Amazon introduces Kindle Lending Library

Amazon announced Wednesday that Kindle users will soon be able to borrow e-books from their local libraries via the e-book reader and its related apps.

The Kindle Lending Library will launch later this year, and will allow Kindle customers to borrow books from more than 11,000 libraries in the U.S. The offer will apply to all generations of Kindle e-books and Kindle reading apps.

Unlike physical library books, users will be able to make notes in the margins of their borrowed e-books. When they "return" it, those notes will not be visible to the next borrower, but if the customer checks the book out again or decides to buy it, their notes will remain intact.

"We're doing a little something extra here," Jay Marine, director of Amazon Kindle, said in a statement. "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."

A Kindle spokeswoman said the borrowed books will be in Kindle format.

Click to continue reading Amazon introduces Kindle Lending Library

• Tools:
• Permalink
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Comments (0)
• Email this story