In "Don't Put Me In, Coach," perennial Ohio State University bench warmer Mark Titus shares his humorous perspective on NCAA basketball from the best seat in the house.

Cinderella stories, office pools and tournament brackets, heartbreaking moments and the thrill of victory.  Spring has arrived, and with it the most magical event in the entire sporting world: March Madness. Whether you follow the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament or not, for the next month you’ll be hearing stories of underdogs overcoming impossible odds, buzzer-beating shots that will soon become the stuff of legend, and of course, the crowning of a new national champion.

It’s important to remember that, amongst the millions of patrons out there using OverDrive-powered digital collections, many of them are also avid basketball fans. Make sure that your collection is ready for the action by adding some of these great titles available in Content Reserve (availability may vary by geographic location):

“Don’t Put Me in, Coach” By Mark Titus
Mark Titus was the last man off the bench for the Ohio State University basketball team for four years.  In his time as a Buckeye, Titus amassed nine total points. However, what he lacked in athleticism he more than made up for with wit and humor.  During those collegiate years, Titus’ blog, Club Tril, received nearly 4 million page views. He became a legend in his own right, and since graduation he has been featured in the New York Times, ESPN.com, Yahoo.com, the Associated Press, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Titus currently writes for the popular grantland.com. “Don’t Put Me in, Coach” is the culmination of his journey—the story offers his unique perspective from the best seat at every game. Your patrons will enjoy his humor whether they love basketball or not.

“Always By My Side“ by Jim Nance
Join Jim Nance, the voice of March Madness, as he relives some of the greatest moments in recent sports history.  “Always By My Side” is more than just a tale of the events for which Nance has been the announcer; it’s also a story about a son who both loved and misses his father.  This book walks us through how Nance has witnessed some of the game’s most thrilling events, and it relates how he used those times to honor the memory of his father.

“When the Game Was Ours“ by Larry Bird and Earvin (Magic) Johnson
Larry Bird and Magic Johnson have been rivals since their time at Indiana State University and Michigan State University, respectively.  After their classic National Championship battle, they moved on to the NBA and helped bring continued greatness to the NBA’s two most storied franchises, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers.  “When the Game Was Ours” provides a never-before-seen look into the lives of these two rivals and friends.  Bird and Magic: you can’t have one without the other, so it’s only fitting that they’d write a bestselling book together.

“Basketball for Dummies“
You may have noticed in Karen Estrovich’s post earlier this month that “Dummies” books are on sale during March.  Well, what better time to buy the best-selling title about basketball than during March Madness? “Basketball for Dummies” is a great beginner’s guide for patrons who may be looking into the game for the first time.  Help them get off on the right foot and save some money while doing it!

Adam Sockel is a Marketing & Outreach Specialist at OverDrive.