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Hey there, Kindle eReader users… we need to talk!

You might have heard that Overdrive will no longer be available through the Bucks County Free Library. For most of our eBook readers, the transition to cloudLibrary should be pretty smooth, but for those of us who love reading on our Paperwhites – it hurts a little, because Overdrive is the only service that allows borrowing library books in a Kindle eReader format.

I understand your disappointment – I originally purchased a Paperwhite so I could learn how to help patrons get library books onto this popular eReader. It quickly became my chosen device for reading ebooks – most likely for the same reasons so many of you love it: it’s lightweight and the screen is easy on the eyes and visible in even the brightest sunlight, long battery life – and, just like you, I’ve been known to slide it into airplane mode occasionally if I haven’t quite finished a library book by its due date. I know you don’t want to be told “just read on a tablet”. I know many of you have tablets already, but it’s the simplicity of reading on a Paperwhite that you love – it’s the closest in experience to a real book, without the distractions a tablet provides – like email, Instagram, and games.

I am here to help you find free books for your Kindle. But before we go any further, grab that tablet or laptop and write an email. If you would like to read ebooks on your Kindle eReader through cloudLibrary, email kindle-feedback@amazon.com and request that Amazon allow compatibility with cloudLibrary. Okay…finished? Let’s find some books!

On June 19, 1865, two-and-a-half years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, more than 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were finally told they were free. This day came to be known as “Juneteenth,” and since the late 1800s has been celebrated annually as a commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States.

Recent events have put the spotlight on Juneteenth, and just this week, Governor Wolf declared June 19 to be Juneteenth National Freedom Day in Pennsylvania. The majority of states officially recognize the day, though it is not a national holiday.

As with many annual summer celebrations, food, parades, music, and family get-togethers are important aspects of Juneteenth (though the holiday will be celebrated differently this year due to COVID-19).

In honor of Juneteenth, we’ve put together a curated list of “Juneteenth Reads” (fiction and nonfiction titles and cookbooks) in cloudLibrary. For more reads, check out the Juneteenth titles in Hoopla (for adults and children).

You can also learn about the history and celebrations of Juneteenth with the following resources.