal with the changing nature of book delivery.
But Amazon has added even more impressive features than just being able to check out a book. Check out their press release below:
Amazon today announced Kindle Library Lending, a new feature launching later this year that will allow Kindle customers to borrow Kindle books from over 11,000 libraries in the United States. Kindle Library Lending will be available for all generations of Kindle devices and free Kindle reading apps.
“We’re excited that millions of Kindle customers will be able to borrow Kindle books from their local libraries,” said Jay Marine, Director, Amazon Kindle. “Customers tell us they love Kindle for its Pearl e-ink display that is easy to read even in bright sunlight, up to a month of battery life, and Whispersync technology that synchronizes notes, highlights and last page read between their Kindle and free Kindle apps.”
Customers will be able to check out a Kindle book from their local library and start reading on any Kindle device or free Kindle app for Android, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, PC, Mac, BlackBerry, or Windows Phone. If a Kindle book is checked out again or that book is purchased from Amazon, all of a customer’s annotations and bookmarks will be preserved.
“We’re doing a little something extra here,” Marine continued. “Normally, making margin notes in library books is a big no-no. But we’re extending our Whispersync technology so that you can highlight and add margin notes to Kindle books you check out from your local library. Your notes will not show up when the next patron checks out the book. But if you check out the book again, or subsequently buy it, your notes will be there just as you left them, perfectly Whispersynced.”
As someone who’s going to be putting books out for eReaders in the very near future, I’m curious to see if this will help you guys decide to get into the eReader market.
I’m sold on them. I’ve had my Kindle since December and I don’t see myself ever going without one again.