If you love to borrow ebooks from the public library and have a Kobo e-reader, there is some really good news. Kobo has just added Overdrive functionality to the Aura H2O Edition 2, Kobo Aura Edition 2 and Kobo Clara HD.
Borrowing eBooks has never been easier: Readers can connect to their local public libraries right from their device with built-in, one-touch lending access. Set-up is free and easy, all that’s needed is a library card from any OverDrive-powered library, and through an integrated catalogue, booklovers can search for the title they want, and depending on the title, choose either to borrow or buy with just one click.
Previously the only Kobo e-reader that had Overdrive functionality was the Aura One, that came out in 2016. It was the most expensive e-reader that the company has ever made, and borrowing ebooks from Overdrive was one of the key selling points. This point is now moot because all of the other modern Kobo e-readers can now borrow digital content.
A firmware update will be pushed out to all of these e-readers on August 24th. This is a free update that will be pushed out to all devices via WIFI. You can read this handy FAQ if you have any questions regarding how to setup an Overdrive account or to find ebooks in the Kobo Store.
“As we grow as a company, we are always trying to keep the reader’s entire reading life in mind – where and when do they read, how can we make accessing eBooks easier, how can we combine beautiful design while pushing the envelope of what technology can do. Everything we do is for the reader,” said Michael Tamblyn, CEO, Rakuten Kobo. “The insights and feedback gleaned from readers on our most premium device showed that those who borrowed eBooks directly from their public library on average read 30% more than those who did not use the library feature. Avid readers clearly appreciate the easy access to more books. As a result, we have rolled out the feature to our entire current eReader lineup. We want everyone to be able to access the stories they love, however they want to read them.”
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
