By Kristy Wagner

Staff Writer

Books have evolved from paper to electronic pages in recent years with the development of e-readers.

It seems only logical that libraries would also evolve and start providing electronic books for public use. The Kennebunk Free Library has purchased two Amazon Kindles and two Barnes and Noble Nooks, which are available for the public to check out as they would any regular library book.

“We’ve hit the ground running and haven’t had any snafus,” said Jill LeMay, director of the library.

She said Friends of the Kennebunk Free Library funded the e-reader purchases.

“They’re our support organization and they conduct book sales throughout out the year,” LeMay said.

Ann Whetstone, president of Friends of the Kennebunk Free Library, said the group has raised money for the library since the 1990s.

Whetstone and other friends volunteers hold four to five book sales per year at the library. The books sold are community donations that are made to the library.

“From the donations from the community (library staff) selects things they think will be helpful for the collection: videos, DVDs, books,” Whetstone said. “And the things that they can’t use in that way they give to the friends and we put them in sales.”

Whetstone said each fall library staff request items they need but do not have enough money in the budget to fund. In the past, the Friends of the Kennebunk Library has contributed money toward large print books, audio books, videos and shelving. She said e-readers were requested last fall.

“A lot of people I think simply like to try (e-readers) out to see if it’s a way they’d like to go personally,” Whetstone said.

She said the friends group is happy to fund special purchases and allow the library to experiment without risking money in its budget.

“We really respond to whatever the library needs,” Whetstone said.

LeMay said the library received the e-readers about 60 days ago and it has accessorized each e-reader with its own USB charger and a red carrying case labeled with a Kennebunk Free Library logo. The Kindles have keyboards and the Nooks function via touchscreen.

“Some people are more prone to use touchscreens and others might prefer buttons,” LeMay said. “Whatever is appropriate for their technological skill level.”

Patrons who sign a borrowing agreement can check out an e-reader for two weeks. If an e-reader is lost or stolen, the person who checked it out must pay to replace it. Library staff lock the devices to prohibit patrons from loading their own books onto the library e-readers.

“People who have their own Nooks and Kindles can download free audio books through the library,” LeMay said, adding that electronic titles are available on the library website. “We’re not allowing (downloading books) on (library-owned e-readers) at this time. We may change the way we’re doing things, but right now the books are already downloaded.”

There are currently 10 titles loaded onto each of the library’s e-readers. All of the devices contain the same titles. She said she plans to add more titles to each device in the near future. The cost for new titles varies by publisher.

“We’re going to look at what people are reading and what’s getting those good reviews,” LeMay said.

LeMay said library staff wanted the e-readers to keep up with the needs of their patrons.

“People are saying libraries are going to become obsolete and all people are going to want to have is their e-readers,” she said.

LeMay said e-readers are a format currently in demand by contemporary readers.

“If people want (e-reader) format, then we hope to meet the needs of all those different types of users,” LeMay said.

LeMay said the library also offers classes on how to use Nooks and Kindles.

“Twice a week we have an open house on how to use your own Kindle Monday and Thursday afternoons,” LeMay said.

Library staff also provides a quick tutorial upon the checkout of one of the library devices. LeMay and some library staff members went to hold an e-reader workshop put on by the Maine State Library to learn more about how to use the devices and what to expect when offering the devices as library loaners.

A number of Kennebunk Free Library patrons have been waitlisted to checkout an e-reader.

‘’There’s a waiting list on the Nooks and the Kindles. Some people are looking to explore the device and others are looking for a title available on it,” LeMay said.

LeMay said she hopes the library will be able to acquire a few more e-readers by the end of the year.

“We hope this will fill a need,” she said. “We try very hard. We’ve got a great staff (at the Kennebunk Free Library) – very patron-centered.”

Staff writer Kristy Wagner can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.