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Kindle class offers help
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.The Austintown library offered a Kindle class Aug. 28 for people wanting to download library books to their Kindles.
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.Librarian Cindy Beach showed class participants how to download digital books to their Kindle devices at the Austintown library.
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.Elaine McClain wanted to learn how to download Kindle library books, so she attended a class at Austintown library Aug. 28.
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.Library patrons can view books they have checked out, those they have on hold and more when they sign into their digital library account.
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.Library card holders can access the digital catalog of the library system and download them to Kindles.
By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK
The Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County offers digital downloads for Kindle eReaders, but not everyone knows how to use the system. A class offered Aug. 28 at the Austintown library helped with that.
Librarian Cindy Beach took Kindle owners through the process of downloading a digital book from the library’s catalog and then accessing it on their devices.
The first step is to access the library’s website – libraryvisit.org – and click digital audio and eBooks, then digital audio and eBooks catalog. Those with most Kindle models must do this on a computer. Those with a Kindle Fire HD are able to do it from their device, if they desire.
At that point, the best next step is to click advanced search, Beach said. From there, users can choose to search for Kindle-specific digital books.
“What’s the sense in wandering through things that aren’t going to work?” Beach pointed out.
Users can also choose to search for a specific title or author and can narrow it down to available titles only. However, like traditional books, digital books can be placed on hold, so users can choose to search all Kindle titles.
Users then click borrow, and follow the steps to check out the book. When the device is synched, the book is available on it. Digital downloads expire in 21 days
To borrow and download digital library books, users must have a library card and Amazon account.
Elaine McClain of Austintown has owned a Kindle for about a year.
“I don’t know how to order books,” McClain said “I feel like a dunce.”
She saw the class advertised and thought it would be a good chance to learn how to download books.
McClain said the class was a little confusing, but it did help.
“I’ll go home and play with it,” she said.
Another Kindle class will be offered at the Austintown library at 6 p.m. Sept. 10. Those wishing to participate should call ahead to register.