Kindle
 

I am low vision and am unable to read like I used tdo do. I am thinking about Kindle, but need to know how much you can enlarge the text. Can someone help me with this please.

I would recommend a Kindle Ereader, not a Kindle Fire. The largest font size is 14 which has about 3 words per line on a 6-inch screen. I have the Kindle Oasis, which is a bit pricey, but it has the highest resolution. I think the most popular model is the Paperwhite.

Thank you for your immediate reply. Thankfully I do not yet need to get to three words on a line, so lI am sure I can adjust to my needs.

Can I have another question??? Where do people get their reading materials. Books, newspapers, podcasts etc. What would be the best source of infiormation.

I have a 6" e-reader (nearly antique, probably predecessor of the paperwhite) and an 8" Fire. The largest font I can get on the e-reader is labeled "14" and, as retiredguy wrote, gives about three words per line with six lines on the screen. The Fire doesn't tell me a font size but at the largest setting it also has six lines on the screen. The only difference is the Fire screen is a little larger than the e-reader.

The screen on my e-reader is ideal for reading in the sun, the brighter it is the more contrast the screen has. With the Fire, the brighter it is the harder it is to see the words. Of course the opposite is true too, the Fire works well in the dark and the e-reader is unreadable. The new paperwhite models might work better.

If you want to get books from the Sumter County Library then make sure the device can run their app. Books from the Sumter Library do not come in Kindle format. My Fire can run the necessary app but my antique e-reader cannot. If you know you can get books in Kindle format then this is not a concern for you.

I use my Fire as a tablet too. I get email, read news, look at ToTV, and manage my calendar from my Fire. If you want to do something like that then you'll want to make sure the device has those capabilities.

Books:
- We still have access to our library where we moved from
- Amazon Prime has access to a limited collection
- Each month Amazon Prime allows access to one book from their larger, Amazon Unlimited collection
- We have access to the Sumter library but due to the need to use their app, we rarely borrow a book from there

Newspapers:
- I usually read these on my laptop
- There are some apps that run on my Fire that I can use when I don't have my laptop with me
- The Sumter library provides access codes for WSJ and NYT

I only use my Kindle for reading books. Mostly, I buy them on Amazon, but I also use the "Libby Overdrive" app to borrow books from the Lake County library. If you want to borrow free books, I would highly recommend getting a Lake County library card. As the other poster said, the Sumter County system does not have Kindle formatted books, but Lake County does. Also, you cannot use the Libby Overdrive app on a Kindle ereader. You must borrow the book using a computer, tablet, or smartphone, but the book will automatically be transferred to your ereader. The newer Kindle ereaders will work fine in the dark. The Kindle Fire is nothing more than a tablet computer. So, you can use any tablet to read Kindle books by just downloading the free Kindle app on the tablet. No need to buy a Kindle Fire. I hope this makes sense.

Can I get a Lake County Library card even if I live in Sumter? It would be great if I could but I assumed I could not.

Thanks for the info on being able to use the newer ereaders in the dark.

I get my books from Amazon. I subscribe to Kindle Unlimited. Pay for two years in advance for a nice discount. Allows you to “borrow” up to ten books at a time. Not all of the bestsellers are available but there are millions of titles and I never have an issue finding something that I want to read.

Sumter County residents can get a Lake County library card, but there is $40 per year fee. Although, Lake County residents can get a Sumter County card for free. Go figure. Apparently, Sumter County is too cheap to use the Libby Overdrive app which is way better than the AXIS 360 app that they currently require.

Can I have another question please? and this is a really stupid question ........... do I download the Libby app on my cell or is there somewhere on the Kindle for downloading apps.

So, of course, as soon as I asked you my stupid question I remembered Google is my friend and got all the information on Libby that I needed.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to help me, I appreciate it more than you will ever know.

Hoola
 

Sumter County also supports the Hoopla app with the Kindle Fire (or any tablet). Hoopla has a vast library of e-books, audio books and videos for streaming. Font size is adjustable from about 15 words to about 3 words across the screen. Apps are downloaded from the Amazon AppStore onto your tablet or smartphone. The AppStore comes with a Kindle Fire. You do not need to be a prime customer to use, but need to register your device with Amazon. You can also download the AppStore and Hoopla apps to your smartphone using Google Play Store or IPhone App Store.

The problem with Hoopla is that it does not deliver books to your Kindle E-reader, because the books are not in the Kindle format.
With Libby, you can load your library card into the app, browse the available books, and then instantly transfer the Kindle formatted book to your Kindle E-reader or multiple E-readers. Easy peasey. I don't know why Sumter County does not allow the use of the Libby app. They should.

And you might consider audio books, use with or without headphones, earbuds etc. WSJ offers audio translation of articles etc.

Yes, and you can get audio books for a Kindle E-reader, and listen to them using bluetooth.

You can check ebooks ( and specifically Kindle books) out of the library for free. The public library--not the Mark Twain library. That's where I get most of mine. Any book I hear of on NPR or the TV that I want to try is usually available from the library or will be soon. There is a library app on Amazon.com, so if you look up a book on Amazon, an app comes up on the right side that tells you if it is available at any library you designate. I have mine set to check Sumter, Lake and my up-north library. That way I know where to go online to check it out.

PS: You check out on your computer at home and the ebook goes right to your Kindle.

Most places that sell them have demo ones to try out. Seems like Barnes and Noble used to have a kiosk with them. Try Best Buy. Maybe there's a Kindle Club in TV.

Barnes and Noble sells the Nook, which is a different format from the Kindle. I think that Nook books can only be purchased through Barnes and Noble. In my opinion, the Kindle is a much better choice than the Nook.

Get a large iPad and get the kindle app. So much nicer, you can read all kindle books plus run millions of iPad apps, email, web browsing, etc..

Thank you for this additional suggestion. I actually was talking with a Librarian yesterday and she suggested the same thing.

I have a 14-inch Android tablet that I use all the time for web browsing, banking, and other functions. But, I much prefer to use a smaller Kindle E-reader when reading a book.

Kindle
 

I have Kindle unlimited and only pay more for e-books if something from a favorite author is not available for free

How to get a Library Card if you do not live in Lake County
The Lake County Library System has Reciprocal Borrowing Agreements with Marion, Seminole and Volusia Counties. Cardholders in good standing are entitled to free Lake County Cards upon presentation of a valid Library Card from their county and proof of residency. Students at Lake Tech, Lake Sumter State College, University of Central Florida and Beacon College who show a school ID or current class schedule are entitled to a 1 year complimentary card.

The Lake County Library System offers a Library Card to individuals who neither reside nor own real property in Lake County. Non-residents must complete a Lake County Library System Registration Form and can only apply for a card in person. Non-residents must still bring proof of residency (see below) containing their current street address from outside Lake County.

A non-resident may purchase an annual library membership by paying a fee of forty dollars ($40.00). We also offer a six-month card for twenty dollars ($20.00) and a one-month card for ten dollars ($10.00). Fees must be paid at the time of registration for the card to become valid.

Part-time residents are eligible for adult and youth resident library cards, but they must show proof of both Florida and permanent addresses.

Just be sure the glare from the iPad screen is acceptable to you...

Many of the e-readers have a non-glare screen that looks much more like actual paper...

Lake County residents can get a free Sumter County card. So, why can't Sumter County residents get a free Lake County card?

Sure...you can use virtually any type of device to read books. You can download the free Kindle app to a phone, tablet, PC, or whatever. But, if you are looking for something to simply read books, the Kindle Paperwhite is very hard to beat.

The Paperwhite has an adjustable backlit screen, so it is very easy to read in low light or dark conditions. The screen is excellent out in sunlight as well, with no glare or reflection. Fonts can be adjusted for both size, and type of font. The battery lasts for weeks, even with daily use. Books are widely available on Amazon, and at many libraries. It is super portable, and fits in a pocket...great for travel.

In short, the Paperwhite is the gold standard for e-readers. Try it...you won't be disappointed.

Definitely the Paperwhite
 

I have a Kindle Paperwhite, water resistant, and I absolutely LOVE it. This is my 5th or 6th in close to 20 years. I love being able to take my books anywhere and always having access to something to do that fits in my purse. Definitely worth the cost, but for readability, stick with the purpose… the fire is a tablet that you can read on, but has horrible glare issues. The Paperwhite is just an ereader that provides the best reading experience. Love, love, love!

Don't Agonize, Amazon Takes Returns
 

Don't spend a lot of time worrying whether a Kindle will work for you. Amazon takes all returns and provides free shipping. If it doesn't work for you, send it back.

I'm glad that our libraries provide a means to download ebooks. However, I'm somewhat old-fashioned and buy mine from Amazon. They can be shared with other members of your household, although two people cannot read them at the same time, just as with print books. It may not make sense, but I feel there is a difference between a lending library making print books available as opposed to letting people download an author's work with a few keystrokes on a computer, with the authors receiving no payment. Libraries will buy a limited number of print books and people often have to wait their turn to borrow one as well as having to go to the trouble to pick up the book. With ebooks, thousands of copies can be downloaded within minutes and their authors receive nothing.

As I understand it, the library buys a limited number of ebooks, and limits the number of ebooks that are available for lending. I think the authors do receive money based on the number of ebooks sold. Check out the waiting lists for ebooks on the library websites.

It sounds like you haven't ever borrowed an ebook from a library. What you describe is pirating and theft - libraries don't participate in that. There are not "thousands of copies" being downloaded within minutes. The library loans out a fixed number of licenses to read ebooks, just like they loan out a fixed number of paper books. When I want to borrow an ebook I often have to wait in line for a copy to become available.

My husband and I have been Paperwhite readers for years. Point size goes up to 14. Paperwhite would be better as you don’t get the eye strain nor blue light that you do from a regular Kindle or a tablet.

There are 4 different Kindle types being offered with the Oasis being the high side. Kindle offers a range in font size from 1 to 14, so you simply choose the one that work best for you.

I am an IT professional and help people set up these types of devices (as well as "cutting the cord.")

Please feel free to reach out if you need any assistance.

Cheers!

Kindle info
 

Yes, I did this for my mom as her vision deteriorated. Our takeaways:

- fonts can be adjusted on e-readers (both different fonts/typefaces depending on what looks clearer to you and size of font). The paperwhite was great for glare-reduction, as Mom spent a lot of time outdoors in her garden reading. Which models have the best range of font sizes (and backlighting, which can make quite a difference too) would take some research - my info there is out of date.

- sources of books vary. Mom didn't want a monthly bill, so we did not set up any paid services but Amazon has a list of free books you can download. The source Mom used most was public libraries - the best for her was the State Library of Ohio (Mom was a resident). The library card was free for state residents, you could get it online, and once you had the card number you could log into the site and download books (and magazines). One note on downloading books from public libraries - not all library systems have the same books - it's like cable packages, the library system has to pay to use the system, and not all libraries are well funded enough to afford an extensive shelf of viewable books. That made the State Library of Ohio a great choice - compared to the local library systems she had access to, it was like the unlimited cable package compared to basic cable. We got her library card to all the ones she was eligible to, but the larger the system the better her choices were.

It is definitely worth getting an e-reader - and remember, you can also download e-books to a notepad or tablet, there are apps that can handle that which would give you a larger screen size so you have more space for those larger fonts!

size of font on kindle
 

You do not need to buy an actual Kindle of any kind. Just download the app, it is free, and read on any one of your devices, phone, laptop, tablet. Simple. I read constantly on my iPad mini, I recommend any book you buy (usually Amazon) be configured for continuous scrolling. The page will scroll down as you read with the touch of a finger, you do not have to "turn" a page.

I have an older Kindle. It has a feature that reads the text aloud It is a bit robotic (in voice) My daughter has dyslexia so it helped her a lot

You do know you can get an anti-glare screen protector for the iPad for a few bucks. I’m saving hundreds of $$$ per year subscribing to magazines and books on the iPad. I have the 12.9” iPad Pro where you get 1 page per screen or you can use the iPad sideways and get 2 pages side by side. You also can multitask having sid by side screens: for example mail on the left and your book on the right.
Most of my magazines have beautiful pictures and the iPad shows them at their best.

I have vision challenges too. I increase the font but also have to watch the glare. I have a paper white, but mostly use the iPad with a kindle app. I like the bigger screen and can pump the font size quite large. Just tap the screen, choose font, and move the sizing slider. The bigger the screen, the more I like Kindle reading, as long and I can choose the size and type of font. No more barely there, ink conserving letters for me. If you get a reader that adjusts light and color, eye fatigue may be less. The Oasis did this, but the newer Paperwhite may too. Also, the charge lasts for weeks. Amazing.

Kindle books
 

I had a Kindle and a Nook. When they stopped working I decided to get an iPad mini. It is very easy to use and I have the Kindle and Nook app on it. I found the Kindle harder to use than Nook but the iPad mini is perfect. It’s also a little bigger screen.

Books
 

If you join free BookBub or any other 'clubs' for Kindle you can make choices of your types of books [ mystery, cooking] and get daily messages with inexpensive / free options.

Large Kindle Reading
 

I use my iPad to read my kindle books. I can enlarge to whatever size I want.