Q. I am looking for an eReader that will allow me to download eBooks from Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh or Ohio Public Library. With Kindle you must buy books through Amazon. With iPad you must buy books through iTunes. (At least that is my understanding.) Is there an app or device that will let me "borrow" eBooks from the library? I am looking for current bestsellers.
--D.D., Elizabeth, Pa.
A. Many library systems have electronic books available for borrowing, with a limited number of copies of each title available. For example, they may only have two electronic copies of a current bestseller in the system. This is done to avoid cannibalizing the book's sales, which the publishers depend on to stay in business. If everyone could just log on to the library's website and download the book whenever they want, who would ever buy them?
After you download the eBook from the library it stays on your eReader or computer for a limited amount of time (say, one or two weeks) then deletes itself. After it expires and deletes from your reader the eBook file is then available for the next person in the queue to download and read for the set timeframe.
You can learn more about Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's system at http://tinyurl.com/4enygfv , where you will find instructions and a list of compatible devices and software programs. Readers in other cities should check your local library system's website to learn more about borrowing eBooks.
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