[Web4lib] Library Purchase/Subscription For Kindle Content?

[Louise Alcorn]

-----Original Message-----

As Some May Know, Amazon Recently Made Available An iPhone App For
Access To Kindle Content:
"Kindle For iPhone App Released"

[ http://tinyurl.com/dzcck4 ]



I've used the Kindle app for my iPod Touch (uses same apps as iPhone)
for some time now.  It goes to kindle.amazon.com and grabs your content,
and has you choose a few to make "live" on your device.   I like it -
good display, not as easy on the eyes as the e-ink tech on the Kindle,
but fine for a lunchtime or waiting room read.  

There are some issues with Kindle content for libraries - mostly, they
just don't have what we want in the way of content, though that's
changing.  U of NE-Omaha did something rather clever and decided that,
though they couldn't really use it effectively for ILL (their original
thought), they'd use it for a popular materials collection, to save on
shelf space.  They check out like wildfire, as I understand.  I saw a
presentation on it by Joyce Neujahr, Director of Patron Services at
UNE-Omaha, at the Library Technology Conference in St. Paul in March.  
http://www.macalester.edu/library/libtechconference/overview.html#

There were some issues with subscriptions, disabling buying features,
etc. You can have up to 5 or 6 (?) Kindles attached to the same credit
card/account and share across them.  I think it would take some
massaging to make it work in a less-controlled environment, like a
public library setting.  For academic/special/school libraries, it has
some possibilities.  

My 2 cents.  That said, I adore my personal Kindle and the access to it
on the Touch.  

Louise E. Alcorn
Reference Technology Librarian
West Des Moines Public Library
4000 Mills Civic Pkwy
West Des Moines IA 50265
(515) 222-3573      louise.alcorn at wdm-ia.com
http://www.wdmlibrary.org