LPT: take as long as you want to read digital books without holding up the line

I have a Kindle e-reader and use Libby/Overdrive to borrow books from 3 local libraries, and I’m often unable to finish reading them in the allotted 7-14 days. Renewing a book loan sometimes involves getting in line again and having to wait, which could be weeks and often months for popular books.

I accidentally discovered that simply turning off Wi-Fi on my Kindle allowed me to avoid the downloaded books from being deleted when automatically returned on the due dates. As long as I kept the Kindle disconnected from the internet, I could take as long as I wanted to read the books and it didn’t hold up the digital library line for anyone else because technically all books ARE returned on time. In fact, you can return them as soon as you download them to keep the line moving even faster!

I do the following: borrow as many books as possible at once, download them all to my Kindle, shut off the Kindle’s wifi, and just delay all my future holds until I’m done and ready to borrow a new batch. Rinse and repeat.

Note: I first posted this in ILPT because you’re “cheating” in a sense, but because there are zero consequences to anyone I decided it also belongs here.