It’s no secret that publishers hate library ebooks. Essentially they are everything publishers hate about ebooks in one place; the cost is zero (once you have an ebook reader), and libraries don’t have to replace them due to wear and tear. According to The Verge, Penguin previously pulled all their support for Overdrive-powered library lending, and it looks like any books they are making available have an extra requirement-you must download them to a computer, then sideload them to a Kindle (or NOOK, or Kobo, etc.) It doesn’t sound too terrible until you read this email from a Gear Diary reader:
I just tried to get a book. I was successfully able to check it out in Overdrive, but am unable to download it from the Amazon website. It appears that Amazon and Penguin Publishing are now forcing people to buy a physical Kindle, then connect to a USB port to download the book from a computer. The various Kindle readers, such as iPad, Android, and Kindle for Mac will not work, even via USB.
Very frustrating!
As if that’s not frustrating enough, this was the follow-up email from the same reader:
I just spent the better part of an hour with Amazon customer support. The book shows up in my Overdrive Public Library as checked out, and it shows up on the Amazon website. The Amazon website shows that I can’t download it as I don’t have a physical Kindle. Worse yet, I can’t even return the book. Since I don’t have a physical Kindle to attach via USB, then the book won’t show up in my library. Even Amazon can’t return the book since it won’t show up in my Library unless I go buy a Kindle.
Think we can start a boycott of Penguin… I’ll be first in line!!
I had the same experience. Tech guys at the Library tell me Penguin wont allow Libraries to exchange for epub. They are really ripping off the tax payer