LAS VEGAS, NV - 09/13/04) - Las Vegas is known more for its exciting casinos than for its quiet suburbs, but one of the nation's largest library systems is delivering eBooks and digital media to its rapidly growing population of permanent residents. Patrons of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District can now access popular eBooks from Internet-connected computers (http://ebooks.lvccld.org/). OverDrive, Inc., a leading vendor of eBook solutions for libraries, supplied the technology for the new service.
LVCCLD has experienced a 93% increase in circulation in the last four years, and a population surge of 300,000 is expected during the next five years. Clark County has been the fastest growing county in the U.S. for the last two decades.
The District's Executive Director, Dan Walters, said, "High-speed Internet connections are being built into almost every new home in Clark County. This allows us to deliver library services on-line, including eBooks and digital audio books. This is both efficient and convenient." Patrons use a valid LVCCLD library card to check out and download eBooks and other digital media. eBooks can be read on PDAs, Pocket PCs, and Smartphones, in addition to PCs, laptops, or Macs. At the end of the loan period, eBooks are automatically returned.
The District's eBook collection includes bestsellers and classics, fiction and non-fiction, from popular authors and leading publishers. "Our service population is expected to grow by 36% over the next ten years. Though physical locations are always important, with the OverDrive technology platform we will be able to deliver digital media directly from our website, and it will enable us to meet the demands of such a rapidly expanding population," Walters continues. eBooks are available in Adobe PDF format and Mobipocket format, and by the end of the year, LVCCLD will use the system to deliver audio books in Windows Media Audio format.
"Instead of visiting Amazon or Blockbuster, imagine logging onto the District's website to watch movies, listen to audio books, or download music. We want to be the best source for free, on-demand, digital information and entertainment for the growing community we serve. Delivering eBooks is just the first step toward that vision," said Walters.
To browse eBooks, go to http://ebooks.lvccld.org/. A valid LVCCLD library card is required to check out and download eBooks from the website.
About OverDrive, Inc.
OverDrive is the leading distributor of eBooks and other digital content to retailers and public libraries in the US and the UK. www.overdrive.com
