Looking for cost-effective ways to maximize impact and serve more readers for less? Under the OverDrive MAX model (also known as Metered Access Concurrent Use or MACU), libraries can stock bundles of up to 100 loans for popular digital books with no expiration date. With each MAX title, the cost to serve each reader is typically the lowest available cost for libraries and schools for lending the ebook or audiobook. 

With all the access models available in Marketplace, libraries can find the right combination that meets their community needs and their bottom line. In fact, combining access models is one of the best ways to get more bang for your buck: our own data found that libraries that utilized multiple OverDrive Marketplace content access models, including OverDrive MAX, reduced their cost-per-checkout across their entire digital collection by 25 percent. 

Still not convinced? Here are three reasons to add OverDrive MAX titles to your digital library today: 

Get more books into the hands of more readers

One of the lessons we learned at Digipalooza ‘23 is that flexible access models make readers and librarians happy. In the session “Take Your Collection to the MAX” librarian Diana Platt (Kansas City Public Library, MO) said collection development choices often come down to finding ways to make as many people happy as possible. She finds the best way to make that happen is by buying titles in MACU when available because it gets that title into the hands of more readers, who then get all those warm fuzzy feelings about the library we all love to see. This is especially important for new users of your digital library. Making sure they leave your digital library with an ebook or audiobook on their device is a great way to encourage repeat usage.

Perfect for library book clubs, community reads, and more! 

You may already be planning for spring and summer programming. If those events include book clubs or community reads, consider picking titles available in OverDrive MAX! Libraries can make additional copies of a title available for a large audience while also eliminating any concerns about the title expiring from their collection due to time restrictions. MAX saves staff time and is a cost-effective option for libraries looking to serve the maximum number of readers within their budget. 

Reduce wait times  

One of the more challenging things to budget for are new reading trends or spikes in interest of a particular title (here’s look at you TikTok). If a title is available in MAX you can easily fill demand for those titles, often at the lowest cost per loan.

Shop our special MAX Collections available for a limited time now! 

Sourcebooks OverDrive MAX Collections 

Over 200 titles now available in OverDrive MAX from Sourcebooks Callisto. Great reads for kids to adults in cooking, history, life skills and more. Purchases of this special collection end on March 31, 2024. Stock up and save now! 

Shop adult here 

Shop young adult here 

Shop juvenile here 

HarperCollins OverDrive MAX Collections 

Over 170 titles for all ages are now available from HarperCollins Publishing, including The Chronicles of Narnia properly adapted for Latin American readers. Titles will be available for purchase in OverDrive MAX through April 30, 2024. 

Shop adult here 

Shop young adult here 

Shop juvenile here 

OverDrive Exclusive! Las Cronicas de Narnia

For the first time, the language of the seven classic books has been adapted for the Latin American reader and edited to ensure consistency of names, characters, places and events within the Narnia universe with new narration from celebrated voice talent Idzi Dutkiewcicz.  

Available exclusively through OverDrive and in OverDrive MAX. Shop now!  

About the author: Jill Grunenwald is a Marketing & Communications Specialist on the North America Public Library Marketing Team. A former librarian, she joined OverDrive in 2015. Outside of the office she can be found writing, hanging out with her cats, collecting more Tarot decks than she has room for, and playing competitive pinball. Her favorite genre is something she calls “Murder at an educational institution that involves a close-knit group of suspicious characters.”