Award-winning films and educational videos to be available 24/7 from library websites

 

(CLEVELAND, OH – June 15, 2005) OverDrive, the leader in download audiobooks and eBooks for libraries, announced today the addition of Video on Demand (VoD) services and materials to its Digital Library Reserve network.  The new Video on Demand service will be demonstrated to the over 20,000 librarians attending the 2005 American Library Association Annual Conference at Booth #1244 McCormick Place, Chicago June 24-28.  The service is scheduled to go live for patron use later this year.

With the new VoD service library patrons will be able to access high quality digital video anytime of day from anywhere in the world via an Internet connected PC.   OverDrive-Digital Library Reserve currently provides the nation’s leading libraries with Web access to tens of thousands of best-selling eBooks and download audiobook titles.  Libraries offering the OverDrive service include the New York Public Library, Greater Seattle’s King County Library System, Denver Public Library, Phoenix Public Library, Cleveland Public Library, San Jose Public Library, and hundreds of others.

According to Michelle Jeske, Manager of Web Information Services for Denver Public Library, “OverDrive’s Video on Demand service will allow us to build virtual video archives, saving space and resources, while providing patrons direct 24/7 access to exceptional videos.”  As part of its opening collection of films, TV shows, and video titles OverDrive has entered into a distribution agreement with multimedia leader CLEARVUE & SVE of Chicago.  CLEARVUE & SVE has won countless awards for its educational and self-improvement videos spanning a wide range of subjects including language, children’s literature, social studies, math, science, guidance, health, art, and music.

“CLEARVUE & SVE has one of the largest collections of award-winning curriculum and educational videos in the nation,” stated Steve Potash, OverDrive & Digital Library Reserve CEO.  “At launch of the service our public libraries and their communities will greatly benefit from direct access to over 1,000 CLEARVUE & SVE video titles which include productions from the Center for Educational Resources, Churchill Media, Rabbit Ears Entertainment, and many others,” he added.

OverDrive’s Digital Library Reserve has been rapidly expanding its collection of both popular fiction and non-fiction materials in several digital formats.  These include the addition of over 600 children’s eBooks from childrenselibrary.com, thousands of hours of old time radio programs from Radio Spirits, over 800 leading IT and technology titles from Pearson Education, and new unabridged audiobooks from leading publishers both in the US and abroad.

Download video programs from the library can be watched on Windows based PCs and portable devices supporting Microsoft Windows Media Player.  The software is simple and easy to use with intuitive DVD-like controls that support fast-forward, video speed, bookmarks, and other navigational features.

More information about the OverDrive VoD service is available at http://www.overdrive.com.

 

About OverDrive & Digital Library Reserve

OverDrive & Digital Library Reserve are leading solution providers for digital audiobooks, eBooks, and other digital content to retailers, wholesalers, and libraries in the US and abroad.  Digital Library Reserve is a customized, web-based service that enables libraries to loan best-selling digital books and other media to their patrons. Strategic technology partners include Microsoft Corporation, Adobe Systems, Inc., Sirsi, Dynix, and Mobipocket. The companies are headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio and have been producing digital document solutions since 1986. For more information on OverDrive, Inc., please visit http://www.overdrive.com.

About CLEARVUE & SVE

The 2004 merger of sister companies CLEARVUE/eav and SVE & Churchill Media created one of the largest collections of curriculum-oriented multimedia available. A leader in K-12 educational media publishing for more than 85 years, CLEARVUE & SVE has won countless awards for its programs, which include DVDs, VHS, digital videos, CD-ROMs, and the media-on-demand system PowerMediaPlus.com. With standards-based programs in all core disciplines––language arts, social studies, math, science, guidance, health, art, and music––CLEARVUE & SVE provides content and media delivery tailored for use in today’s classroom.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Brian Wright

Public Relations Manager, OverDrive, Inc.

(216) 573-6886, ext. 207, bwright@overdrive.com

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