Amazon Starts Lending Ebooks, but Head of ALA Says Libraries Still Offer Best Value Amazon launched today its ebook
lending library. Although the new service directly competes for at least one resource that public libraries provide, the executive director of the American Library Association is confident that it does not pose a threat.The Amazon collection, to start, is small at about 5000 titles, and access is limited to those who both own a Kindle device and also subscribe to the Amazon Prime fast shipping and video streaming service, which costs $79 a year. “With this launch, we expect three immediate results: Kindle owners will read even more, publisher revenues will grow, and authors will see larger royalty checks,” said Russ Grandinetti, vice president, Kindle Content, in a company
press release. A user can borrow
one book a month, with no due date, and any notes or highlights are saved even after the book is returned in case the book is later re-borrowed or purchased. When a new book is borrowed, the previously borrowed title disappears from the device. [
More]
November 3, 2011 By Michael Kelley
Amazon Starts Lending Ebooks, but Head of ALA Says Libraries Still Offer Best Value Amazon launched today its ebook lending library. Although the new service directly competes for at least one resource that public libraries provide, the executive director of the American Library Association is confident that it does not pose a threat.The Amazon collection, to start, is small at about 5000 titles, and access is limited to those who both own a Kindle device and also subscribe to the Amazon Prime fast shipping and video streaming service, which costs $79 a year. “With this launch, we expect three immediate results: Kindle owners will read even more, publisher revenues will grow, and authors will see larger royalty checks,” said Russ Grandinetti, vice president, Kindle Content, in a company press release. A user can borrow one book a month, with no due date, and any notes or highlights are saved even after the book is returned in case the book is later re-borrowed or purchased. When a new book is borrowed, the previously borrowed title disappears from the device. [More] November 3, 2011 By Michael Kelley
