Now, check local libraries for e-books, right from your Google Search bar

Google has just announced an update to its Search bar in the United States: the ability to search for available e-books at nearby libraries.

In a tweet published, Google announced that US-based users of its Search browser are now able to find e-books available to borrow from local libraries. The company did not specify if or when the feature would become available in other territories.

On a mobile device, this latest update can be accessed through the "Get Book" option, displayed after typing a book title into the Search bar. Called "Libraries Near You," the new feature offers a list of nearby libraries which hold a digital version of the book searched for. From desktop search, the option appears immediately after searching for the book title.

Google gives the example of "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein, with the Northern California Digital Library proposed as a nearby location, as well as purchase suggestions at online stores such as Barnes & Noble or Google Play Books.

This new feature could offer a more streamlined alternative to searching for e-books via independent library online systems or through third-party websites designed to amalgamate library data. Clicking on the link from Google will take the user to the relevant library user sign-in page, from which they can request the selected title.