Weekly News Digest

The Digital Bookmobile (www.digitalbookmobile.com), a traveling community outreach exhibit for public library download services, will kick off a national tour on Aug. 10 in Central Park with The New York Public Library (http://ebooks.nypl.org). The inaugural event will allow readers of all ages to experience digital audiobook, ebook, music, and video downloads from their public libraries and immerse themselves in an interactive learning environment. Events are scheduled at Queens Borough Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library in the days following the Central Park launch.

The Digital Bookmobile will travel coast-to-coast promoting digital downloads at public libraries through 2009. Libraries in Boston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Cleveland, St. Louis, Phoenix, and places in between will play host to the 18-wheeler as it weaves across America.

The Digital Bookmobile, developed inside a 74-foot, 18-wheel tractor-trailer, is a high-tech update of the traditional bookmobile that has served communities for decades. The community outreach vehicle creates an engaging download experience around the host library’s digital media collection and "Virtual Branch" download website. The vehicle is equipped with broadband internet-connected PCs, high-definition monitors, premium sound systems, and a variety of portable media players. Interactive computer stations give visitors an opportunity to search the digital media collection, use supported mobile devices, and download and enjoy ebooks, audiobooks, music, and video from the library.

The Digital Bookmobile is hosted by individual libraries in support of their download services and operated by OverDrive, Inc. OverDrive powers download media catalogs at thousands of libraries, including institutions in New York City, Singapore, Boston, and Toronto.

Source: OverDrive, Inc.