News Release from Hawaii State Library System

In a move highly anticipated since its initial announcement in April, public libraries and schools in the U.S. can now lend eBooks for the Amazon® Kindle. OverDrive (www.overdrive.com) announced that it has begun adding Kindle compatibility to all of the U.S. public and school libraries in its network and expects to have all sites updated within days. This is a very significant step in a series of OverDrive WIN platform enhancements to streamline user experience and help libraries meet the increased demand for eBooks.

OverDrive, the leading multichannel digital distributor of eBooks, audiobooks and other digital content, supplies 15,000 public and school libraries worldwide and more than 11,000 in the U.S. To see if your local library is a member of the OverDrive network, visit OverDrive Search.

“Kindle compatibility will allow public and school libraries to serve millions of new readers and extend their valuable community role while providing an outstanding reading experience,” said Steve Potash, CEO of OverDrive. “This addition helps public libraries accelerate their drive to become the first online stop for eBooks, where visitors can browse, discover and sample new and popular titles and authors in virtually all subjects.”

The process for borrowing a public library or school eBook for Kindle is similar as for other devices. Most eBooks already in the library’s catalog supplied by OverDrive are compatible with Kindle, so users simply browse or search for “Kindle Book,” check out a title with a valid library card, and then click “Get for Kindle.” Access to the Kindle Book will occur at Amazon’s website after signing in and selecting delivery to the user’s Kindle device or any of the free Kindle reading apps. As with all eBooks and other digital content at OverDrive-powered libraries and schools, titles are available 24/7 and incur no late fees because they automatically expire at the end of the lending period. For more details on Kindle compatibility, including the availability of Amazon’s Whispersync technology, please visit OverDrive’s Digital Library Blog.

In addition to Kindle, OverDrive provides support for all major desktop and mobile devices, including Windows®, Mac®, iPod®, iPhone®, iPad®, Sony® Reader, NOOK™, Android™, BlackBerry® and Windows® Phone.

Visit the Hawaii State Public Library Digital Media site for more info at: http://hawaii.lib.overdrive.com