Latest news with #ebooks
CNET
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
Stuff Your Kindle Day Is Now: Grab Free and $1 Romance E-Books
I read about a book a week on average. Sometimes I read even more when I'm also streaming an audiobook or focused during the entirety of a flight. As any fellow bookworm knows, that habit can get pricey fast. That's why I love Stuff Your Kindle Day, which lets me and my fellow bibliophiles stock up on free and heavily discounted e-books several times a year. Right now, all you romance lit fanatics can stock up on your favorite titles, and keep the downloaded books forever. These Kindle-stuffing events run throughout the year with alternating genres, so if fluffy romance isn't really your thing, you can wait until the mystery and dark fiction events coming soon (more on that in a sec). Below, I break down everything you need to know about Stuff Your Kindle Day and how to take advantage of these deals. What is Stuff Your Kindle Day? CNET Stuff Your Kindle Day is a reader-organized digital event where authors and publishers temporarily make hundreds of e-books free or drop them to just $1 (well, 99 cents to be precise). For instance, the current Romance Book Blast event (what they're calling the romance sale) is hosted by indie authors. The idea is to allow you to discover new indie authors, try a genre you might not normally buy and fill your Kindle (or e-reader app) with zero guilt and little investment. The current event focuses on steamy romances and romantic comedy titles, which are perfect if you're in the mood for light-hearted banter, swoon-worthy moments and happily-ever-afters that will leave you feeling light and warm long after you finish reading. Some of the stand-out titles include: Meeting You by Alyssa Milani Take the Lead by Jaqueline Snowe A Grumpy Sunshine Romance by Tierney Storer What other events are offered? Stuff Your Kindle Day isn't just a once-a-year deal. There are themed events happening all year long. This week alone, there's today's romance-centric Stuff Your Kindle Day, plus a Cozy Mystery edition on July 24. And from August 10 to 12, you can take advantage of a Step Through Time event, offering sales on historical fiction titles. If you like to plan your reading list in advance, BookBub keeps an updated calendar of events and lists of featured books. Is this just available for Kindle users? Anyone can take advantage of Stuff Your Kindle Day. Whether you use a Kindle, Kobo, Nook or just your phone, you can grab these free or discounted books and read them on your preferred device or app. How to grab these e-book deals There's no catch or sign-up required. Just browse the eligible books on your preferred retailer, such as Amazon (of course), but also other stores depending on the title, and download them before the deals expire. Once you've claimed them, they're yours to keep forever. You have until the end of today to stock up on your favorite romantic reads, so fire up that Kindle. Your summer reading list will thank you.
CNET
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
Stuff Your Kindle Day Is Now: Grab Free and $1 Sci-Fi and Dystopian E-Books
I read about a book a week on average. Sometimes I read even more when I'm also streaming an audiobook or focused during the entirety of a flight. As any fellow bookworm knows, that habit can get pricey fast. That's why I love Stuff Your Kindle Day, which lets me and my fellow bibliophiles stock up on free and heavily discounted e-books several times a year. Right now, all you sci-fi and dystopian lit fanatics can stock up on your favorite titles, and keep the downloaded books forever. These Kindle-stuffing events run throughout the year with alternating genres, so if sci-fi isn't really your thing, you can wait until the romance or mystery events coming soon (more on that in a sec). Below, I break down everything you need to know about Stuff Your Kindle Day and how to take advantage of these deals. What is Stuff Your Kindle Day? CNET Stuff Your Kindle Day is a reader-organized digital event where authors and publishers temporarily make hundreds of e-books free or drop them to just $1 (well, 99 cents to be precise). For instance, the current Something Strange event (what they're calling the sci-fi sale) is hosted by Indie Author Central. The idea is to allow you to discover new indie authors, try a genre you might not normally buy and fill your Kindle (or e-reader app) with zero guilt and little investment. The current event focuses on science fiction and dystopian titles, which are perfect if you're in the mood for intergalactic adventures, post-apocalyptic worlds or futuristic thrillers. Some of the stand-out titles include: Shadow Seeker by Michelle Areaux Fortune Limited by A. R. Kingon-Daniels When Eden Falls by Alana Faye Wilson Riddle by Amanda Cale Umbra by Amber Toro What other events are offered? Stuff Your Kindle Day isn't just a once-a-year deal. There are themed events happening all year long. Coming up in the next week alone, there are two Romance Stuff Your Kindle Days on July 19 and 22, plus a Cozy Mystery edition on July 24. If you like to plan your reading list in advance, BookBub keeps an updated calendar of events and lists of featured books. Is this just available for Kindle users? Anyone can take advantage of Stuff Your Kindle Day. Whether you use a Kindle, Kobo, Nook or just your phone, you can grab these free or discounted books and read them on your preferred device or app. How to grab these e-book deals There's no catch or sign-up required. Just browse the eligible books on your preferred retailer, such as Amazon (of course), but also other stores depending on the title, and download them before the deals expire. Once you've claimed them, they're yours to keep forever. You have until the end of tomorrow to stock up on sci-fi and dystopian reads, so fire up that Kindle. Your summer reading list will thank you.
New York Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Libraries Pay More for E-Books. Some States Want to Change That.
It's hard to imagine a library that doesn't carry 'Fahrenheit 451.' But making Ray Bradbury's classic novel about book burning available to libraries in an e-book format can be its own little dystopian nightmare, according to Carmi Parker, a librarian with the Whatcom County Library System in northwest Washington. That's because library access to digital books and digital audiobooks — often collectively referred to as e-books — generally costs much more than the print version of these books. The Whatcom system must pay $51.99 to license a digital copy of 'Fahrenheit 451,' which can be checked out by one patron at a time, and which expires after two years. Other licensing agreements offered by major publishers expire after a set number of checkouts. Adding together the initial cost with time and checkout restrictions can make library e-book access as much as 10 times more expensive than print books. Parker said this is forcing some libraries to launch 'bake sales to pay for their e-book budgets.' The issue is causing tension in the book community. Librarians complain that publishers charge so much to license e-books that it's busting library budgets and frustrating efforts to provide equitable access to reading materials. Big publishers and many authors say that e-book library access undermines their already struggling business models. Smaller presses are split. But the problem is only getting worse as more people turn to their libraries for e-book access. Last year, the e-book library borrowing platform OverDrive reported that more than 739 million digital books, audiobooks and magazines were borrowed over its Libby and Sora apps, a 17 percent increase from the year before. The often bitter debate has lately moved from the library stacks and into state capitals. In May, the Connecticut legislature passed a law aimed at reining in the cost of library e-books, and other states have introduced similar legislation. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Fast Company
19-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
What libraries are getting rid of after Trump's order to dismantle the IMLS
Libraries across the United States are cutting back on e-books, audiobooks and loan programs after the Trump administration suspended millions of dollars in federal grants as it tries to dissolve the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Federal judges have issued temporary orders to block the Trump administration from taking any further steps toward gutting the agency. But the unexpected slashing of grants has delivered a significant blow to many libraries, which are reshuffling budgets and looking at different ways to raise money. Maine has laid off a fifth of its staff and temporarily closed its state library after not receiving the remainder of its annual funding. Libraries in Mississippi have indefinitely stopped offering a popular e-book service, and the South Dakota state library has suspended its interlibrary loan program. E-book and audiobook programs are especially vulnerable to budget cuts, even though those offerings have exploded in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic. 'I think everyone should know the cost of providing digital sources is too expensive for most libraries,' said Cindy Hohl, president of the American Library Association. 'It's a continuous and growing need.' Library officials caught off guard by Trump's cuts President Donald Trump issued an executive order March 14 to dismantle the IMLS before firing nearly all of its employees. One month later, the Maine State Library announced it was issuing layoff notices for workers funded through an IMLS grant program. 'It came as quite a surprise to all of us,' said Spencer Davis, a library generalist at the Maine State Library who is one of eight employees who were laid off May 8 because of the suspended funding. In April, California, Washington and Connecticut were the only three states to receive letters stating the remainder of their funding for the year was canceled, Hohl said. For others, the money hasn't been distributed yet. The three states all filed formal objections with the IMLS. Rebecca Wendt, California state library director, said she was never told why California's funding was terminated while the other remaining states did not receive the same notice. 'We are mystified,' Wendt said. The agency did not respond to an email seeking comment. Popular digital offerings on the chopping block Most libraries are funded by city and county governments, but receive a smaller portion of their budget from their state libraries, which receive federal dollars every year to help pay for summer reading programs, interlibrary loan services and digital books. Libraries in rural areas rely on federal grants more than those in cities. Many states use the funding to pay for e-books and audiobooks, which are increasingly popular, and costly, offerings. In 2023, more than 660 million people globally borrowed e-books, audiobooks and digital magazines, up from 19% in 2022, according to OverDrive, the main distributor of digital content for libraries and schools. In Mississippi, the state library helped fund its statewide e-book program. For a few days, Erin Busbea was the bearer of bad news for readers at her Mississippi library: Hoopla, a popular app to check out e-books and audiobooks had been suspended indefinitely in Lowndes and DeSoto counties due to the funding freeze. 'People have been calling and asking, 'Why can't I access my books on Hoopla?'' said Busbea, library director of the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System in Columbus, a majority-Black city northeast of Jackson. The library system also had to pause parts of its interlibrary loan system allowing readers to borrow books from other states when they aren't available locally. 'For most libraries that were using federal dollars, they had to curtail those activities,' said Hulen Bivins, the Mississippi Library Commission executive director. States are fighting the funding freeze The funding freeze came after the agency's roughly 70 staff members were placed on administrative leave in March. Attorneys general in 21 states and the American Library Association have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration for seeking to dismantle the agency. The institute's annual budget is below $300 million and distributes less than half of that to state libraries across the country. In California, the state library was notified that about 20%, or $3 million, of its $15 million grant had been terminated. 'The small library systems are not able to pay for the e-books themselves,' said Wendt, the California state librarian. In South Dakota, the state's interlibrary loan program is on hold, according to Nancy Van Der Weide, a spokesperson for the South Dakota Department of Education. The institute, founded in 1996 by a Republican-controlled Congress, also supports a national library training program named after former first lady Laura Bush that seeks to recruit and train librarians from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds. A spokesperson for Bush did not return a request seeking comment. 'Library funding is never robust. It's always a point of discussion. It's always something you need to advocate for,' said Liz Doucett, library director at Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, Maine. 'It's adding to just general anxiety.'
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Libraries are cutting back on staff and services after Trump's order to dismantle small agency
Libraries across the United States are cutting back on e-books, audiobooks and loan programs after the Trump administration suspended millions of dollars in federal grants as it tries to dissolve the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Federal judges have issued temporary orders to block the Trump administration from taking any further steps toward gutting the agency. But the unexpected slashing of grants has delivered a significant blow to many libraries, which are reshuffling budgets and looking at different ways to raise money. Maine has laid off a fifth of its staff and temporarily closed its state library after not receiving the remainder of its annual funding. Libraries in Mississippi have indefinitely stopped offering a popular e-book service, and the South Dakota state library has suspended its interlibrary loan program. E-book and audiobook programs are especially vulnerable to budget cuts, even though those offerings have exploded in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic. 'I think everyone should know the cost of providing digital sources is too expensive for most libraries," said Cindy Hohl, president of the American Library Association. 'It's a continuous and growing need.' Library officials caught off guard by Trump's cuts President Donald Trump issued an executive order March 14 to dismantle the IMLS before firing nearly all of its employees. One month later, the Maine State Library announced it was issuing layoff notices for workers funded through an IMLS grant program. 'It came as quite a surprise to all of us,' said Spencer Davis, a library generalist at the Maine State Library who is one of eight employees who were laid off May 8 because of the suspended funding. In April, California, Washington and Connecticut were the only three states to receive letters stating the remainder of their funding for the year was cancelled, Hohl said. For others, the money hasn't been distributed yet. The three states all filed formal objections with the IMLS. Rebecca Wendt, California state library director, said she was never told why California's funding was terminated while the other remaining states did not receive the same notice. 'We are mystified,' Wendt said. The agency did not respond to an email seeking comment. Popular digital offerings on the chopping block Most libraries are funded by city and county governments, but receive a smaller portion of their budget from their state libraries, which receive federal dollars every year to help pay for summer reading programs, interlibrary loan services and digital books. Libraries in rural areas rely on federal grants more than those in cities. Many states use the funding to pay for e-books and audiobooks, which are increasingly popular, and costly, offerings. In 2023, more than 660 million people globally borrowed e-books, audiobooks and digital magazines, up from 19% in 2022, according to OverDrive, the main distributor of digital content for libraries and schools. In Mississippi, the state library helped fund its statewide e-book program. For a few days, Erin Busbea was the bearer of bad news for readers at her Mississippi library: Hoopla, a popular app to check out e-books and audiobooks had been suspended indefinitely in Lowndes and DeSoto counties due to the funding freeze. 'People have been calling and asking, 'Why can't I access my books on Hoopla?'' said Busbea, library director of the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System in Columbus, a majority-Black city northeast of Jackson. The library system also had to pause parts of its interlibrary loan system allowing readers to borrow books from other states when they aren't available locally. 'For most libraries that were using federal dollars, they had to curtail those activities," said Hulen Bivins, the Mississippi Library Commission executive director. States are fighting the funding freeze The funding freeze came after the agency's roughly 70 staff members were placed on administrative leave in March. Attorneys general in 21 states and the American Library Association have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration for seeking to dismantle the agency. The institute's annual budget is below $300 million and distributes less than half of that to state libraries across the country. In California, the state library was notified that about 20%, or $3 million, of its $15 million grant had been terminated. 'The small library systems are not able to pay for the e-books themselves,' said Wendt, the California state librarian. In South Dakota, the state's interlibrary loan program is on hold, according to Nancy Van Der Weide, a spokesperson for the South Dakota Department of Education. The institute, founded in 1996 by a Republican-controlled Congress, also supports a national library training program named after former first lady Laura Bush that seeks to recruit and train librarians from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds. A spokesperson for Bush did not return a request seeking comment. 'Library funding is never robust. It's always a point of discussion. It's always something you need to advocate for,' said Liz Doucett, library director at Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, Maine. 'It's adding to just general anxiety." ___ Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
