Kids can read eBooks borrowed from schools and libraries within popular parent-controlled feature

 

CLEVELAND – May 7, 2014 – OverDrive announced today that eBooks from more than 20,000 schools and libraries in its U.S. network are available to be used with Amazon’s Kindle FreeTime. OverDrive is the only supplier of eBooks to schools and libraries with support for Kindle devices. This enables kids and parents to access thousands of Kindle format eBooks from the library and read them within the FreeTime feature using the same parental controls and educational goal-setting that FreeTime offers for other activities.

Amazon Kindle FreeTime is a free feature available on Kindle Fire tablets that enables parents to limit their child’s screen time or restrict certain categories in a personalized, kid-friendly environment. FreeTime content is separated into educational or entertainment categories. Parents are able to set daily educational goals for reading and learning, and with “Learn First” can require that those goals are met before their child is able to watch cartoons or play games. In addition, parents can set how much time may be spent on any given activity – video, games, or reading – or an overall amount of time a child may use the device. Kids are unable to exit FreeTime without a password.

eBooks borrowed from libraries and schools in the Kindle format may be added to FreeTime profiles by following these instructions, or through the “Manage Content & Subscription” section in FreeTime by taking the following steps:

  • On the Start screen for FreeTime, tap “Manage Content & Subscription.”
  • Tap “Add titles to [name of profile]’s Library.”
  • Select “Books” from the dropdown menu.
  • Check the box next to the desired title and tap “Done” in the upper right corner. The title will be added.

OverDrive offers libraries and schools the industry’s largest and most complete eBook catalog, including Kindle eBooks from more than 800 publishers. Popular titles in educational, children’s, young adult, fiction, and more from authors such as Neil Gaiman, Dan Gutman, Judy Blume, Rick Riordan, and Beverly Cleary can now be read within Kindle FreeTime. Once borrowed from the library or school, children can read eBooks including the Big Nate and Friends series, Harry Potter series, Number the Stars, The Book Thief, The Chronicles of Narnia series, Wonder, Mary Poppins and thousands of others.

To find out how you can get started with eBooks from your library or school, visit www.overdrive.com.

 

About OverDrive

OverDrive is the leading global digital distribution platform, supplying the industry’s largest catalog of eBooks, audiobooks, music and video to 28,000 libraries, schools and retailers worldwide. We support all major computers and devices, including iPhone®, iPad®, Nook®, Android™ phones and tablets, and Kindle® (U.S. only).  Recent enhancements to OverDrive’s platform include multilingual user interface support, Streaming Video, in-library touchscreen stations for browsing and instant sampling of eBooks or audiobooks, and OverDrive Read, the company’s EPUB and HTML5 browser-based reading experience.

OverDrive has been named to the EContent 100 as a company that matters most in the digital content industry and is a member of the 2012 Technology Fast 500. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland. www.overdrive.com.

Contact:

David Burleigh
Director of Marketing & Communications
216-573-6886 ext. 218
dburleigh@overdrive.com

 

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