Downloading eBooks to a Kindle (5-way controller style)

Follow these detailed instructions to enjoy eBooks on your Amazon.com Kindle. These instructions apply to older generation Kindles and Kindles with five-way controllers. If you have a Kindle Fire or a Kindle Touch, read these instructions. If you need instructions for another device, check our detailed instructions page.

Visit the Ohio Digital Library to find Kindle books to borrow. If you have any questions, either call the library at (419) 826-2760 or contact us

You can also visit Overdrive's device help page for more tips on how to download books for Kindle.

 

 

Getting Started

  1. From either your Kindle (if it has WiFi and the ability to browse the internet, NOT just Amazon’s store) or your computer (if your Kindle doesn’t have WiFi or if you find it easier to work on a computer), go to http://www.swantonpubliclibrary.org

  2. On the library’s main page, click on the Ohio Digital Library. You can also skip step one and go directly there by typing in http://ohioebooks.com.

  3. Begin by logging into your Ohio Digital Library account. Click the ‘Sign in’ button on top of the page. You’ll be asked to select or type in your library’s name. Once ‘Swanton LSD Public Library’ appears, click on it and then 'Go'. Next, type in your library card number from the back of your card in the box below. You don’t need to put in the spaces, just the numbers. Then click on the ‘Sign in’ button.

  4. Now that you are logged in, the next step is to browse the collection of eBooks. 

 

 

Finding Books for the Kindle

  1. You can search for titles in the following ways: Entering title/author/keywords in the search bar next to the magnifying glass, or browsing by genre. The blue bar at the top includes formats and genres (eBook fiction, audiobook nonfiction, etc.). After clicking on one of those, you can limit the format to Kindle by clicking on Kindle Book on the left under Formats.
    * Search results show covers of book titles. In the upper right corner of the cover, you’ll see an icon. An open book means the title is an eBook; a pair of headphones means it’s an audiobook. If the icon is light gray, the title is checked out. If it’s black, then it’s available. Only look for open books for these kinds of Kindles.
     
  2. When you have found a title, click on the title under the cover of the book to see which formats are available and check for Kindle in the box to the right. Once you’re sure you can check out the book, tap on the large blue ‘Borrow’ button under the cover.
    * If you don't need to check the formats (if you narrowed the search to just Kindle, for example), you can also hover your mouse pointer over the cover. The 'Borrow' button will appear without having to go to the next page.
    * If the title has no copies available, you may request it by selecting ‘Place a Hold’ and then confirming it on the next screen. When an item on hold is ready to be checked out, sign in and click on ‘Account’ and then ‘Holds’ at the top of the screen.

  3. After you have clicked on ‘Borrow’, you can either click ‘Read (in your browser)’ to read on the computer, or click the ‘Download’ button to transfer to your Kindle. You may have to select the Kindle format and then ‘Confirm and Download’. 

     

 

Downloading Books to Your Kindle

  1. After you click on ‘Borrow’ and confirm the download, a new browser window will open, showing you your title within the Amazon Kindle page. Click the yellow ‘Get library book’ button on the right side of the screen. If you were not already logged into your Amazon.com account, you will now be prompted to log in with your email address and Amazon password. Make sure that you log into the same account that you registered with your Kindle.

  2. Under the 'Get library book' button, use the drop-down menu to specify which device or Kindle application you would like to have your title delivered to. Most users will see the name of their Kindle displayed and will leave that as the default destination. Now click the 'Get library book' button.
    * If you must transfer via USB cable, you can choose 'Transfer via computer' here.

  3. You should now see a Thanks! page.
    * If you have WiFi, your Kindle will download your eBook the next time it connects to WiFi. You won’t have to save anything anywhere, even if the page that comes up says you will.
    * However, if you DO NOT have WiFi, would rather download directly from the computer, attach your Kindle to your computer using the cable and click ‘Download Now’. When it asks you where to save the file, choose your Kindle by name from the dropdown and save the file in the folder named ‘Documents’.

  4. On your Kindle, your book will show on your Home screen as a new title. 

 

 

Returning/Deleting Kindle Books

  1. Depending on your settings, books will be automatically returned after either fourteen or twenty-one days.
    * On the Ohio Digital Library page, sign in and click on ‘Account’ and then ‘Settings’ to set your default lending periods.

  2. To return a title early, use your computer to log into your Amazon account. Use the navigation menu labeled 'Your Account' on the top right side. Select 'Manage Your Content and Devices'. You should see a list of the titles in your Kindle.

  3. In the 'Actions' column, click on the box (with three dots in it) next to the name of the library eBook you would like to return. A menu will pop up. Select 'Return this book'. The screen will pause for a moment before reloading with the book returned.

  4. You will also use this method to delete a title whose loan period has expired. Select the 'actions' box again and choose the option to delete. The screen will pause for a moment before reloading. The book will then be deleted from your Amazon account.
    * Note: The title will not be deleted from the Kindle itself, however.

  5. To delete an expired title from the Kindle itself, use the 5-way controller to highlight the book on the home screen, then click the controller to the side. Now click the select button to activate the ‘remove from device’ alert that has appeared on the screen. This will remove the book from your Kindle entirely.