Huge Demand for Library eBooks

It has been a record breaking year for eBooks in libraries. According to statistics from OverDrive (digital distributor to libraries):

 

 

*Twice as many people visited their digital library in 2011 than 2010
*35 Million titles were checked out of librareis
*17 Million titles were placed on hold
*Library app users increased from 6-million to 11-million
*App users account for 22% of all checkouts

OverDrive currently lists “700,000 copyrighted eBooks, audiobooks, and media titles in 50 languages.”

While these numbers look impressive, many in the publishing industry think it was the newness of eBook downloads that accounted for the surge. They predict 2012 will show a downturn in these numbers. Also, several publishers are “hostile” toward OverDrive and have decided not to allow the digital book distributor to lend their eBook titles. Those publishers include: Penguin, Hatchette, and Simon & Schuster.