diff --git a/src/calibre/customize/ui.py b/src/calibre/customize/ui.py
index 5f67e23d92..e9feacc67e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/customize/ui.py
+++ b/src/calibre/customize/ui.py
@@ -121,7 +121,8 @@ def enable_plugin(plugin_or_name):
     config['enabled_plugins'] = ep
 
 default_disabled_plugins = set([
-    'Douban Books', 'Douban.com covers', 'Nicebooks', 'Nicebooks covers'
+    'Douban Books', 'Douban.com covers', 'Nicebooks', 'Nicebooks covers',
+    'Kent District Library'
 ])
 
 def is_disabled(plugin):
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/amazon.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/amazon.py
index 58dd3f1d22..c87249ed39 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/amazon.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/amazon.py
@@ -205,7 +205,10 @@ def main(args=sys.argv):
             open(cpath, 'wb').write(br.open_novisit(curl).read())
             print 'Cover for', title, 'saved to', cpath
 
+        #import time
+        #st = time.time()
         print get_social_metadata(title, None, None, isbn)
+        #print '\n\n', time.time() - st, '\n\n'
 
     return 0
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/fetch.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/fetch.py
index 4f246b2b9a..667b4f4d7c 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/fetch.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/fetch.py
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@ class MetadataSource(Plugin): # {{{
     def join(self):
         return self.worker.join()
 
+    def is_alive(self):
+        return self.worker.is_alive()
+
     def is_customizable(self):
         return True
 
@@ -251,7 +254,9 @@ class KentDistrictLibrary(MetadataSource): # {{{
 
     name = 'Kent District Library'
     metadata_type = 'social'
-    description = _('Downloads series information from ww2.kdl.org')
+    description = _('Downloads series information from ww2.kdl.org. '
+            'This website cannot handle large numbers of queries, '
+            'so the plugin is disabled by default.')
 
     def fetch(self):
         if not self.title or not self.book_author:
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/kdl.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/kdl.py
index 4eca49ad45..4d02bef602 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/kdl.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/kdl.py
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ __license__   = 'GPL v3'
 __copyright__ = '2011, Kovid Goyal <kovid@kovidgoyal.net>'
 __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
-import re, urllib, urlparse
+import re, urllib, urlparse, socket
+
+from mechanize import URLError
 
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.book.base import Metadata
 from calibre import browser
@@ -17,7 +19,7 @@ URL = \
 
 _ignore_starts = u'\'"'+u''.join(unichr(x) for x in range(0x2018, 0x201e)+[0x2032, 0x2033])
 
-def get_series(title, authors):
+def get_series(title, authors, timeout=5):
     mi = Metadata(title, authors)
     if title and title[0] in _ignore_starts:
         title = title[1:]
@@ -39,7 +41,12 @@ def get_series(title, authors):
 
     url = URL.format(author, title)
     br = browser()
-    raw = br.open(url).read()
+    try:
+        raw = br.open_novisit(url, timeout=timeout).read()
+    except URLError, e:
+        if isinstance(e.reason, socket.timeout):
+            raise Exception('KDL Server busy, try again later')
+        raise
     if 'see the full results' not in raw:
         return mi
     raw = xml_to_unicode(raw)[0]