The short answer is…
none of them work well enough to be considered the “best”.
We get a lot of inquiries about how to use e-readers, like a kindle paperwhite or kobo, with the library’s e-books.
You are reading: Best ereader for library books
Our advice has been that if you really want to enjoy the complete library’s eBook collection, consider using a modern Android tablet or iPad instead. if you don’t mind the small screen, an android phone or iphone will work too.
why don’t e-readers work well with library resources?
e-reader screens are better for the eyes, but their ecosystem doesn’t play well with library e-book apps.
I call them library applications, but they are not developed or maintained by the library. Some of you may not be aware of this, but libraries handle online resource collections quite differently than our print collection.
as defined in our collection development policy, “an electronic resource collection is a collection of items in the form of online databases, electronic books, streaming music, videos and audiobooks, and various other services available online”.
Public libraries generally do not purchase and own online resources such as e-books one by one as we do print books due to licensing restrictions and costs. instead, libraries subscribe to online resource products from third-party providers. these all make up the majority of items on our a-z list of resources.
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It’s best to access online resources for ebooks and audiobooks through their own native apps, if they have one. this means that you need to download those apps on your own devices in order to access and enjoy the content. some examples here are axis 360, hoopla and libby (overdrive).
Most of the time, these apps don’t work well with e-reading platforms as they are usually built for ios or android only. Also, they are only available through the Apple Store or Google Play Store. only a few are available through the amazon app store. If an e-reader doesn’t support installing apps from these app stores, it won’t work.
can I get e-books from the library with an e-reader?
yes, you can borrow a small part of the library’s books, mainly some ebooks from libby (overdrive).
Depending on the device, the experience can be very different.
kindle e-readers
With kindle e-readers like kindle paperwhite, you can read libby (overdrive) ebooks that have kindle versions available. but only some do. Follow the steps on this libby help page to submit a libby book to kindle e-readers. You can also watch a short video about reading libby books with kindle.
kobo e-readers
A built-in libby (overdrive) feature is available for the following Kobo e-readers:
- kobo sage
- kobo libra 2
- kobo ellipsa
- kobo nia
- kobo libra h2o
- kobo forma
- kobo aura one
- kobo aura edition 2
- kobo aura h2o edition 2
- kobo clara hd
this makes it a bit easy to borrow and read overdrive books right from your kobo. follow the steps on the kobo help site to get started.
If you’re using an older Kobo e-reader, such as an older Kobo Aura, Touch 2.0, or Glo, the procedure is more complicated. you’ll need to transfer the library’s ebooks from a computer that uses adobe digital editions.
android based e-readers
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onyx boox and boyue are the most popular android based e-readers.
with onyx boox try to get a modern device with recent versions of android and you will be able to install all library apps available in google play store. Library apps are frequently updated and apps may be incompatible with older versions of android.
with boyue, the android version for your devices is very old. The company upgraded LikeBook Mars from Android 6 to 8 in Oct 2021. Considering that the latest version of Android is now Android 12, please avoid using Boyue devices with library e-books.
what about recently produced tablets?
The story with the tablets produced in recent years is much simpler and they allow you to enjoy more books from the library.
amazon fire tablets
if you have an amazon fire tablet, you can install apps from the library available in the amazon app store. Please note that the number of library apps in the Amazon App Store is limited. you will get better coverage with an android tablet or ipad.
ipad
if you have a modern ipad, you can install all library apps available in apple store.
modern android tablets
If you have a modern Android tablet, like a recent Samsung Galaxy Tab, you can install all the library apps available on the Google Play Store.
If you still have questions, feel free to check out our Supported Devices FAQ for online resources. In addition, you are welcome to contact elibrary for assistance.
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