OverDrive international user group conference to explore the future of eBook lending from the library

 

Cleveland – May 5, 2011 –Author and self-publisher J.A. Konrath (a.k.a. Jack Kilborn) will be a featured speaker at Digipalooza 2011.  Konrath has authored 22 eBook titles that are available through OverDrive public, school, and college libraries. He has sold more than 300,000 eBooks. OverDrive’s 3rd international user group conference will be held in downtown Cleveland, July 28-31, 2011.  The biennial event will provide hundreds of librarians interaction with representatives from HarperCollins Publishers, Books on Tape (a division of Random House), John Wiley & Sons, AudioGO, Blackstone Audiobooks, and Brilliance Audio.  Digipalooza has been recognized as a leading forum for librarians to network and share “best practices” on maximizing the value and circulation of eBooks and digital audiobooks while interacting with publishers and industry leaders.

Konrath will share his experience as a writer, self-published author, and supporter of library eBook lending through OverDrive. His novels span several genres including horror (Trapped and Endurance), technothrillers (Origin, Disturb, and The List), and mystery (Shot of Tequila), plus numerous short stories and story collections. With author Blake Crouch, he wrote the popular thriller Serial, which has been downloaded nearly half a million times. Konrath has won the Derringer, Bob Kellogg, EQMM Reader’s Choice, and two Lovie awards. His blog, A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing, gets more than a million hits a year.

Digipalooza 2011 will include librarian-led sessions on how public libraries are benefitting from the eBook explosion and a Publisher Roundtable where industry leaders will discuss and field questions about the evolving business of eBooks and digital media. Other sessions will feature librarians sharing their success with attracting customers, connecting with readers, and adapting to new technologies and OverDrive apps. A full program and activities schedule is available at http://www.digipalooza.com/Program.aspx.

Digipalooza 2011 conference partners include Books on Tape (Random House Audio), AudioGO, and HarperCollins. Additional sponsors include Baker Publishing, Blackstone Audio, Library Journal, John Wiley & Sons, Polaris Library Systems, OCLC, and Brilliance Audio. The Digital Bookmobile, a 74-foot, 18-wheel, one-of-a-kind high-tech community outreach vehicle, will also kick off its 2011 tour on July 28 during Digipalooza. To register for Digipalooza 2011, visit http://www.digipalooza.com/Registration.aspx.

OverDrive provides digital distribution services for more than 13,000 libraries, retailers, and schools worldwide with support for Windows®, Mac®, iPod®, iPhone®, iPad®, Sony® Reader, NOOK™, Android™, and BlackBerry®.

 

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

About Digipalooza
Digipalooza is OverDrive’s international user group conference for partner libraries that offers a unique blend of education, networking, and fun. The conference, held every two years, is packed full of valuable librarian-led sessions and networking activities with publishers and industry experts. Digipalooza 2011 takes place July 28-31, 2011, in Cleveland, Ohio. www.digipalooza.com

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

 

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