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OverDrive Digital Audiobooks Information for Library Staff

Basics

Help & Support

Basics

What is OverDrive?

OverDrive is a vendor (like OCLC or EBSCO). Their product features downloadable audiobooks, ebooks, and magazines. Wisconsin's OverDrive site is branded "Wisconsin's Digital Library" and can be found here: https://wplc.overdrive.com/.

 

How will patrons find it?

 

What publicity materials are available?

Publicity materials are available in the form of sample press releases, bookmarks, flyers, and shelftalkers -- see OverDrive Promotional Materials for samples and ordering information.

 

What content is there?

OverDrive partners with many publishers. Currently, WPLC licenses downloadable audiobooks, ebooks, and magazines.

 

Who selects this content?

A WPLC selection committee is selecting the content. SCLS Representatives are Kelly Allen (Oregon) and Katie Hanson (Madison). You can use the Notify Me tag in Libby to recommend a title for Wisconsin's Digital Library. Recommendations are forwarded to the selection committee for review.

The WPLC Collection Development Policy (pdf) is available on the WPLC website.

 

Who can have access to this service?

Any patron living in the 7-county area of SCLS.  Reciprocal LINKcat library cardholders who live outside of the 7-county area cannot have access through SCLS.  These patrons can access the service through their local library system.

 

How much do patrons use this service?

Statistics for OverDrive are available in the Reference Databases Information area of the SCLS website, under "Usage Statistics by Library." The service was started in October 2005.

 

How is the collection funded?

Wisconsin's Digital Library is a project of the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium (WPLC), a consortium of all the library systems in Wisconsin. SCLS pays the WPLC membership fee which allows all SCLS libraries to be part of the WPLC Digital Media Buying Pool.

 

Help & support

Where can I find answers to patrons' frequently-asked questions?

Please check OverDrive Help and Libby Help for answers to patrons' most frequently asked questions.

What needs to be done after changing a patron's barcode?

When a patron gets a new barcode, library staff can use an OverDrive Marketplace account to log in and merge the patron's old barcode and their new barcode. As soon as the two accounts are merged, the patron will be able to access their OverDrive holds and transactions using their new barcode.

If your library doesn't have an OverDrive Marketplace account, please contact Jean Anderson.

Who can library staff contact for help?

Help websites: The website for Wisconsin's Digital Library includes help and information on compatible devices and formats. Patrons should contact their local library as the first line of support.

OverDrive Support Request Form: Library staff may request accounts to contact OverDrive Support by contacting Jean Anderson. The form for obtaining technical support is part of OverDrive Marketplace, a staff-only website provided by OverDrive. Support requests are submitted by logging in to the OverDrive Marketplace website and filling out the form. OverDrive assigns a case number to each request and responds to library staff via email.

WPLC Support Request Form: If the problem is not covered elsewhere, patrons may request help using the WPLC OverDrive Support Request form. They will be prompted for:

  • Name
  • Email Address
  • Local Library
  • Library Card Number
  • Description of the problem
  • Device

Requests will be directed to the library the patron selects on the form.

Where can library staff get training?

For more information, contact
Jean Anderson