Ebooks for Kindle now available at Oshkosh Public Library

Sept. 22, 2011 – The Oshkosh Public Library is pleased to announce that its ebook collection is now available for download on the world's most popular ebook reader, the Amazon Kindle.

Amazon and digital book distributor Overdrive launched Kindle Lending Library on Wednesday. Now library users can choose from the ebook titles offered at www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org and download them to a Kindle using the free Kindle app.

Oshkosh Public Library has been offering ebooks, digital audio books and other downloadable media via its web site for about ten years. During the past year, the library has seen a tremendous increase in public demand for assistance using ereaders and other mobile devices to download books. Until now, customers could download to a variety of popular devices, but not to the Amazon Kindle.

“We have customers who have been anxiously waiting for this day to come,” said Janice Dibble, Head of Reference and Adult Services. “When Kindle and Overdrive announced this partnership in April, the library world – and our customers who use Kindles – were very excited that access to library ebooks would finally be available to this large group of readers.”

Oshkosh Public Library opened a new Technology Learning Lab earlier this year in response to the growing public demand for assistance with technology on many levels. One of the driving factors was the growing popularity of ereaders and the related demand for assistance in downloading library ebooks to the devices.

“E-readers were one of the hot gifts of Christmas 2010 and since then we’ve seen a steady increase in people interested in downloading books from the library web site,” Dibble explains. The library offers one-on-one assistance and has started scheduling small classes for customers who want to learn how to download library ebooks, digital audio books and other media.

The library also offers instructions for downloading, as well as device- and format-specific tips at www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org. A library card is required to download.

Oshkosh Public Library continues to add to its downloadable collections and also participates in a statewide purchasing consortium. Libraries in the Winnefox Library System have made a commitment to increase the number of ebook titles and other digital media available.

“Libraries are about books and reading and we’re changing to meet the demands of today’s readers,” explains Library Director Jeff Gilderson-Duwe. “OPL and libraries throughout Wisconsin are committed to continuing to make reading experiences available to the public, whatever the format.”