‘Always available’ titles reduce waiting lists to help libraries meet explosive demand for eBooks

 

Cleveland – June 23, 2011 – OverDrive announced today the first group of a growing list of suppliers that will provide simultaneous access eBooks to libraries and schools in OverDrive’s global network. Collections from Thomas Nelson, Encyclopedia Britannica, Crabtree Publishing, and Lonely Planet will enable libraries to provide ‘always available’ eBooks without waiting lists or holds, in addition to offering the publishers’ titles under the one-copy/one-user model. Libraries will be able to choose from thousands of titles in several subjects, including Christian fiction and nonfiction, reference, young adult, children’s, and travel. These publishers join existing simultaneous access eBook supplier Liquid Comics.

OverDrive will demonstrate simultaneous access eBook suppliers, as well as audiobook, music and video suppliers providing ‘always available’ content, at American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference (booth #3326) in New Orleans, June 24-27, 2011.

“Simultaneous access eBooks collections help public, K-12 school, and higher ed libraries provide access to more available content on their existing digital collection websites,” said Karen Estrovich, manager of content sales for OverDrive. “Titles in these collections are borrowed just like other material, can be transferred to compatible devices, and will expire at the end of the lending period.”

Simultaneous access collections are available on an annual subscription basis, and can supplement a library’s existing one-copy/one-user collection. The addition of new simultaneous access eBooks is part of OverDrive WIN, a series of platform enhancements to streamline user experience and provide access to more content.

OverDrive will provide additional information on ‘OverDrive WIN’ platform enhancements on the OverDrive Digital Library Blog as the enhancements are launched. Information will also be posted on Facebook and Twitter.

OverDrive provides digital distribution services for 15,000 libraries, retailers, and schools worldwide with support for Windows®, Mac®, iPod®, iPhone®, iPad®, Sony® Reader, NOOK™, Android™, BlackBerry®, and Windows Phone. To see if your library or school is a member of the OverDrive network, visit OverDrive Search.

 

About OverDrive
OverDrive is a leading multichannel 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

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

 

###