Branching Out With EBooks

At this year’s Alberta Library Conference in Jasper, Alberta's Public Library Services Branch announced that it would be making the eBook product, Freading, available to Alberta public libraries. Created by LibraryIdeas, Freading operates on a token-based system where patrons are given a set amount of tokens which they can exchange for eBooks. Although available since May 1, 2012, Chinook Arch Regional Library System launched this service today in order to give our library managers and their staff a chance to learn about and prepare for this product. For more information visit http://www.chinookarch.ca/content/welcome-freading

The introduction of Freading to our eBooks options comes at a very opportune time. Since the beginning of this year we have seen over 1000 new patrons register for our OverDrive eBook service. We are on track to more than double the number of OverDrive titles borrowed this year as compared to 2011, with 14,179 titles being checked out in the first quarter alone. Not only will Freading offer patrons another option to borrow eBooks through our member libraries, but it will avail them to offerings from publishers not currently represented by OverDrive. With this new service, we are able to expand our collections and offer further options for those using, and wishing to use, library eBook services.