My son (16) has told me he thinks he'd like a Kindle. Which kind TBD, but he'll be using the public library with it. A search brings up a lot of discussions about the Amazon Prime Lending Library but having a hard time finding info about using the public library. I have a Nook so no help there.

What are the basic steps involved once he identifies a book he'd like to read? I see some of them can be downloaded straight, some require by USB cable only. Give me an overview so when the birthday rolls around I can get him set up.

I'm going Kindle on this one because if Amazon gets a couple of shows on the streaming video I'm looking for then the lending library will come along as a free benefit for him with a Prime membership.

This showing up on the Amazon page, and using the data for marketing, is a hot topic among librarians. Many libraries specifically do not keep lending data on hand, except about books you have at home. This way they cannot even offer the data for anyone doing a search on your lending history. (ie Patriot Act)

Gotcha. Yes, it's an Overdrive library- FLP to be exact. So instead of downloading to Adobe Digital and then transferring via USB like I do for the Nook, for a Kindle, Overdrive autosends to Amazon and then it downloads from your Amazon account? Is that right? And what would be the reason some publishers make you hook up your Kindle to your computer and download via USB?

I use FLP. Most of the Kindle books, it creates a link. Click and you go to Amazon. Click again to send it to the Kindle. Very easy!

I haven't used the one or two publishers that requite a USB hookup.  That publisher has some sort of convoluted security reasoning for the requirement. Stupid.

"Yes, it's an Overdrive library- FLP to be exact. So instead of downloading to Adobe Digital and then transferring via USB like I do for the Nook, for a Kindle, Overdrive autosends to Amazon and then it downloads from your Amazon account? Is that right? And what would be the reason some publishers make you hook up your Kindle to your computer and download via USB?"

I have the basic Kindle (would love to upgrade to a Kindle Fire at some future point).  Our library also has Overdrive.  After you check out your book,  it should appear on your Kindle.  You do not need the USB, except if you check out a "Penguin" book, and those have a warning in red, on the Overdrive site, to tell you that you have to use the USB cord.  For instance, "The Help", is published by Penguin, so that one need the USB cord.  If the book does not come to your Kindle, even after you use the sync button, then just go to your Amazon account, at Manage your Kindle, and then click on the Download the book, to your Kindle, and then it will appear on your Kindle.  So, no USB cord except for "Penguin Publishing".  I have no idea why Penguin has this extra step and neither do our local librarians.  I hope this helps. 

Chris

PS  You do not use Adobe Digital at all with the Kindle--that is for the Nook.

Kindle is MUCH easier to use with overdrive then the Nook.  
He should check out what books are on offer at the moment and see if they are anything he will read as not all books are offered or can be offered. Half the books I want are not offered yet on overdrive :(

Basically you go to your libraries overdrive page, find an ebook you want, you click  Add to book bag, next to the Kindle version, then click proceed to check out, usually then prompts you to sign in with your library card number,  then it tells you how many days you can check it out for (some libraries have multiple days.), click on confirm check out, there will now be a button that says "get for kindle".. it will take you to the amazon page where you click "get library book", you then sign into amazon, and choose what device it downloads to, click continue and  Book HAS been sent via wifi to your kindle. 
 Then if its a book that has to go via USB.  insert USB cord and click download now.

Thats how it's down, the book will stop working and then delete itself when the due date passes. You will get a note saying that happened on your kindle.