Check Out Kindles at University Libraries
Kindles are kindling significant new reader interest — certainly at the Texas A&M University Libraries, where the wait list is long for use of the portable electronic devices that literally become self-contained libraries. Each Kindle is capable of storing and displaying numerous books, magazines and other publications. University Libraries staff at Texas A&M have been lending 18 of the compact devices for four months. They began making them available to students, faculty and staff — checking them out on 14-day loans, just as they do with books, but with no renewals.
Linda Bair, one of the members of the library staff who received demo Kindles developed by Amazon.com, praised the devices, noting that, in addition to portability and ease of use, some new books are available for Kindle download even before the paper versions reach bookstores.
“My daughter and I are big Twilight fans. While others were camping out in front of the stores, I was able to download the newest book the day before it hit the shelves,” Bair commented. Texas A&M’s Kindle wait list now stands at two months and growing, prompting library officials to consider adjusting the loan policy. Aggies and other clients of the library can add their names to the wait list by clicking on http://tinyurl.com/lv29b2.