The State Library of Ohio contracts with OverDrive, Inc. to make this project a reality. OverDrive is a well-known digital materials provider to libraries throughout the country. The State Library assumed the project's start-up cost and pays the monthly maintenance fee.
As of November 2009, almost 25,000 unique library patrons have enjoyed the Ohio eBook Project holdings. The holdings include over 10,000 copies of more than 7,000 individual titles of eAudiobooks, eBooks, eVideo, and eMusic.
In order to be included in this project, a library will be required to:
- Pay a $1,500.00 one time set–up fee.
- Be SIP/SIP2, Patron API, or RPA compliant; check with your ILS vendor. You may need to pay a fee to your vendor to become compliant. EZproxy is another option we may be able to work with.
- Pledge 1% of their print book, monograph and AV collection annual budget to building the Ohio eBook Project’s collection; not to exceed $15,000 per year nor fall below $500 per year. In subsequent membership years, your pledge amount will drop to .5% of this portion of your budget or $500, whichever is more; or $10,000 per year if your first year’s contribution was capped at $15,000.
- Agree that all digital materials will be added to the shared Ohio eBook Project collection.
- As part of the pledged amount, pay a $1.50 fee for the MARC records for titles the library purchases that are not in the current Ohio eBook Project’s collection.
- Agree that any books they purchase for the Ohio eBook Project collection will remain in the collection in the event that library leaves the project.
The eBooks are downloadable in Adobe and Mobipocket Reader formats. The eAudiobooks, eVideo, and eMusic can be downloaded using the free Overdrive Media Console available on the Ohio eBook Project web site. Patrons will be able to download digital materials from the computers in their homes or offices.
With OverDrive Media Console v3.2 for Windows®, most audiobooks can now be transferred to the iPhone™ and the iPod®! In just a few clicks, send audiobooks to your Windows-formatted iPod using the built-in Transfer Wizard! The 'Plays on' icons at this site indicate whether titles are compatible with Apple® devices.
If you are interested in participating in the Ohio eBook Project, please contact the State Library of Ohio at oep@sloma.state.oh.us.