OverDrive and Ex Libris, a ProQuest company, have announced a new integration aimed at transforming how academic institutions access and utilize digital resources. The collaboration allows seamless discovery of OverDrive’s extensive collection of ebooks and audiobooks within the Alma and Primo library services platforms.
This integration comes in response to high demand from academic institutions seeking to simplify access to digital content for students, faculty, and researchers. By streamlining the process of discovering and borrowing digital resources, the partnership supports academic libraries in enhancing their digital offerings.
The new system leverages OverDrive’s MARC record feed, which Ex Libris has added to its Community Zone. This allows libraries using Alma and Primo to activate OverDrive content directly within their Institution Zone. OverDrive’s regular updates ensure that the catalog remains current, reflecting the titles available to mutual customers.
Users can now discover OverDrive titles through Primo and are seamlessly redirected to their institution’s OverDrive platforms, such as Libby or Sora, for borrowing and access. This streamlined experience significantly improves access to digital resources, integrating ebooks and audiobooks into the broader library system.
While the current integration supports ebooks and audiobooks, OverDrive and Ex Libris are exploring the addition of films, TV shows via Kanopy, and magazines to the platform. This expansion aims to diversify the range of digital content accessible to academic institutions, enhancing both teaching and research capabilities. Additionally, these resources will be made available for SFX and 360 customers and will be incorporated into the Central Discovery Index by the end of 2024.
OverDrive invites academic professionals attending the Charleston Conference to connect with their team to learn more about the new integration and explore how it can optimize their institution’s digital content strategy. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in supporting the digital transformation of academic libraries, ensuring easy access to vital educational resources.
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