Online Multi-Library lending system?
 

In Mass. we had 'CW Mars' in Western Mass., and 'CLAMS' on Cape Cod. Using your local library as your log in you would visit one of these sites and put the desired book in the Search. The results would be dozens of books listed at dozens of libraries. You'd hit the 'Borrow' button and if it was a hard cover it would be delivered FREE to your library- if an eBook you'd download it to your device. With that said, are there any online multi-library services with numerous state-wide libraries covering The Villages area that you use and recommend?

Sumter country has a library loan program where you do exactly the same thing and the book comes to your designated library. There is no e-book option, just printed books that have been available for at least one year. Here is the link explaining the program

Interlibrary Loan | Sumter County, FL - Official Website

If you still have friends/family in Mass you could "borrow" their account number for the Kindle downloads.

Sumter County has ebooks available through Boundless. Sumter doesn't have the selection we use to have in Douglas County in CO, but better than nothing. New releases are few and far between. If can keep your library login from up north for ebooks, do it.

I have to use audiobooks. I still have library cards from two libraries in Ohio and one in Colorado.
I check out audiobooks from all three. It’s fine with the libraries, it increases their circulation numbers. Sumter is probably the most difficult library I deal with.

Library of Congress has some interesting free reading material. loc.gov
Not riveting, but pleasant & informative.

There are only 5 libraries- all 'owned' by one entity. I'm looking for a collective of dozens of libraries. They had only one copy of the book I wanted- and it wasn't available. I'm used to a large collective that has a dozen or more copies of each book throughout the network.

Well, that is what is available here. I don't know how you determined that only 5 libraries are in the loan system but I will take your word for it. Are you confusing the 5 options for picking up the book, all part of the Sumter county library system with what libraries are sharing? This is Florida, you came from Massachusetts. Priorities are different here. Our library system has been privatized and is run by a for profit corporation. I hope you got on the waiting list for the book you wanted.

Seems like the E book selection for new best sellers has been sharply reduced. Last sunday wanted to put the #1 and #3 book on NY Times best seller list on hold and the library still does not have them.

I live in Marion County and have library accounts in Sumter and Lake Counties as well - free of charge since I had the Marion Co. library card. I'm not sure if Lake Co. has the free card agreement with Sumter Co. I've found the Lake Co. library system to be head and shoulders above either Marion or Sumter.

If you live in Sumter County, you have to pay to get a Lake County library card. I think it is still $40... and worth every penny. Sumter County libraries are a huge disappointment. Sumter does not have reciprocal agreements with Marion or Lake.

Never understood why this is so one sided. I asked Don Wiley to look into this a few months ago and never got an answer.

I used to use The Free Library of Philadelphia when I was in PA. It was good for all PA residents. It took them 2 years to realize I wasn’t in PA anymore and wouldn’t renew my card. I found Sumter library to be lacking in ebooks I wanted to read. I’m currently borrowing someone else’s PA account. Good to know about Lake County. I might just pay if it’s worth it.

Just a guess: Sumter County can't meet the demands/desires of its users now so adding a few more users has little impact.

Lake County strives to do better but that costs money so they charge Sumter residents in order to maintain a sufficiently large collection in the Lake library.

Perhaps Volusia, Seminole, and Marion libraries have more to offer and therefore Lake library feels comfortable with a reciprocal borrowing program.

Again, just a guess, but would make sense based on how others have commented and my own observations.

Poor selection of books
 

Also, I have always felt that the stacks are very lacking. So much open space!

They seem to be more concerned with selling used books.