Abstract: A lending system for lending an econtent item comprises a library server having a processor and a number of databases. Borrowers can access the system using a PDA or other suitable communications device over a communications network. Each econtent item has a number of loan instances allocated to it, and the econtent item can be made available to borrowers up to a maximum number of predetermined loan instances over a set period of time. A single loan instances can be typically defined as a period of between 5 minutes and 24 hours to a single borrower, with an econtent item having an allocation of a set number of loan instances per calendar year, for example, 325 loan instances. This allows the econtent item to be made available to multiple concurrent users or single users as long as the number of loan instances has not been exceeded in any given year.