Rakuten to acquire OverDrive
Japanese internet services company Rakuten, owner of Kobo, has agreed to acquire library digital content supplier OverDrive for US$410m (A$536m). OverDrive said in a statement that it will operate as...
International library news
OverDrive to distribute Smashwords titlesIn the US, ebook provider OverDrive will distribute titles from self-publishing platform Smashwords, reports Publishers Weekly. As part of a new deal, OverDrive will distribute more...
OverDrive to distribute Smashwords titles
Ebook provider OverDrive will distribute titles from self-publishing platform Smashwords, reports Publishers Weekly. As part of a new deal, OverDrive will distribute more than 200,000 Smashwords titles from around 80,000...
International Library News
Report finds two-thirds of Americans engaged with public librariesThe Pew Research Center in Washington DC has released a report on library use in the US that states that more than two-thirds...
Australian, NZ libraries and schools to participate in third Big Library Read project
Australian and New Zealand libraries and schools are again participating in the Big Library Read project run by ebook provider OverDrive. The latest version of the project is the third...
International Library News
HarperCollins makes ebook catalogue available to UK librariesHarperCollins UK will make over 5000 ebook titles available for library and school lending for the first time in the UK via OverDrive’s digital...
International Library News
Simon & Schuster US announces new library ebook pilot with OverDriveIn the US, Simon & Schuster has expanded its library ebook lending program, launching a new pilot with library supplier...
OverDrive rolls out in-library digital kiosks, announces video streaming service
Auckland City Libraries in New Zealand is the first local library to install an OverDrive Media Station, a digital touch-screen kiosk that allows library users to search for and borrow ebooks, audiobooks,...
Optus launches ebookstore
Australian telecommunications company Optus is now selling ebooks. The Optus ebookstore, which also sells audiobooks, was launched on 11 November. The store is powered by OverDrive, with ebooks available in EPUB...
Penguin US ebooks available to libraries through OverDrive again
Libraries in the US can now access Penguin ebooks through OverDrive, more than 18 months after the publisher announced that it was ending its relationship with the library supplier, reports...
Big W launches ebookstore
Australian discount department store Big W is now selling ebooks. The Big W ebookstore, which is separate to the retailer’s main website, launched this morning and can be accessed here. The...
Australian, NZ libraries and schools participate in second Big Library Read project
Australian and New Zealand libraries and schools are among those participating in the second Big Library Read project to be run by ebook provider OverDrive. The project, which was launched...
International Library News
OverDrive to distribute digital content in China OverDrive has signed an agreement to make its catalogue of digital content available to libraries and retailers in China, said OverDrive in a statement....
In brief
Softlink to supply OverDrive ebooks and audiobooks to Sydney Catholic schools The Catholic Education Office (CEO) in Sydney has announced a partnership with library supplier Softlink, which will supply OverDrive ebooks and audiobooks...
Australian libraries participate in Big Library Read project
A number of Australian libraries are participating in the Big Library Read project, a two-week ebook data experiment run by OverDrive and Sourcebooks. As previously reported by Books+Publishing, the project...
Jon Page on the digital future for booksellers
Pages & Pages general manager Jon Page is stepping down as president of the Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) in June. In his final ‘President’s report’ in the ABA’s News on...
International Library News
Hachette US to supply full ebook catalogue to libraries In the US, Hachette has announced that it will make its full catalogue of ebooks available to libraries, reports Publishers Weekly....
Booksellers respond to Booki.sh retail sales closure
A number of independent booksellers who have been selling ebooks via the Booki.sh platform have expressed their disappointment in OverDrive’s decision to discontinue retail sales from the platform. As reported...
OverDrive to close Booki.sh retail platform
Ebook distributor OverDrive has confirmed to Books+Publishing that it will discontinue ebook sales from its Booki.sh platform. OverDrive, which acquired the local Booki.sh platform in March 2012, said today that...
Australian library tops OverDrive list of fastest-growing ebook lenders in 2012
An Australian library service has topped ebook distributor OverDrive’s list of the fastest-growing ebook lenders in 2012. Australia’s Moreton Bay Region Libaries in Queensland topped the list of ‘public libraries recording the...