Penguin restores ebook access at libraries for Kindle users

Overdrive announced earlier today that it has reached an agreement with Penguin to restore Kindle access to its books for libraries using its ebook lending service.

New releases from Penguin still will not be available to libraries in any format.

Amber Mussman, spokesperson for the Cedar Rapids Public Library, confirmed that access would be restored for Cedar Rapids Kindle users. She said she was glad that Penguin had relented a bit, but hoped the publisher would find a model that worked better for public libraries.

Penguin had originally announced that they would no longer allow existing library books to be lent to cardholders using the Amazon Kindle e-reader. Existing titles for all other platforms were unaffected

However, all local libraries using the Overdrive system to lend ebooks will still no longer have access to digital versions of new Penguin releases, includes all of the libraries in the Cedar Rapids Metro Library Network as well as the Iowa City and Coralville public libraries.

Penguin cited concerns over the security of the ebook lending process as the reason for suspending their lending program.