Over in the land of the free (and the home of the brave) Amazon has unleashed its much rumoured ebook lending platform, entitled Kindle Owners' Lending Library.

And there's a heavy emphasis on the word "Owners" as you'll actually have to be rocking one of Amazon's devices to get in on the fun, the platform will not work with Kindle apps on other devices.

What the Kindle Owners' Lending Library offers is Amazon Prime members the chance to borrow a book a month from a choice "from thousands of books to borrow for free - including over 100 current and former New York Times Bestsellers".

However, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that none of the six largest publishers in the States are taking part in the scheme as "several senior publishing executives said recently they were concerned that a digital-lending program of the sort contemplated by Amazon would harm future sales of their older titles or damage ties to other book retailers".

However, it's still something for nothing - or rather something more for the Amazon Prime fee which also includes free express delivery of Amazon-bought products as well as unlimited streaming of nearly 13,000 movies and TV shows (in the States).

If a book is available in the scheme you will see a Prime logo next to their description and a "Borrow for free" button will show up below the "Buy" button.

Amazon Prime is $79 a year in the States. With the Kindle Fire on sale for less than $200 - Amazon certainly is offering a tempting treat of digital content for not very much moolah.

Let's just hope us Brits get some of the action soon.