eBooks should get easier to borrow

Last month I wrote that it’s only a matter of time before most books are read digitally. But one drawback I mentioned is that the most popular book reader — the Amazon Kindle — doesn’t easily let you borrow library books. I’m a big fan of electronic-book readers, but I’m an even bigger fan of public libraries. It’s not enough to make it easy to purchase e-books. It’s also important to make it easy to borrow them from libraries.

Sony appears to be doing just that. Last week the consumer electronics company announced its newest Sony Reader e-book along with a partnership with OverDrive that will allow people to use their local library card to borrow digital copies of books and other media.

OverDrive works with public libraries to allow you to borrow books for a limited period of time. Even though there is no physical scarcity, as there are with printed books, the service protects the rights of publishers and authors by limiting not only how long you can keep a book but how many can be loaned out at a time.

Just as with physical books, libraries purchase a limited number of digital licenses and once all “copies” of a title are checked out, you have to wait for someone to “return” their copy before you can check it out. But you don’t have to go back to the library to return the book or pay overdue charges. The book simply expires from your device.

OverDrive currently partners with about 9,000 libraries.

You need a library card to borrow an e-book from a specific library, but you don’t necessary have to live in the area. I have library cards from several cities around the country simply so I can use their electronic resources. And you don’t need an e-book reader to take advantage of downloadable books. You can also read them on PCs and Macs.

OverDrive isn’t the only online resource worth checking out. Like other libraries, the Santa Clara County (CA) Library has downloadable audio books and videos, including titles that can be played on iPods and other digital media players. There are also a large number of searchable databases — some which would cost a lot of money if you subscribed yourself — including a Civil War reference library, an auto repair library and an online version of Encyclopaedia Britannica. As with most libraries, you have to visit a branch to get a library card, but once you have that number you can access their online resources from any Internet-enabled device.

The OverDrive service should work with any Sony e-book reader, including the just-announced Sony Reader Daily Edition, which will be available in December for $399. It features a 7-inch touch screen and, like the Kindle, will have a built-in cellular modem. Sony will use the AT&T 3G network to find and download books.

Kindle gets its service from Sprint. The Amazon Kindle 2 costs $299 and features a 6-inch screen. It supports PDF files, but Amazon uses a proprietary format for its books. Sony is supporting the EPub open standard for e-book files as well as PDFs and Microsoft Word files. It can also download free public domain books from Google. This would include non-copyrighted books or books whose copyrights have expired.

In the case of Kindle, Amazon pays for all connection charges because it’s the only approved vendor for Kindle books. Sony is taking a more open approach, doing business with multiple book sellers and information providers. It’s expected that sellers will pay for any cellular charges, though I’m not sure how that will work for borrowed titles.

Although its sales lag behind the Kindle, Sony is a pioneer in the field. It launched its first reader, the LIBRIé, back in 2004 and its newer Sony Reader line in 2006. Amazon’s Kindle debuted in November 2007. Its sales have been eclipsed by Amazon partially because Amazon has made it so easy to buy e-books, typically for $10. It’s also worth noting that Amazon offers free software that allows you to use an iPhone or iPod Touch to buy and read Kindle books.

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