OverDrive Launches Deep Search and Notify Me Features to Help Readers Discover Books Beyond the Library’s Collection. New feature in Libby benefits librarians, readers and publishers with expanded choice and real-time reports.
OverDrive today announced innovative new features that uniquely benefit librarians, readers and publishers. Deep search and Notify Me tags in the Libby reading app help readers discover titles beyond the library’s collection and indicate titles of interest. When a reader searches for a book in Libby by name, author or subject, the new deep search feature presents additional titles from OverDrive’s complete catalog of over 5 million titles, even if the books are not in the library’s digital collection. By tapping “Notify Me” on a title that is not in the library’s collection, the reader alerts their library of their interest and Libby notifies the reader if the title is purchased and made available to borrow.
Currently in live testing in over 60 communities, the deep search and Notify Me features have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from readers and librarians.
“Notify Me is exactly what our library network needed in the Libby app: the ability for patrons to find out if and when a title’s purchased, and a way for buyers to see that patrons want it,” said Libby Shaw, Training and Support Librarian at Minuteman Library Network in Massachusetts. “After only a few days, and without any promotion, we already have roughly 450 patrons a day adding Notify Me tags.”
Pilot libraries are praising Notify Me’s ease-of-use as well as the insights available from the Patron Interests Dashboard in Marketplace. Librarians are confident their patrons will enthusiastically use the new feature. Like other Libby and Marketplace features, deep search, Notify Me and Patron Interests data are made available to all OverDrive library partners and readers at no cost. Libraries recently achieved the milestone of lending over one billion titles from their collections through Libby.
Ms. Shaw also highlighted the ease of use in Marketplace: “Seeing active patron interest right on the title detail page in Marketplace is a game-changer! We no longer have to go to a report, or add a title to a cart, to see if patrons want it. Our patrons are embracing this easy new Libby feature, and the more they use it the more helpful it will be to library buyers.”
Publishers and authors also expressed delight in the new service to discover and provide previews of works not already available from a public library catalog. It’s an effective way to reach readers with new or backlist authors or books and provide opportunities for libraries to meet additional demand.
With the launch of this new service, Notify Me will replace the Recommend to Library feature. In addition, Notify Me is used to notify readers when new magazine issues become available.
OverDrive is meeting with library partners to demonstrate these updates and more during LibLearnX, the ALA conference in New Orleans from January 27-30. Attendees can learn about Notify Me by visiting Booth #725 (times all CST):
- Empowering all Libraries: Highlights of New Tools and Services for 2023
- Saturday at 11am and 3pm, Sunday at 1pm and 4pm, Monday at 9:30am
- Best Practices in Marketing & Outreach to Reach New Users with Libby
- Sat. at 1pm and 4pm, Sun. at 2pm, Mon. at 10:30am
- Unlocking Greater Access to Films that Matter for All Audiences
- Sat. at 2pm, Sun at 3pm
OverDrive is a Library Champion and primary sponsor of the Libraries Transform initiative. Download the Libby app (iOS, Android) to find a library near you, or visit www.overdrive.com.
About OverDrive
OverDrive is a mission-based company that stands with libraries. Named a Certified B Corp in 2017, OverDrive serves more than 88,000 libraries and schools in 109 countries with the industry’s largest digital catalog of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, video and other content. OverDrive empowers libraries and schools by expanding access for all through tireless industry advocacy and consistent innovation. Award-winning apps and services include the Libby library reading app, the Sora student reading app, Kanopy, the leading video streaming app for libraries and colleges, and TeachingBooks.net, which offers one of the largest catalogs of supplemental materials that enhance literacy outcomes. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, Ohio USA. www.overdrive.com
