You might want to consider non-Kindle.
The Kobo touch for example. It's the same price as the Kindle, has a touchscreen, isn't locked to a single supplier (uses EPUB, which everyone aside from Amazon supports), supports free library lending. Of if you want to go upmarket, the Sony Reader, same features as the Kobo Touch, but quote alot lighter that both the Kindle and the Kobo, however the Sony store is a mess right now. (but again, it's an EPUB based reader, so can accept content from anywhere, includign Google Books and Kobo).
EPUB has over 3m titles available, Kindle only has 700k. Whilst this may cover the main titles, there will be plenty of titles that are only out on EPUB, as despite Amazon's attempts as pushing forward with their own proprietary format, EPUB is fast becoming the defacto standard, potentially leaving Kindle owners out in the wilderness, at mercy of what Amazon want to do (or charge).
Why would anyone buy a device locked to a single content source. It's like buying a car that only takes petrol from a particular garage.