German Libraries Achieve Three Million Digital Book Checkouts with OverDrive

"Leselounge mit Libby" digital book club fuels library love for Libby app

FRANKFURT, Germany, Oct. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- German library users have fallen in love with the Libby library reading app. The highly rated, all-in-one library reading app for ebooks, audiobooks and magazines is used by over 400 German public libraries and was created by OverDrive, the leading digital reading platform for libraries worldwide. Through 30 September, libraries have loaned three million digital titles in 2023, which represents an increase of 46 percent year-over-year. Publishers are benefiting from the increased visibility of their books and direct spend from libraries, which has increased 25 percent over the same period.

One factor contributing to the library success is Leselounge mit Libby, a countrywide digital book club that emphasizes not just reading, but community and shared experiences. In March 2023, nearly 4,000 library patrons read the selected Leselounge mit Libby title through Libby, which boasts a 4.8 average rating in the Apple App Store and was named both Apple and Google Play Editor's Choice.

The next Leselounge mit Libby title selection is suspense thriller Zum Bösen verurteilt, published by SAGA Egmont. The ebook and audiobook will be available for free to public libraries and patrons using Libby from 30 October-November 13 with an integrated marketing campaign to elevate visibility of the title and drive patron engagement.

"With hundreds of thousands of titles released each year, it can be difficult for readers to find the books that we want them to read," said Signe Olesen, Editor in Chief, Saga DE. "The Leselounge was a terrific catalyst for conversation around our book. The program was a critical element in our publicity strategy."

OverDrive has invested in its European and German service teams, and VP of Global Libraries and Education Claudia Weissman is a native German and library advocate. "I grew up in Hamburg and spent many days with my mother and sister in the Hamburg Public Library fifteen minutes from the house my mother still lives in," said Weissman. "Today, I am proud to be part of a company with world-class technology that enables easy access to German and world language materials from their local public library."

Weissman's story is a familiar one that you'll hear in the halls of OverDrive's world headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. In addition to the German market, OverDrive's advocacy for equitable access to books drives their winning strategy around the world. As the leader in digital content distribution for institutional channels, OverDrive's catalog has more than five million ebooks and audiobooks in 100 languages, including 500,000 German-language ebooks and 63,000 German audiobooks.

For those brief moments when reading a book isn't possible, there's still a reason to love Libby. Many libraries also offer digital magazines and newspapers. The new Newsstand feature showcases glossies and niche chronicles in one easy to find section. With one tap, users can subscribe to a variety of periodicals which are then moved to their reading shelf within the app.

At the Frankfurt Book Fair from 18-21 October, OverDrive is meeting with publishers representing all genres and languages from across the globe. For over 20 years, OverDrive has been the source of significant growth for publishers for ebooks, audiobooks, digital comics, magazines, graphic novels and other media.

To schedule a meeting and learn more about OverDrive, email 2023FBF@overdrive.com or stop by Frankfurt Buchmesse Hall stand 5.1 D53.

Libraries interested in learning more about OverDrive can contact Tanja Fischer at tfischer@overdrive.com. 

About OverDrive 
OverDrive is a mission-based company that stands with libraries. Named a Certified B Corp in 2017, OverDrive serves more than 91,000 libraries and schools in 113 countries – including more than 400 in German – with the industry's largest digital catalog of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, video and other content. OverDrive empowers libraries and schools by expanding access for all through tireless industry advocacy and consistent innovation. Award-winning apps and services include the Libby library reading app, the Sora student reading app, Kanopy, the leading video streaming app for libraries and colleges, and TeachingBooks.net, which offers one of the largest catalogs of supplemental materials that enhance literacy outcomes. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, Ohio USA. www.overdrive.com

Media contact:

David Burleigh
OverDrive Director of Brand & Communications
dburleigh@overdrive.com

Kathrin Klass
First Klass Communication
+49 176 64848 565
kklass@overdrive.com

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