I have used a Kindle since 2013 (or earlier? Here’s an old school blog post for your reading pleasure. Back in the day I would have one random thought that qualified as a post in my book 😂) and absolutely love reading on it. The main pros for me are that you can have as many books as you want at a time and it doesn’t get any heavier, you can read comfortably no matter what the lighting, and it is so easy to get books for free (I cannot remember the last time I bought a book for my Kindle). Today I want to share the easy way you can access books, regardless of where you are at any given time, and my best tips for making the most of your reading experience.
1. Get a library card
This is step one for my favorite method of getting free books for your Kindle. Visit your local library and sign up for a card! Not only is having a library card great for getting physical books, there are also perks like using it to prove where you live. For example, you can use a NYC public library card to get into the Met at no cost.
2. Download Libby
Libraries typically provide Kindle books via OverDrive. OverDrive is not the most user friendly in my experience, so you can download the app Libby instead, which is powered by OverDrive. Once you download the app you’ll be prompted to sign in with your library card so you can access books from your library’s online collection (including audiobooks).
Each library has different rules for how many books you can have out at a time and how many holds you can place. Libby will keep you on track and will even do auto-returns for you so you don’t get any late fees (you can also request extensions, but again the length of time depends on your library).
3. Set your preferences and start borrowing
You can set your preferences for the types of books you’re interested in seeing, as well as the availability and format. When browsing I like to set the availability for “available now,” but because you can put books on hold, it’s also nice to see what will be available soon that you can put on your hold shelf.
You can opt to just see books that are available for Kindle or you can see books that are available to read right in the Libby app. If you do check out a book in Kindle format, you’ll be prompted to sign into your Amazon account and decide where you want the book delivered (this is important to note if you share an Amazon account with other family members who also have Kindles).
4. A few other tips and tricks
Another option for getting free Kindle books is directly from Amazon. Classics are typically available for free when you search them. You can also share books with friends who have Kindles and if you have a Prime subscription you can use Prime Reading for free.
My last trick that has served me especially well is to take advantage of “airplane mode” on my Kindle. If I borrow a very long book from the library and know that even with an extension I may not finish it, I will put the book on my Kindle and turn on airplane mode so it will not be auto returned. This does mean that I can’t add any additional books in the meantime, but I’ve found that using this trick once in a while makes borrowing longer books feasible.
Where do you get your books? Are you a fan of the library like me?!
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