Kindle Unlimited: Still Not as Good as Your Public Library
It seems every time someone says they want a “Netflix for books” everyone laughs and says “you mean the library?” Which, is true, but not really a helpful response. But now Kindle has released Kindle Unlimited, and I can’t help but think “you mean the library?” Because most metropolitan libraries already have ebooks. And at least in the state of Indiana, you can pay $50 a year to access every library in the state if your library doesn’t have this feature. (A year of Kindle Unlimited will set you back $120.)
Don’t get me wrong, I think Kindle Unlimited is a cool service. But it has two major flaws. One, is that despite their claims, it doesn’t work on every device. It won’t work on non-kindle e-readers for example. (Amazon has their own DRM separate from the standard Adobe most e-readers use). On the flip side, you can get library books on every device. If it can read a PDF or EPub file you’re golden.
The other major flaw, and one that will affect way more people, is that the selection is limited. Very limited. I started searching for books on my reading list, and was struggling to find ones available on Kindle Unlimited. Several big publishers are saying “no” to the service. Depending on what you want to read, you still may have to buy a copy. On the other hand, most of the books I want to read are available at my library. The ones that aren’t, I can still get in the dead tree version. And if I’m still stuck, most libraries will work with you to get an interlibrary loan. Sure there are a few exceptions, and I have to wait on occasion, but I can get basically any book I want through my local library.
Before you try out Kindle Unlimited, I highly recommend you check out what your public library has to offer. Not only have you already paid for this service through tax revenue, they also provide services to the community. And by frequenting your library, you help them make the case for more funding. It’s really a win-win for everyone. (And if you still want to sign up for Kindle Unlimited, help a blogger out and use this link will you?)
Written by Nicole
Nicole is a Software Quality Engineer, music collector, and chronic project starter. In her free time she enjoys reading trashy romance novels, catching up on her game backlog, and bourbon.
View all posts by: NicoleLeave a Reply
Cancel reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
I agree. It looks like they took their Kindle owners lending library, added a few titles, and slapped a subscription on it. Yes you can get more than one book a month, but I was really hoping for a much broader selection with that extra price tag. Plus, I’m already paying for Prime… shouldn’t this be included or an add on of some sort? Sorry amazon, you will have to take my money in the more traditional ways.
I think the reason this isn’t part of Prime is it’s so much a part of Amazon’s core business. They were a book seller first, and then they added the Kindle. I’d expect the books to be a hard part to let go of for them.
I agree with all of this…but I am pretty excited about it also (you can see my post on my blog if you want). I’ll probably use my library still, because there are some books I can’t get. But, I do get frustrated with my library’s hold time on new releases and best sellers, and Amazon will be helpful for that. There’s also a few series that I’ve found the library has pieces of, but not all, and I’ve found the series in whole on KU already. So, it’s a give and take for me. I read enough that I’ll use both interchangeably.
I can see getting frustrated with hold times. I put a hold on Landline before it was released and I was still number 9 on the list. And I didn’t want to wait for Robogenesis so I just bought the hardcover. I think what keeps bothering me is that people are acting like getting ebooks for “free” without leaving the house is a new thing.
I find it really interesting that you’re finding books on KU that aren’t at the library. It’s been the opposite for me. Guess it just depends what you read!
I agree with everything! Love the Glendale library and the Indy Library’s e-book system!
Always check the library first, if it involves information!