Welcome to the new look of Digital Dispatch, OverDrive's quarterly newsletter! We hope you'll find this edition informative and useful as you continue to maximize circulation of your download website.

OverDrive held its first Outreach Program Contest earlier this summer to encourage libraries to promote their download service inside and outside the library. We judged the entries on the creativity of the campaign and its potential to reach new users.

We were delighted that nearly 40 libraries, diverse in size and location, participated, and even more thrilled at the number of unique and new ideas that were used to raise awareness about downloading from the library.

On behalf of Team OverDrive, I'd like to congratulate these winning libraries:

1st Place: $2,500 collection credit and 10 MP3 players
DMZ: Huntsville-Madison County Public Library (AL)

2nd Place: $1,500 collection credit
Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System (NY)

3rd Place: $1,000 collection credit
Randwick Library Service (AUS)

4th Place: $750 collection credit
Arapahoe Library District (CO)

5th Place: $500 collection credit
Pioneer Library System (OK)

The following libraries received Honorable Mention ($250 collection credit):

View the winning campaigns.

OverDrive plans to offer this contest annually, so start gathering ideas for your library's outreach campaign and look for more information to come.

We are pleased to announce a new service for members of OverDrive shared collections and consortia, OverDrive Advantage. The Advantage plan is designed for member libraries to create a custom collection of digital titles within a shared collection website.

Advantage members can purchase additional copies of popular titles to reduce waiting lists, as well as create an exclusive list of titles specific to a community. Best of all, this custom collection is integrated with the same download website that your patrons currently use.

"The Ramapo Catskill Library System (RCLS) is a consortium of 47 independent member public libraries. This new service will permit individual members to expand and enhance the digital media titles available to their patrons, while using the same download service they have been successfully using for the last three years," said Robert Hubsher, Executive Director RCLS (NY). "This new service makes it possible for member libraries to respond to specific community needs and interests by building a local digital media collection while retaining access to the system-wide digital media collection."

Participants of Advantage will receive their own account in OverDrive's collection development portal, Content Reserve, and staff training. Libraries who participate will also be able to view circulation reports in Content Reserve to track download activity by their patrons.

If your library is interested in more information about the OverDrive Advantage plan, please contact sales@overdrive.com.

Sony Electronics, Inc., developer of the Sony Reader Digital Book, recently announced a joint marketing agreement with OverDrive. Both companies will market OverDrive's network of more than 9,000 libraries worldwide and Sony Reader devices, which are compatible with all EPUB eBooks and most Adobe PDF eBooks offered on hundreds of OverDrive-powered download websites.

With this announcement, your library can anticipate increased traffic to your 'Virtual Branch' website by Sony Reader owners looking to borrow EPUB and PDF eBooks using the Library Finder powered by OverDrive or http://search.overdrive.com.

EPUB is the new industry standard for eBooks, as accepted by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF), and is compatible with Windows® and Mac®. EPUB offers reflowable text to fit any screen size and supports interactive graphics. To add eBooks to your download website, contact collectionteam@overdrive.com.

In addition, Sony also announced the release of a lower cost Reader model, the Reader Pocket Edition™, which retails for $199.99 USD and is available in three different colors. Sony is expected to also release a model featuring Wi-Fi connectivity (Reader Daily Edition™) by year-end. To date, your patrons can purchase the Sony Reader PRS-505, PRS-700, the new Reader Touch Edition™, and the Reader Pocket Edition.

The Digital Bookmobile has visited more than 170 great locations this past year. A few highlights include New York's Central Park hosted by the New York Public Library, San Francisco's City Hall hosted by the San Francisco Public Library, and Lincoln Park Zoo with the Chicago Public Library. On Saturday, September 26 in Washington, D.C., the Digital Bookmobile (www.digitalbookmobile.com) will be at the 2009 National Book Festival (www.loc.gov/bookfest) on the National Mall to showcase eBooks, audiobooks, and other digital formats available from libraries.

The one-of-a-kind community outreach vehicle will feature the download services used by millions of patrons worldwide. Visitors will be able to browse a download website from interactive PC and Mac® computer stations, sample eBooks, audiobooks, music and video, and learn how to download and transfer to devices like the iPod®, Zune®, and Sony® Reader.

"We are very excited to bring the Digital Bookmobile to the National Book Festival," said David Burleigh, Director of Marketing for OverDrive. "Our nation's capital presents a wonderful stage for educating users on free downloads from America's libraries."

As part of this exciting event, the Digital Bookmobile will exhibit alongside a lineup of bestselling authors that includes James Patterson, Lee Child, John Grisham, David Baldacci, Jodi Picoult, Judy Blume, Nicholas Sparks and many more.

The Digital Bookmobile has traveled 18,000 miles and welcomed more than 27,500 library patrons and staff in 31 states and Canadian provinces. Libraries in the D.C. area and all across the country are invited to join us at the National Book Festival as we promote your download service.

To learn more and for a complete schedule of upcoming events, including stops in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Virginia, visit www.digitalbookmobile.com.