OverDrive, a digital distributor of eBooks, audiobooks, and other digital content, will announce the first of a series of 'Big Data' reports analysing billions of eBook impressions and other data collected from across its network of 18,000 public and school libraries at the ongoing London Book Fair (Booth X700).
Data from OverDrive's global library network to be made available to participating libraries and publishers includes information about eBook and digital audiobook title circulation, book demand and web traffic and general demographics. OverDrive's data reports were developed in compliance with library privacy policies and do not include any identifying user information.
In March 2012, over 337,000 visitors from 219 countries browsed the OverDrive-hosted 'virtual branch' websites of more than 18,000 libraries to search, discover and sample book content. This resulted in over 146 million page views for the month, and library visitors stayed on the sites for an average of 9.5 minutes, viewing an average 11.6 pages per visit. Also in March, OverDrive library catalogue browsers viewed more than 636 million title cover images.
In light of recent studies reporting on how library eBook lending drives retail sales, the ability to understand readers' browsing and borrowing interests is becoming an important tool for publishers' and booksellers' strategies. The impact of libraries on book sales was also reported in the Pew Internet report, 'The Rise of e-Reading' (April 4, 2012), which concluded that the majority of readers of eBooks (61%) prefer to purchase their own copies of eBooks rather than borrow them. The study also contained data showing that librarians and libraries are a prominent source (21%) for owners of e-reading devices to get recommendations for reading materials.
OverDrive library data reports will include metrics for titles, authors, series and promotional campaigns targeting use of the materials in the OverDrive-hosted catalogues. The data initiatives are being developed in consultation with an advisory panel which includes librarians and marketing professionals from libraries in the US, Canada and the UK. The programme complies with library privacy policies and will not disclose any personally identifying user information.
The OverDrive Library eBook Data reports are an extension of the OverDrive WIN initiatives, a suite of features that support a win-win relationship between libraries, publishers and readers. Enhancing virtual library catalogues with Buy It Now, Recommend to Library, and Author Impressions features, OverDrive gives readers powerful new ways to discover new titles and connect with books and authors.
