CHICAGO – The American Library Association (ALA) and Rakuten OverDrive have collaborated on a digital reading program – a national “digital book club” – which connects readers nationwide with simultaneous access to the same ebook through their public libraries. This program, called the Libraries Transform Book Pick, offers the new riveting post-apocalyptic novel “After the Flood” by Kassandra Montag, published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
“After the Flood” will be available as an ebook with no waitlists or holds from Oct. 7—21, 2019 at public libraries through OverDrive. Public libraries in the U.S. already partnering with OverDrive can lend ebook copies of “After the Flood” at no cost during the two-week program. Free marketing resources are available for public libraries to help promote the program and encourage checkouts, including a flyer template, social media graphics, a sample press release and more. A discussion guide and other materials for libraries to fuel discussion about the book will be available in late September.
“ALA is happy to partner with OverDrive and sincerely thanks them for their innovative and generous efforts in support of communities and information literacy,” said ALA President Wanda Brown. “The ebook lending environment is a challenging one today, so I’m particularly thrilled ALA was able to work together with OverDrive on an innovative project like the Libraries Transform Book Pick. ALA will continue to forge relationships to make progress on critical issues to help our members and libraries meet the needs of the communities they serve.”
Readers will only need a library card and the Libby app to borrow and read the ebook.
“Digital book clubs are a fun and engaging way for readers across the country to unite over and discuss a book specifically chosen for the event,” said Shannon Lichty, OverDrive Vice President of Partner Services. “We’re proud to partner with the American Library Association to bring this Libraries Transform Book Pick to our nation’s public libraries and their readers.”
“After the Flood” is an inventive and riveting epic saga from a promising new author. In a starred review, Booklist describes Montag’s thrilling debut: “Anchored by a complicated, compelling heroine, this gripping, speculative, high-seas adventure is impossible to put down.” And Karin Slaughter, international bestselling author of “The Last Widow,” calls Montag “a visionary new talent!”
Kassandra Montag is an award-winning poet, fiction writer and freelance medical journalist. Her work has appeared in journals and anthologies such as Midwestern Gothic, Nebraska Poetry, Prairie Schooner and Mystery Weekly Magazine, among others. She holds an MA in English Literature and Creative Writing from Creighton University, and makes her home in Omaha, Nebraska.
The selection of “After the Flood” for the Libraries Transform Book Pick was made in consultation with experts at Booklist.
Libraries transform lives every day by advancing literacy and fostering a love of reading in people of all ages. The Libraries Transform Book Pick will give public libraries and their staff the opportunity to bring readers in their community together to discover a new ebook and celebrate the very best in reading.
For more information about the Libraries Transform Book Pick, please visit ilovelibraries.org/libraries-transform-book-pick. You can also follow the Libraries Transform Book Pick on ALA’s Facebook and Twitter and join the discussion on social media using the hashtag #LTBookPick.
The Libraries Transform Book Pick is a collaboration between Booklist, the book review magazine of the American Library Association; Libraries Transform, the American Library Association’s public awareness initiative; and OverDrive, ALA Library Champion and lead sponsor of Libraries Transform.
About Rakuten OverDrive
OverDrive is the leading digital reading platform for libraries and schools worldwide. Named one of PCMag’s Best Free Software of 2019 and one of TIME’s Best Apps of 2018, the award-winning Libby is the “one-tap reading app” for libraries. We are dedicated to “a world enlightened by reading” by delivering the industry’s largest catalog of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and other digital media to a growing network of 43,000 libraries and schools in 76 countries. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, Ohio USA and owned by Tokyo-based Rakuten. www.overdrive.com
About the American Library Association
The American Library Association is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the ALA has been the trusted voice of libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit ala.org.
Originally published at https://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2019/09/ala-and-overdrive-collaborate-offer-public-libraries-across-us-new-action
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