Hurricanes Won't Stop New Orleans Public Library From Moving Forward With Technology

NEW ORLEANS, LA--(Marketwire - July 30, 2007) - New Orleans Public Library was hit hard by the nation's most devastating natural disaster, and much of their collection was destroyed by flood waters when the levies broke. In addition to rebuilding their libraries and collections, NOPL is stepping into the future of library services with downloadable audiobooks and eBooks from OverDrive, Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio, funded by the New Orleans Public Library Foundation. Patrons of NOPL can access the digital site from a link on the library's website, http://nutrias.org.

Checkout is simple and free with just a library card. Users can download titles to a personal computer, and then transfer books to a portable device to enjoy on the go. Some audio titles can even be burned to CD to listen in the car.

"The website is user friendly and more importantly, it is accessible from anywhere in the world, anytime day or night," said Kim-Uyen Tran, Head of the Periodicals, Arts & Recreation Division and project manager.

The collection includes digital books from popular authors such as James Patterson, Michael Crichton, and Barbara Delinsky, and also best-selling titles like "The Overlook" by Michael Connelly and "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger.

"We are very excited to offer this service with OverDrive. This is an example of new and innovative services that we are providing to our community," said longtime audio book fan and Library Foundation member, Bill Settoon. "It's just another great way to enjoy literature, especially if you're on the go!"

There are currently eight libraries which have reopened along with six additional temporary locations opening this summer, and now, a portion of NOPL is available 24/7 at http://nutrias.org. Check out a downloadable audiobook or eBook today! For questions or assistance, patrons can contact the library at (504) 596-2565 or by email, par_desk@gno.lib.la.us.

About OverDrive, Inc.

OverDrive is a leader in providing world-class infrastructure for downloading premium digital content. We deliver secure management, protection and download services for hundreds of publishers and institutions (rights holders) and thousands of libraries, retailers and distributors serving millions of end users. With a global catalog of premium digital titles -- including current best sellers -- of eBooks, audio books, music, video and (coming soon) games & interactive software presentable in a single platform, OverDrive offers the industry's best selection as well as the option to manage, protect and download proprietary content. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, OH. www.overdrive.com

Contact Information: Contact: Megan Stack 216-573-6886 ext. 225