Cover via Amazon

In case you missed it, you can now lend certain Kindle eBook titles (via a Kindle or iPad app or otherwise) to other Kindle users for 14 days. Of course, unless all of your best friends are Kindle users, this feature is essentially useless.

Fortunately, a new website quickly sprang up that facilitates the lending and borrowing of Kindle books amongst strangers. It’s called Kindle Lending Club. It matches Kindle book lenders to borrowers.

All you do is create an account, then lend or borrow books. If you would like to borrow a book, you simply search for the book and if it is loanable via Kindle, you click on the “borrow” button. You’ll either be placed on a waiting list if a loanable copy is not immediately available or advised that the owner of the loanable book will be notified.

Shortly thereafter you’ll receive an email that the owner has approved the lending of the book and will be provided with a link to follow to complete the transaction. The book can then be downloaded to your Kindle or Kindle app and you’ll have 14 days to read it. It will then automatically be removed from your device upon expiration of the 14-day time period.

To lend a copy you simply type in the title of the book. If someone is on a waiting list for the book, you get to choose who to lend it to. You then are given their email address and you head over to the management section of your Kindle account and lend the book to that person using the Kindle interface. (While the book is being loaned, it will appear in the archived section of your Kindle and you won’t be able to access the book.)

If no one is in line, you’re advised that you’ll be notified when someone signs up to borrow it.

It’s that simple. And, it’s a great idea. Give it a try.