Siouxland Libraries has seen a surge in use of its popular OverDrive lending service for downloadable eBooks and audiobooks, particularly in the days following Christmas. Library customers have checked out 4,685 eBooks in the month of December alone, which is more than were checked out in all of 2010. Total eBook usage in 2011 is at more than 32,000 checkouts, a 657 percent increase over last year.

The dramatic uptick is due in part to the availability of Amazon Kindle-compatible eBooks, which were introduced in September. Library eBooks are also compatible with many other devices, such as the Barnes & Noble Nook and Sony Reader. A free mobile app for OverDrive allows users to download eBooks directly to iPads, iPhones, Android phones, and Android tablets.

Use of the downloadable service is free to Siouxland Libraries cardholders, and over 6,500 customers have taken advantage of it since it began in February 2008. The collection has grown from 85 eBooks to over 4,000, and the Library adds to the digital catalog by purchasing new titles on a regular basis.

Siouxland Libraries is pleased to provide access to books in new and in-demand formats and has seen its customer base grow with these technologies. “We are excited to offer this service to our customers, who clearly are using it,” said Mary Johns, Director of Siouxland Libraries. “Our staff is also eager to share their expertise to assist customers and introduce new users to downloadable service through class offerings.”

For more information and help getting started with OverDrive, visit www.siouxlandlib.org and click the eBooks link on the left side of the page. The Library will hold several demonstration classes on using eBooks with different kinds of eReaders and mobile devices throughout January and February, beginning with a lunchtime session at the Main Library on Thursday, January 5, 2012, from 12–1 p.m. To register for a class, call 367-8720 or view the events calendar on the Library website.