OverDrive's eBook Lending Roadmap for 2014/2015

At the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, June 27-30, OverDrive introduced and demonstrated their 2014/2015 eBook lending Roadmap.
 
More content, more flexible access models

  • Always Available title plans that enable libraries and schools to select one or a set of titles for simultaneous availability. This is ideal for book clubs, summer reading and “city read” programs.
  • Cost-per-checkout (CPC) model that allows libraries to make available a supplier’s entire catalog of titles, but only incur a charge when a user borrows a title. OverDrive will launch major Hollywood feature films for streaming video that require this lending model.
  • Engage new readers with new eBook lending catalogs: Graphic novels, manga (English and Japanese) and popular children’s eBook series and picture books using EPUB3 with fixed layout.
  • Consortia-friendly programs to enable Advantage titles to be migrated from individual libraries to shared collections, as permitted by publishers and suppliers.

Easiest and most proven platform with new apps and services

  • OverDrive App updates later this summer will eliminate the Adobe activation step.
  • Automatic title renewals, automatic hold checkout, and other library-managed policies that maximize circulation of library titles by responding to the most requested features of readers and librarians.
  • Synchronized audio narration with text, dictionary support, and other features beneficial to students and researchers.
  • A series of new APIs that enable deeper integration with ILS and discovery layers, and provide analytics, based on the proven success of OverDrive’s Developer Portal (#1 rated library APIs by ReadersFirst).OverDrive team members briefed librarians on plans to launch a series of content, end-user and platform enhancements over the coming weeks and months. These include new access models such as a cost-per-checkout model, elimination of the Adobe activation step, expanded discovery for library holdings including eBook samples embedded on Bing, Huffington Post and BuzzFeed, and additional tools for libraries to achieve measurable success with their eBook and digital lending collections.
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