Overdrive, the largest company devoted to digital library lending has just expanded into Japan. Ryugasaki Public Library is the first branch to children’s and young adult literature, graphic novels, manga and much more. In the coming days, Itako Public Library will also launch their OverDrive-powered website enabling readers to take the library with them wherever they travel on their smartphones or tablets.
These launches come as a result of OverDrive’s partnership with Media Do whose experience in the Japanese market enables them to be in touch with new library users who may have been previously unaware of OverDrive. It also helps that Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten purchased Overdrive later this year and likely they are going to be introducing Overdrive to libraries all over Asia.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.