Festival-goers to celebrate accelerating trend in mobile reading from America’s public libraries powered by OverDrive

 

Washington, DC – September 8, 2010 – On the 10th anniversary of the National Book Festival organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress, eBooks have gained a foothold with the reading public.  A majority of American public libraries now offer free eBook downloads, and circulation is up more than 170 percent from 2009.

OverDrive’s Digital Bookmobile (www.digitalbookmobile.com) will demonstrate digital book downloads available from America’s public libraries at the 2010 National Book Festival (www.loc.gov/bookfest) on Saturday, September 25, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the National Mall in Washington, DC. This high-tech 18-wheeler and mobile exhibit offers hands-on demonstrations of download services available 24/7 from more than 11,000 libraries worldwide.

Digital Bookmobile visitors will be able to browse a library’s download website, sample eBooks, digital audiobooks, music, and video on interactive PC and Mac® computer stations; learn how to download; and test compatible devices including the Sony® Reader, nook™, iPod®, Zune®, and Smartphones—all loaded with digital titles from the library.

At the National Book Festival, the Digital Bookmobile will exhibit alongside an author lineup that includes Suzanne Collins, Ken Follett, Jonathan Franzen, Elizabeth Kostova, and Brad Meltzer. Titles from these authors and many more are available for download from public libraries and may be sampled on the Digital Bookmobile. To find your library and eBook and audiobook downloads from these best-selling authors, visit http://overdrivesearch.com.

The Digital Bookmobile has traveled 50,000 miles and hosted nearly 300 events with 61,000 library patrons and staff in 47 states and Canadian provinces since launching its national tour in New York City in August 2008. A full schedule of upcoming stops and past events (with images) is available at http://www.digitalbookmobile.com/calendar.aspx. Resources for media can be found on the website at http://www.digitalbookmobile.com/Media.asp. You can also follow the Digital Bookmobile’s national tour on Twitter (@digibookmobile) and Facebook (http://facebook.com/digitalbookmobile).

 

About the Digital Bookmobile
The Digital Bookmobile, developed inside a 74-foot, 18-wheel tractor-trailer, is a high-tech update of the traditional bookmobile that has served communities for decades. The one-of-a-kind community outreach vehicle creates an engaging download experience with the host library’s ‘Virtual Branch’ download website and digital collection of eBooks, audiobooks and more. The vehicle is equipped with broadband Internet-connected PCs, high-definition monitors, premium sound systems, and a variety of portable media players.

About OverDrive
OverDrive is a leading full-service digital distributor of eBooks, audiobooks, music, and video. We deliver secure management, DRM protection, and download fulfillment services for hundreds of publishers and thousands of libraries, schools, and retailers, serving millions of end users. OverDrive has been named to the EContent 100 as a company that matters most in the digital content industry. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, OH. www.overdrive.com

About the National Book Festival

The National Book Festival is a keystone event of the Library of Congress promoting literacy and creativity. The Library, the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution, is the world’s preeminent reservoir of knowledge, providing unparalleled collections and integrated resources to Congress and the American people. Many of the Library’s rich resources can be accessed through its website at www.loc.gov; the National Book Festival website can be found at www.loc.gov/bookfest.

Contact:
David Burleigh
OverDrive, Inc.
216-573-6886 x218
dburleigh@overdrive.com

 

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