Digital Bookmobile Celebrates 100th Event With San Francisco Public Library

7,500 Miles Traveled Through 20 States Promoting Audiobook, eBook Download Services


SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - May 6, 2009) - The Digital Bookmobile (www.digitalbookmobile.com) will celebrate its 100th event with San Francisco Public Library on Friday, May 8 on Fulton Street next to the Main Library. The high-tech 18-wheeler has traveled more than 7,500 miles from New York City's Central Park to the California coast and places in between demonstrating free library downloads. At the San Francisco event, the Digital Bookmobile will introduce San Francisco Public Library patrons to the library's brand new download service for audiobooks, eBooks, music, and video (http://sfpl.lib.overdrive.com). A second event will be held for the following day, May 9, at the same location.

The Digital Bookmobile's unprecedented national tour was launched in August 2008 in New York City with New York Public Library and has helped more than 16,000 patrons in 20 states to learn about library download services and 'Virtual Branch' websites. Following the San Francisco events, the journey across North America continues with stops in Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Colorado. The Digital Bookmobile is also tentatively scheduled to be in Chicago during the American Library Association Annual 2009 Conference, July 9-15. A full schedule of upcoming stops is available at http://www.digitalbookmobile.com/calendar.aspx.

"The Digital Bookmobile had a significant effect on the success of our download website," said Michael Colford, Regional Administrator at Boston Regional Library System. "In the month following the Digital Bookmobile event, our new patron registration went up 944 percent."

With interactive PC and Mac® computer stations, personalized demonstrations, and cutting-edge devices like iPod® and Zune®, the Digital Bookmobile will introduce the San Francisco Public Library's new download service for eBooks, audiobooks, music, and video. The service provides patrons with free access to best-selling digital books and more from a download website. Titles can be downloaded 24/7 on a home computer and transferred to popular devices including iPod and Sony® Reader.

The Digital Bookmobile, developed inside a 74-foot, 18-wheel tractor-trailer, is a high-tech update of the traditional bookmobile that has served communities for decades. The one-of-a-kind community outreach vehicle creates an engaging download experience around the host library's digital media collection available on a 'Virtual Branch' download website. The vehicle is equipped with broadband Internet-connected PCs, high-definition monitors, premium sound systems, and a variety of portable media players. Interactive computer stations give visitors an opportunity to search the digital media collection, use supported mobile devices, and sample eBooks, audiobooks, music, and video from the library.

The Digital Bookmobile is operated by OverDrive, which powers download websites at more than 8,500 libraries worldwide in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, Ireland, Turkey, Singapore, and more. To see if your library is a member of the OverDrive global network and to find free downloads, visit http://search.overdrive.com.

About OverDrive

OverDrive is the leading global digital distributor of eBooks, audiobooks, music, and video. We deliver secure management, DRM protection, and download fulfillment services for hundreds of publishers and thousands of libraries, schools, and retailers serving millions of end users. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. www.overdrive.com

Contact Information: Media Contact: David Burleigh Director of Marketing OverDrive, Inc. 216-573-6886 Ext 218