In a recent press release from OverDrive, the digital ebook supplier to libraries, announced a record setting year for ebook and audio book lending via libraries. Here are details from their press release:
As the nation’s librarians conclude the 2015 annual Conference of the American Library Association (ALA) in San Francisco, their eBook catalogs set a new daily record for lending digital titles. According to OverDrive, the leading eBook platform for libraries and schools, Monday, June 29, 2015 saw a new single-day milestone of 500,535 digital titles borrowed. In addition to the titles borrowed during that day, readers also placed more than 195,000 titles on “hold” by adding themselves to a wait list.
“This spike in library lending of eBooks, digital audiobooks, magazines, newspapers and streaming video is the result of the tremendous efforts of thousands of librarians as well as significant ease-of-use improvements including seamless integration with library catalogs,” said David Burleigh, OverDrive’s Director of Marketing. “We’re also seeing the effects of new access models publishers are offering through OverDrive, which have increased availability for readers.”
Librarians at the ALA conference reported substantial growth for audiobooks in MP3 format and enhanced eBooks for children featuring “Read-along” Narrated eBooks, which utilize industry-standard EPUB3. There has also been strong readership for new digital magazines and newspapers including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and other periodicals now available for U.S. libraries and schools through OverDrive.
With the top-rated eBook app for libraries, Kindle® compatibility in the U.S., One-Step Checkout™ and instant reading with OverDrive Read™, readers can find and enjoy titles on virtually any modern device in seconds. As a result of library eBook discovery, sampling and circulation, publishers and authors are also enjoying higher visibility for their titles and series.
The top five eBook titles borrowed from libraries in June (based on checkouts + holds):
- Eyes on You, Kate White, HarperCollins
- The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins, Penguin Publishing Group
- Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn Crown, Publishing Group
- All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr, Simon & Schuster
- Fifty Shades of Grey, EL James, Knopf Doubleday Publishing
This record-breaking day is based on data from 34,000 libraries and schools worldwide that lend eBooks, audiobooks and other digital media via the OverDrive platform. It occurred as the OverDrive team introduced its upcoming new digital platform at the American Library Association Conference. A full demonstration of the powerful new OverDrive will take place at Digipalooza, OverDrive’s international user conference, August 5-7, 2015 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Find the nearest digital library collection at www.overdrive.com.
About OverDrive
OverDrive is the leading global digital distribution platform supplying the industry’s largest catalog of eBooks, audiobooks, periodicals and streaming video to 34,000 libraries, schools and retailers worldwide. We support all major computers and devices, including iPhone®, iPad®, Nook®, Android™ phones and tablets, Chromebook™, and Kindle® (U.S. only). OverDrive offers all digital media on a single platform, and offers APIs to streamline a seamless user experience. OverDrive Read, the breakthrough EPUB and HTML5 browser-based reading experience, now supports fixed layout andnarrated eBooks. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, Ohio USA. www.overdrive.com
