Happy New Years, faithful Digital Distribution Blog readers. It should please you all to know that we’re kicking off 2012 with a bang, adding content from publishers around the clock. So now that our gifts have been gifted, our champagne bottles popped, our streamers streamed, and the ball has dropped, it’s time to cuddle up with some good reads from the new publishers who’ve joined the OverDrive family during this occasionally (in the Midwest particularly) snow-filled month.
F.A. Davis
Paging all healthcare professionals; the OverDrive catalog is about to get clinical. From leading independent nursing, medicine and health science publisher, F.A. Davis is stocking our metaphorical shelves with eBooks to quench your thirst for knowledge at every stage of your career. Whether you’re transitioning from a registered nurse to a nurse practitioner, boning up on phlebotomy, or you’re just enamored by anatomy, the regimen from F.A. Davis is sure to be just what the doctor ordered.
BVTV
Handy men and women, roll out your fanciest tarps and drop-cloths, because the DIY gods have graced us with one of their finest. Some may know him as the dean of home renovation and repair advice, others, as the former This Old House star, but we just know him as good old Bob Vila. Say goodbye to the days of poorly lacquered kitchen cabinets that you tell your friends are intentionally that color because they’re “rustic,” and hello to rich cherry finishes and custom made moldings. From Dutch Colonials and Gothic Revivals to bungalows and brown stones, the video collection from Bob Vila will take your home from drab to fab without breaking the bank.
Hardie Grant
Hailing from the land down under comes one of our newest publishers, with a catalog diverse enough to span from Perth to Brisbane and back again. While food and travel are its forte in non-fiction, Hardie Grant has a kid’s catalog that’s cuter than a kangaroo. Teaming up with Egmont UK, Hardie Grant Egmont is the largest Australian-owned independent children’s publisher. From Zac Power and Go Girl! to beloved classics Winnie-the-Pooh and Thomas the Tank Engine, these adorable books will keep kids engaged, clawing like koalas, only not as violent.
Hold the phone; we’re adding content from more noteworthy publishers below!
Amicus Publishing
Mitchell Lane Publishers
Pelican Publishing Company
Navarchus Press
Brenda Shoshanna
Distractions Ink
International Creators Organization
Social Studies School Service
Greenbrier Book Company
Diane Chamberlain Books
Harbinger Books
Amy Kaufman is a publisher partner services specialist for OverDrive.
TVs, TVs and more TVs were the big draw at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this month. Everything from 3D TVs to LED to OLED lit up (literally) the tradeshow floor. Another big buzz word that has been repeated incessantly since CES—Ultrabook. But we won’t get into that now. Let’s focus on the tablets as there are some that could potentially be winners once they are officially released to the public.
Pantech Element
Now available from AT&T for $299.99 (with a contract), the Pantech Element is sporting an 8-inch display. It’s not quite the 10-inch display of the iPad2, but it does have an inch more real estate than the 7-inch Toshiba Thrive. Running Android Honeycomb with a 1.5 GHz duel-core processor, it looks to be fairly speedy. It also comes equipped with rear and front cameras (5 and 2 megapixels, respectively).
Asus Memo 370T
Running Ice Cream Sandwich and a quad-core, NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and 1GB of RAM, the 7-inch Asus Memo 370T tablet might just be the game changer everyone has been waiting for. Unfortunately, we won’t know for sure until it is released sometime in Quarter 2 for $250. You’ll also find the device has an 8 megapixel camera and even HDMI output.
Acer Iconia Tab A700
Another Android tablet with Ice Cream Sandwich (it’s been customized though) and a 1.3 GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor, the Acer Iconia Tab A700 includes a 10.1-inch display putting it in direct competition with the iPad. According to Engadget, this device was only ‘leaked’ at CES and may never come to market, which could be why there wasn’t any pricing information. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Lenovo Idea Tab S2
Ice Cream Sandwich comes up again with this new Android tablet from Lenovo. The Lenovo Idea Tab S2 is jumping into the 10-inch tablet market. However, the Idea Tab S2 only weighs 20 ounces. While it is running Ice Cream Sandwich it only includes a dual-core 1.7 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor. The processor isn’t anything to sneeze at, though. Also looking at a second quarter 2012 release, I’m definitely interested to see this one in person.
Of course this is just a small sampling of the many tablets that were featured at this year’s CES. Hopefully as they are made available to the public, I’ll be able to get my hands on them for future reviews.
Megan Greer is an account specialist for OverDrive.
Due to the rapid expansion of device compatibility and consumer awareness, eBook discovery and online reader visits at libraries and schools worldwide experienced triple digit growth in 2011.
Key statistics for library eBooks, audiobooks and digital media from OverDrive-powered ‘Virtual Branch’ websites in 2011 include:
- 1.6 billion book and title catalog pages viewed, up 130% from 2010
- 99.5 million visitor sessions, up 107%
- Mobile device use increased to 22% of all checkouts
- 35 million digital titles checked out in 2011, with 17 million holds
- The OverDrive catalog for libraries now includes 700,000 copyrighted eBook, audiobook, music, and video titles in 52 languages, including 300,000 titles added in 2011
- In 2011 OverDrive Media Console (free eBook and audiobook apps) was installed by 5 million users (up 84%) bringing the total install base to 11 million
- Readers used OverDrive eBooks on all desktop and major smartphone and e-reading platforms including Android, iPhone®, iPod touch®, iPad®, Windows® Phone and BlackBerry®, as well as Kindle®, NOOK™, Sony® Reader and others.
At the ALA Midwinter Conference OverDrive will demonstrate new digital book discovery services to help libraries meet eBook demand. These include a new OverDrive “All Digital” catalog feed that will provide library visitors immediate access to browse and sample entire publisher and author eBook and audiobook backlist and long tail collections regardless of whether the library has acquired units for lending. For participating libraries, the service also features patron-driven acquisition options and “Buy it Now” links connecting readers with booksellers, which in turn pay the referring library affiliate fees for all referrals that result in a sale.
Brianne Carlon is a public relations specialist for OverDrive.
eBooks have pushed so many boundaries, stretching our imaginations further than we once thought possible. From carrying around 1,000 books in our pockets to instantly downloading and reading bestsellers—even on the beach—it seems that nearly anything is possible.
Today, there is another trend emerging with eBooks: a social experience. The online world is built on connections, whether they are professional links, social “Likes” or tiny tweets. Many, including publishers and app developers, have started experimenting with adding this element to reading. And while maybe there are some who disagree, enhanced eBooks can be intriguing. Here are a couple of examples that have piqued our interest lately:
From 21 audio tracks included with the book Country Music: The Masters to an update of the 1980s Practical Meditation for Busy Souls that now includes audio with guided meditations, Sourcebooks has been a leader on the enhanced-eBook front. According to the publisher, “These innovative digital books allow for immersion experiences within the book—seamlessly integrating audio, video, and images into the text and creating ‘you are there’ adventures you won’t soon forget.”
Disney has continued to push boundaries with interactive eBooks, which it introduced in February 2011. With Disney Digital Books opened on computer screens, children can use Disney’s magic pen to operate Pen Puzzlers (interactive puzzles featuring favorite Disney characters), hear words pronounced, find definitions and access additional help—enhancing readers’ opportunities for learning and fun.
Readmill, a small company in Berlin, is taking eBook sharing to yet another level. Readmill’s iPad app allows readers to annotate books, share those comments, track what their friends are reading and even view their annotations, all of which creates a social reading experience. This leaves the door wide open for the story to be expanded. In fact, author Aaron Gustafson added commentary to his own book. Now, those who read it through Readmill can view his extended story. Other companies, including Goodreads, OpenMargin and Amazon are creating similar sharing experiences.
So where will eBooks go next? It is really up to you, the publishers. EPUB3 promises animation, interactivity, audio, video and other content not previously available for eBooks. Perhaps teachers could add their notes or texts to classic literature taught in English class—via video. Or maybe we are taken to an interactive version of “Under the Sea” in The Little Mermaid. A whole world of possibilities awaits us.
Brianne Carlon is a public relations specialist for OverDrive.
I believe “Happy New Years!” is really the only appropriate way to start off this blog. The holiday season is over, your wallets have been emptied, the gift-wrapping remains are well on their way to the nearest trash depository; I think it’s only fair we kick back with a bottle of bubbly, and toast to the new year. And what better way to do it than perusing through the catalogs of our newest publishing partners!
The Creative Company
Hailing from the land of 10,000 lakes, our newest children’s book publisher is churning out soon-to-be classics almost as fast as we can read them. The Creative Company has been recognized time and again for their pristinely illustrated kid’s tales that truly stand the test of time. Spanning from their 2010 gold medal IPPY award winning book The House, back to their very first Mildred L. Batchelder Award for Rose Blanche in 1986, these sweet reads prove that beauty and brains are the ultimate double threat.
Grass Roots Press
Planting their seed back in 1998, Grass Roots Press is planted firmly in the ground as one of Canada’s premier adult literary resource publishers. Founded on the belief that the best resources are developed by literacy educators, Grass Roots Press has grown from their modest 25 title catalog, blossoming into a publication of nearly 500 titles. Carving out their niche in the field of adult basic education, Grass Roots Press is proving that you can teach an old(er) dog new tricks.
Backlit Fiction
If you’re looking to get your teen back on the reading wagon, we’ve got just the answer for you. Receiving a good deal of press from their innovative publishing process, we couldn’t be more thrilled to some of the newest teen serials from Backlit Fiction to the OverDrive catalog. The concept: allow teen audiences to serve as an incubating think tank, previewing new titles through various social networking sites in order to engage readers, and get audience feedback. From there, new episodic eBooks are released, with computer applications and film or television properties hopefully to follow. Thus far, Borrowing Abby Grace, The Start-Up and The Dig, are storming the countryside—kid tested, publisher approved.
Blasted Heath
William Shakespeare once wrote “Upon this blasted heath you shall stop our way/ With such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you.” While I can’t speak for the literary significance of this famous line of prose, I can deduce that one of our newest publishers found a great deal of inspiration in this, naming their company none other than, you guessed it, Blasted Heath. From Dead Money to The Man in the Seventh Row these sharp-witted thrillers may be double the toil and trouble, and are sure to make your fire burn and cauldron bubble.
If you know anything about us, it’s that we don’t stop here. Check out the gems from these publishers, too!
Rockpool Publishing
Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency
Many Hats Media
Oneworld Classics
Ready-Ed Publications
Tralco Educational Services
Abhinav Publications
Phyllis Smallman
Dark Sky Publishing
Jessica Park
Amy Kaufman is a publisher partner services specialist for OverDrive.
The month of December is nearing its close, and for many, a few things come to mind, rendering us incapable of looking beyond January 1st; namely, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, and New Years Eve. However, I can’t help but notice a bustling trade show season waiting patiently at the end of that holiday road.
You guessed it; we’re hitting the road (jack) and we want to see you, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, at any of the events we’ll be at over the next few months. So roam if you want to, blitzkrieg bop, take your little red corvette — we don’t care how you get there, so you can go your own way. However, OverDrive does not endorse the following of strangers’ advice to get out of their dreams and into their car— walking 500 miles and then walking 500 more would undoubtedly be safer.
2012 EBMA Annual Meeting: January 10-13, Rio Mar Beach Resort, Puerto Rico
2012 International CES: January 10-13, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas
BETT London: January 11-14, Olympia, London, Stand C20
ALA Midwinter 2012: January 20-23, Dallas Convention Center, Booth 845
Digital Book World 2012: January 23-25, Sheraton Hotel & Towers, New York
FETC 2012: January 23-26, Orange County Convention Center, Booth 450
OLA Super Conference 2012: February 1-4, Metro Toronto Convention Center, Booth 325
VALA2012 Conference: February 6-9, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Booth 031
TCEA 2012 Convention & Expo: February 6-10, Austin Convention Center, Booth 1552
NCCE 2012: March 13-16, Washington State Convention Center, Booth 233
Want more information on where to find us? Check our events page, or shoot us an email!
Amy Kaufman is a publisher partner services specialist for OverDrive.
OverDrive constantly strives to provide our publisher partners more reach to promote and sell eBook and digital content. To maximize sell-through of your content, we have created WIN Affiliates, a major enhancement for library ‘Virtual Branch’ websites in the OverDrive network. The Affiliate program is the latest in the series of WIN initiatives for our global library network to streamline user experience and provide readers with more access to more content.
Often patrons do not want to wait for a popular title to become available from the library or for the library to acquire it for lending. In fact, with the popularity of eBooks, many libraries have very long waitlists and cannot keep up with the demand. With the WIN Affiliate program, patrons now have one-click access to national and independent booksellers that offer the titles they are interested in for purchase in both digital and print formats (an affiliate fee is paid to the referring library). Booksellers, such as , BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon, Books on Board and Powells.com, are already attracting new customers and growing sales in the US market. The WIN Catalog is currently in pilot at several libraries, including New York Public Library and The Free Library of Philadelphia. Additional international markets will be launched soon.
For more information regarding the WIN Catalog, contact pubinfo@overdrive.com.
Brianne Carlon is a public relations specialist at OverDrive.
Greetings fellow blog readers; can you believe its December already? I guess time flies when the air is frigid and no one wants to go outside. Emily Dickinson once wrote, “November always seems to me the Norway of the year,” and while that doesn’t have a tremendous amount of relevance in this blog, she was a poet, and we love literature, thus bringing us full circle. I could continue to digress, but I’ll spare you, instead presenting the 17 new publishers who’ve joined the OverDrive family this past month.
Santillana USA
Thanks to our newest language learning publisher, we can be speaking Spanish faster than you can say ‘ay caramba!’ Founded in the 1960s with a mission to make learning and teaching English and Spanish a motivating experience for both teachers and students, Grupo Santillana has since broken out into 21 subsidiaries, covering the globe as the largest educational publisher in the Spanish-speaking world. From classics like Roald Dahl and Judy Blume en Español, to their bilingual, dual-language library, Santillana USA is helping the world descubre el Español, one libro at a time.
Ostara Publishing
Ladies and gentlemen, throw on your Inverness Cape coats and deerstalker hats, because there’s a new sleuth in town, and let’s face it, every mystery is better when it’s dressed like Sherlock Holmes and talks in a Cockney accent. From the quaint village of Essex, England, Ostara Publishing is unveiling a line of nail-biting mysteries in five distinct imprints. Whether it’s Cambridge Crime, College Crime, Clerical Crime or Medieval Mysteries, these whodunits are so engrossing, you’ll think twice before meandering down a dark alley alone. Now shove that in your corncob pipe and smoke it.
Karnac Books
Is it just me, or is there anything less proactive than the message embedded in the Talking Heads iconic song “Psycho Killer?” Instead of instructing those around to run, run, run, run, run, run, run away, they should have really suggested someone run, run, run, run, run, run, run to the bookstore and check out something from Karnac Books. From psychotherapy to hypnotherapy, neuro linguistic programming to grief and bereavement, Karnac Books knows a thing or two about mental health. With the dreary winter season upon us, we’re thankful that Karnac Books will keep us from losing our minds.
Allium Press of Chicago
From the great fire to the World Fair, few Midwestern cities embody intrigue and allure quite like Chicago. As a former Chicagoan myself, I can say with authority that the windy city has a history as rich as the mobsters who ran the joint. Looking past the shiny skyscrapers and glistening sea, Allium Press of Chicago is putting a mysterious spin on the Second City, channeling a darker time where the stench from the meat packing factories could distract you from the crime and corruption happening at your own front door. Whether its Death at Hull House or Death at Pullman, Allium Press is getting down and dirty in the city of big shoulders.
Just like last time, and every time before that, don’t stop here! We’ve got 13 more gems to uncover below:
Choc Lit Limited
Colleen Gleason
Harvest House
i-ePUB Inc.
Mercury Radio Arts
MPH Publishing
Peterson Institute for International Economics
Peterson’s
Scribe Publications
SelectBooks
Teacher’s Discovery
Andrea Brown Literary Agency
Emerald House Group
Amy Kaufman is a publisher partner services specialist for OverDrive.
OverDrive’s support system will be changing for our Retail Partners. As part of our continuing efforts to improve our services and systems, OverDrive is transitioning to a new support system due to be rolled out in phases starting early December. Under this new system, retailers will be able to submit support requests using an easy online form designed to gather all relevant information so we can resolve your request quickly and efficiently.
Retail Partners were contacted directly with more information about when their support will be transitioned fully to this new service. The email addresses will remain open during a brief transition period; however, you will want to begin using the new online form as soon as possible, as the old email addresses will only be available during the 30 day transition period.
A new Help Tab has been created in Content Reserve and all training materials and resources that were previously found on the Support Tab have moved here. The Support Tab will now be used only to submit requests for support via a button that will link you to the Support Request web form once it is live. To create a support request, simply log in to Content Reserve, complete the web form, and click ‘Submit’.
In the next few days, OverDrive will make a training document available that provides instruction on how to use this new Support Request form. This documentation will be sent to all of our retail partners but will also be saved on the Support Tab in Content Reserve.
Keep checking your Critical Alerts in Content Reserve for more information about these changes and for other news and information about OverDrive’s services. If you have any questions, please contact your Retail Partner Services Account Specialist.
Laura Crowe is a the Manager of Strategic and Retail Partner Services
It’s amazing to think that there are so many different kinds of eBook readers to choose from nowadays. It wasn’t long ago that it was difficult to find anything besides the big names we’re all used to now.
A few months ago, Kobo released the eReader Touch Edition to compete against those big names. Overall, the Kobo Touch is a fair contender and the device offers some neat features. Let’s start with the positives.
The interface is super intuitive. I really feel that anyone could pick up this device without any instructions and start reading. The home screen only shows your five most recently opened or downloaded books. The largest cover image being the last book you had opened. Beyond that there are only three options beyond the home screen: ‘Library’, ‘Store’, ‘Reading Life’. ‘Library’ allows you to view your books, newspapers and magazines, 15 preloaded previews and your favorites. ‘Store’ will grant you direct access to the Kobo Store. ‘Reading Life’ is a neat feature; it creates and keeps track of your reading statistics. It will let you review minutes read each session, hours read, pages turned and other fun stats. If you are in to that kind of thing, you’ll get a kick out of it.
Let’s talk about the reading experience. Before I sit down to write a review, I check other sites to see what customers have said about their purchases. Most people were giving the Kobo Touch high marks all around. I, however, was only somewhat impressed with the touch functionality. Occasionally the responsiveness was fast but more often than not I felt it lagged or didn’t respond at all. Keep in mind, it could just be the unit we have in-house.
The 6” Pearl high contrast E Ink display was very crisp – I have no complaints there. With a 16 level gray scale, the quality is comparable to others currently available. Your Adobe EPUB or PDF eBooks will look great. I did find a slight glare to the screen though when I held it at various angles.
You’ll also have Wi-Fi connectivity, 2GB of storage space and (depending on personal usage) one month of battery life. The Kobo Touch even comes in four available colors for those that like having a little variety in their electronic toys.
Overall, the interface is my favorite part about the Touch. For $129.99, the Kobo Touch is priced right with its competitors. It’ll come to down to whether or not you want to go with one of those names that come to mind right away or with something different. Happy comparison shopping!
Megan Greer is an account specialist for OverDrive.
