Administrative Information for the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries Consortium
Access
Authentication
Circulation Policies & Settings
Collection Development Budget
Collection Development Policy
Funding History
Hold Ratios & Additional Copies
How to Participate
Mailing List
MARC Records
Marketing Materials
Monthly Circulation and Holdings Reports
Non-Resident Borrowers
OverDrive Advantage
OverDrive Marketplace
Participating Libraries
Staff Training & Patron Assistance
Troubleshooting
Access
Access the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries collection through the
consortium's custom website:
Access the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries collection through Libby:
- If you have an iOS or Android mobile
device, download the free Libby app from the
Apple App Store or
Google Play.
- If you own a Kindle Fire from 2020 or
later, download the free Libby app from the
Amazon Appstore.
- If you are using a Window or Mac computer
or a Chromebook, access Libby through your web browser at
https://libbyapp.com
Some member libraries also provide access to OverDrive titles directly via
records in their online catalogs.
Top
Authentication
While anyone can go to the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries
website site and browse or search to see what titles are included in the
collection, only authorized patrons of member libraries may sign in to checkout and
read/listen to titles. There are two primary ways in which member
libraries can authenticate their patrons:
- OverDrive works with current versions of many common
integrated library systems, including those from Biblionix, Bywater
Solutions, Follett, Innovative Interfaces, and Sirsi/Dynix, to
authenticate patrons to checkout digital content from OverDrive.
Libraries using these systems will need to provide information to
OverDrive that OverDrive will then use to set up authentication for the
libraries' patrons.
- The Nebraska Library Commission has agreed to host remote
authentication on behalf of libraries running systems that won't
communicate directly with OverDrive. In order for the
Nebraska Library Commission to
do this, libraries will need to submit patron data (specifically
barcodes) for all patrons they want to have access to OverDrive.
Libraries will need to provide updated patron data to the Nebraska
Library Commission when they issue new cards or delete patron accounts.
To assist libraries in updating patron data on file with the
Nebraska Library Commission we have created a password-protected page on
our website that allows libraries to quickly and easily update patron data. This
page is located at
https://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/overdrive/patronupload.asp and can
be used to:
- Add a Library Card Number
- Delete a Library Card Number
- Upload a File Containing Multiple Library Card Numbers
Individual library card number additions and
deletions will take effect
immediately, in real time. Uploaded files are handled manually by Library
Commission staff.
Please allow several days for uploaded files to be processed. Login
information needed to to access this page is available upon request from
Susan Knisely or
Devra Dragos.
Top
Circulation Policies & Settings
The following circulation policies and settings
have been established by a vote of the libraries participating in the
Nebraska OverDrive Libraries consortium. These settings can and should be
reevaluated in response to patron feedback and patterns of use. Changes can
be made at the discretion of the group.
- Circulation period for audiobooks = 7 or 14 days
- Circulation period for eBooks = 7, 14 or 21 days
- Number of titles a patron can check out at one time = 6
- Number of titles a patron can have on hold
at one time = 3
- Number of days a title placed on
hold will be reserved for the patron once it becomes available for the
patron to check out = 3
days
Magazines are licensed under a simultaneous use lending model,
meaning individual issues can be checked out by an unlimited number of users
simultaneously. Magazines can be checked out for 7, 14, or 21 days. Magazine
checkouts do not count against the 6-title checkout limit.
Top
Collection Development
Budget
Annual participation fees submitted by member libraries, in
addition to Nebraska eReads funds, are used to purchase audiobook and eBook content.
The group has typically divided the budget as
follows:
- Adult Fiction (current, popular,
bestsellers) - 57%
- Adult Non-Fiction (current, popular
bestsellers) - 20%
- Juvenile/Young Adult - 23%
The group currently purchases audiobooks and
eBooks to add to the collection:
-
Audiobooks are available in MP3
and OverDrive Listen formats and have been purchased regularly since the
group went live in March 2008.
-
Most
eBooks are
available in OverDrive Read and EPUB format. Many,
though not all, eBooks are also available in Kindle format. eBooks have
been purchased regularly since July 2010.
Primary collection development responsibilities:
Mary Jo Mack, director of the John
A. Stahl Library (West Point), currently selects adult fiction titles for
the collection. Nonfiction and Juvenile/YA titles are currently selected by
Devra Dragos, Nebraska Library Commission.
To search the complete catalog of titles
available to purchase, member librarians are encouraged to login to
OverDrive Marketplace. (See more
information about OverDrive Marketplace below.)
Top
Collection Development Policy
Content purchased for the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries collection is selected in accordance with the
guidelines established in the
Nebraska OverDrive Libraries Collection Development Policy.
This policy includes the consortium's Request for Reconsideration/Material
Challenges process, along with information on how patrons of participating
libraries can submit a Request for Reconsideration Form.
Top
Funding History
Funding for year one of the Nebraska OverDrive
Libraries Group consisted of the following:
- One-time cost to create group website: $28,000 (Nebraska Library
Commission)
- Year one maintenance fee: $12,000 (Nebraska Library Commission)
- Year one content budget: $28,552.34 (Participating Libraries)
- One-time content subsidy: $20,000 (Nebraska Library Commission)
Total Year One Budget: $88,552.34 / Year One
Content Budget: $48,552.34
Annual Maintenance Fee: NLC
has and will continue to pay the $12,000 annual maintenance fee. Beginning
in 2016, this fee will increase by $2,000 annually, for at least 5 years, so
$14,000 in 2016, $16,000 in 2017, etc.
Top
Hold Ratios & Additional Copies
In October 2011 the group voted to lower our target hold ratio (the
number of holds on a title divided by the number of copies owned) from 8 to
6; in December 2013 the group voted to lower the hold ratio to 5. This means that whenever possible we will buy additional copies of titles so that there is at least one copy of the title for every five holds on it.
Since 2013, changes to licesning models (specifically, titles expiring
after a certain number of checkouts or a certain amount of time) and cost
have complicated the decision about whether or not to purchase additional
copies -- or replacement copies after a licensed item expires. The group
voted for the selectors to exercise personal discretion in these decisions
going forward, taking into account licensing model, cost, and past
circulation.
Top
How to Participate
To learn how your Nebraska public library can participate in our group,
see Joining the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries
Consortium.
Top
Mailing List
At least one staff member from each
participating library should be signed up for the
Nebraska OverDrive mailing list,
where concerns, announcements, and general information about the Nebraska
OverDrive Libraries project are shared. Additional staff members from
participating libraries are welcome to sign up as well.
To post a message to the group send an email to
NEBRASKAOVERDRIVE@nlc.state.ne.us
Top
MARC Records
OverDrive MARC Express offers ready-to-load MARC records to your library
at no cost. OverDrive creates these minimum MARC records in-house and
delivers them to OverDrive Marketplace the day after a content order is
placed. Your library can then load the record as is, or edit to suit your specific needs.
To access MARC Express records through Marketplace, your Marketplace
account must have "Download MARC records" permission. If you need this
permission added to your account, please contact
Susan Knisely.
For additional information, see
OverDrive Resource Center MARC Records.
Top
Marketing Materials
Visit the OverDrive Resource Center's
Marketing & Outreach site to download
the latest marketing materials. Be sure to check out all the tabs:
Customize, Trending, Social, Print-Ready, and Outreach. In the meantime,
here are a few graphics and flyers to get you started.
For ideas on linking to Libby from your website, see
Libby Logos & Suggested Website Copy.
Top
Monthly Circulation and Holdings Reports
The Nebraska Library Commission compiles reports tracking monthly
circulation statistics for each participating library, plus holdings statistics for the consortium as of the last day of
each month. These
statistics include:
- Total checkouts.
- Checkouts of Advantage copies owned by your library to your patrons.
- Checkouts of Advantage copies owned by your library to patrons of
other libraries.
- Checkouts of Advantage copies owned by other libraries to your
patrons.
Circulation statistics by schools that partner with participating public
libraries through the Public Library Connect program are also tracked in
these reports.
Advantage libraries that share copies of titles they purchase with the
consortium are eligible for
lender compensation
based on checkouts of Advantage copies they own to patrons of other libraries.
Reports are distributed monthly to participating libraries via the
Nebraska OverDrive mailing list and are also archived online in case
participants need access to past reports.
See all Monthly Circulation and
Holdings Reports.
Top
Non-Resident Borrowers
Libraries that participate in the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries group are
strongly encouraged to have written non-resident borrower policies in place
that outline not only who is eligible for a non-resident card, but also what
services non-resident card holders are entitled to use.
It is understood that libraries in the group will arrive at different
policies based on their different local situations (funding source,
philosophy, geography, etc.). However, libraries should keep in mind the
following clause from the OverDrive license agreement: "It is agreed
that the criteria for defining Authorized Patron shall include some
restrictions from allowing users with no practical physical access to the
Library's location."
It should also be noted that licensed, online/electronic resources are
outside the scope of the NebrasKard program.
Top
OverDrive Advantage
OverDrive
Advantage gives libraries that are members of a consortium the ability to
offer titles exclusively for their patrons. OverDrive Advantage members can
purchase additional copies of popular titles that are already in the shared
collection as well as titles that are not yet available in the shared
collection. OverDrive Advantage membership allows libraries to offer their
patrons reduced waiting lists on popular titles, plus a custom collection of
titles developed specifically for the local community
OverDrive Advantage members receive a special login to their consortium's
current Marketplace account. This allows them to purchase titles for their
Advantage collection. Loan periods and lending rules established by the
consortium remain the same for OverDrive Advantage titles.
Libraries will be charged an enrollment fee to be set up as an Advantage
library. This fee has typically been
applied as an OverDrive Advantage content credit that can be used by the
library to purchase content. Advantage libraries can purchase additional
content at any time, as long as account is in good standing. Content
purchases will be billed to the library. For current enrollment fee information or to request
an Advantage enrollment form, email
Susan Knisely.
Advantage Plus: Advantage libraries can also choose to
participate in Advantage Plus, which allows them to share some or all of
their Advantage titles with other libraries in the consortium, while
maintaining priority on holds for their own users. Libraries that
participate in Advantage Plus are eligible to receive lender compensation
from the Nebraska Library Commission. If libraries aren't already set up to
receive lender compensation for OCLC interlibrary loans to Nebraska
libraries, they will need to
fill out paperwork
in order to be eligible.
Top
OverDrive Marketplace
OverDrive Marketplace is the password-protected
acquisition, circulation, and site management portal for OverDrive's Digital
Library Reserve system. It allows authorized library staff to review titles
available for purchase, generate usage reports and statistics, reactivate
download links, and more.
Marketplace accounts have been set up for
directors of participating libraries. Accounts can be set up for additional
staff members of participating libraries upon request.
To access OverDrive Marketplace go to
http://marketplace.overdrive.com
If you need to have your login information sent
to you again or if you need to request an additional account email
Susan Knisely.
Top
Participating Libraries
There are currently 191 Nebraska libraries participating in the Nebraska
OverDrive Libraries consortium.
Top
Staff Training & Patron Assistance
To prepare your staff to assist patrons with OverDrive, be sure to take
advantage of training opportunities!
- Visit OverDrive's
Staff
Training website to register for online training sessions, view
recordings of training sessions, and access additional training
resources!
Don't forget these helpful online resources available directly from
OverDrive:
- Libby Help
- Get help using Libby, the newest app from OverDrive.
-
Libby How-To Videos -
Over 50 short videos covering all aspects of Libby.
- OverDrive Help - Access
articles on a variety of help topics.
-
OverDrive Website How-To Videos - Four videos covering all aspects
of using the OverDrive website to search, browse, borrow, read, and
listen!
-
Device Profiles - Each profile lists recommended software and/or apps, compatible formats,
and links to articles and videos containing step-by-step instructions to
help you get started with a particular device.
If you want material you can print and distribute, here are some very
basic one-page Getting Started with Libby guides:
Finally, here is a longer step-by-step print handout adapted from the
online
Switching to Libby from the OverDrive app help article:
Top
Troubleshooting
The first line of defense for patrons who experience problems with
OverDrive should be their local librarian. If the local librarian is unable
to troubleshoot the problem, the librarian can login to OverDrive
Marketplace and fill out a support form.
What follows is a sampling of the types of information that may be
required in order to troubleshoot a problem:
- Patron's Library Card Number
- Patron's PIN or last name (if applicable)
- Title and Format (MP3, EPUB, PDF, Kindle) of Problem Media
- Patron's Operating System (Windows Vista, Windows XP, Mac OS X,
Android, iOS, etc.)
- Patron's Browser and Version Number (IE 7.x, Firefox 3.x, etc.)
- Device that patron is using
- Text and/or screen shot of any error messages
Contacting OverDrive Tech Support directly:
Top