Tell me about Prime lending library

[mommylamb]

Alas, DH's grandfathered Amazon Mom will expire at the end of the month, which means that if we want Prime, we need to pay for it. I'm a bit bummed after 2 years of free Prime (I did it for a year and then he did it for a year). But, I think we're going to bite the bullet and buy it.

So, how does the kindle lending library work? How can you look up what's available and how do you borrow books from it? I've always just bought books on my kindle in the past.

Also, I'd be interested in your thoughts on the free streaming through Prime. I'm ashamed to admit, but we do not have any streaming devices in the house right now (no videogame consoles, no blue ray), so we're way behind the times. Is it worth it for me to buy something so that we can use the streaming through Prime?

[coolae]

i don't have a kindle so i can't comment on that question but...
we did purchase Prime and use the free streaming ALL THE TIME on our blu-ray player. they really make it easy. just turn on blu-ray player, click on amazon, click on "free prime shows", then navigate to whatever genre you like. there are so many good kid options! i've only watched a movie for myself a few times but for my daughter it has been a great (unexpected) perk. there are tons of series that i could totally get into if i wasn't exhausted all the time from my two little ones :)
we are using a sony blu-ray player that we got at Sam's--not top of the line or anything--but it did have the built-in WiFi to make the streaming easier.
also amazon now allows streaming on your iPad (and maybe kindle too) so you could think about that.

[tny915]

You don't necessarily need a new device. I just stream through my laptop and connect an HDMI cable to my tv.

[KrisM]

I find that it's a bit of a pain to search for books. But, it's only 1 per month, so it's not terrible. To search on your computer instead of your kindle:
In Amazon, select "books" as your category and hit Go.
Under the format tabs, select "kindle edition". (these are across the top of the search results).
On the left, you should have a "Prime Eligible" check box. Check it.
These are the Prime books.

We stream a lot. We were streaming through a Blu Ray player, but Netflix streaming was off for the audio, so we ended up buying a Roku instead. It's very easy and works well. The kids can use the remote easily to watch things.

Before you buy, consider how you'll do it. This is what we do and it works well. DH and I have our own Amazon accounts. Only the paid account streams and gets the free book. So, we made a 3rd account for our family. It bought Prime and then invited both DH and me to join for the free shipping. But, we use it to steam movies and my kindle is registered to it, so I can get the books, too. This way, we didn't have to share access to our personal accounts.

[pastrygirl]

To get a book from the Prime lending library, you have to do it on your Kindle. I search and choose on my laptop, then get the book through my Kindle.

[anonomom]

I find that it's a bit of a pain to search for books. But, it's only 1 per month, so it's not terrible. To search on your computer instead of your kindle:
In Amazon, select "books" as your category and hit Go.
Under the format tabs, select "kindle edition". (these are across the top of the search results).
On the left, you should have a "Prime Eligible" check box. Check it.
These are the Prime books.

We stream a lot. We were streaming through a Blu Ray player, but Netflix streaming was off for the audio, so we ended up buying a Roku instead. It's very easy and works well. The kids can use the remote easily to watch things.

Before you buy, consider how you'll do it. This is what we do and it works well. DH and I have our own Amazon accounts. Only the paid account streams and gets the free book. So, we made a 3rd account for our family. It bought Prime and then invited both DH and me to join for the free shipping. But, we use it to steam movies and my kindle is registered to it, so I can get the books, too. This way, we didn't have to share access to our personal accounts.

Aha! Thanks for those instructions for finding kindle books! I had never been able to figure it out.

OP, I wouldn't get prime just for the sake of the lending library; it's more of a peripheral perk. But we find the streaming relatively easy to use. It can't quite replace netflix yet, but it is nice. It adds enough value that it factors into our decision to pay for Prime.

[mommylamb]

Aha! Thanks for those instructions for finding kindle books! I had never been able to figure it out.

OP, I wouldn't get prime just for the sake of the lending library; it's more of a peripheral perk. But we find the streaming relatively easy to use. It can't quite replace netflix yet, but it is nice. It adds enough value that it factors into our decision to pay for Prime.


LOL! No, we'll probably get Prime because after 2 years of Prime through Amazon Mom, I'm totally addicted to the free 2 day shipping. Amazon and their sneaky tactics! (Old Man Shakes Fist at Cloud).

[JElaineB]

I ended up paying for Prime a month or two ago. Just after that I got a free Roku from Dish Network becuase they cancelled AMC and a couple of other channels and so I called up an complained. So we are streaming Amazon Instant Video through the Roku (we have an old TV and no blu-ray, no laptop either, we have a Wii but it doesn't work with Amazon Instant Video). We have found that Amazon Instant Video plus all the free movies and other videos available through Roku channels enough and we cancelled Netflix earlier this month. I haven't used the Prime Lending Library for my Kindle yet, but I'm sure I will at some point.

[wendibird22]

We pay for Prime even though DH has still been eligible for Amazon Mom. I got a Kindle back in Feb and with free lending I think prime has paid for itself. We also stream on our internet ready tv and between free tv (I watched 2 seasons of Downton for free!!) and greatly reduced movies (like the Tinker Bell series) it's really been worth it to pay for it. And yes, we are hooked on 2 day delivery as well.

[AnnieW625]

We stream just on our computer. Our tv is from 2003. I guess I could stream on my phone as well, just haven't done it yet. I got my Prime back in June or July. I like the free delivery as well. Not sure if I'll renew, but I do like it. We don't have a kindle though, and honestly I think the 1 book a month policy is way too limiting. I think 3-5 month would make it more worth it. I guess I like getting books for free (gotta keep the library in business:))

[mommylamb]

Hmm... we got a new TV last November, and I have no idea if it is internet ready or not. :bag