This release is all about bug-fixes to improve the end user experience.  Here is what’s coming out in v2.6.5:

• Enhancements made to improve the speed of the in-app browser (iOS)
• Fixed a bug that causes the app to crash when working from a proxy server (iOS)
• Improved bad SSL certificate error messaging (iOS)
• Fixed a bug that prevents page turns beyond page 161 on some devices (Android)
• Various minor bug fixes and performance improvements on both iOS and Android

Due to a change in Apple’s privacy policies, we’ve had to make changes to the way we handle licensing of EPUB eBooks and MP3 audiobooks.  As a result, the OMC for iOS v2.6.5 update will de-authorize every users’ Adobe ID.  Upon opening OMC for the first time after the update, users will be prompted to re-authorize.

Audiobook users that have only partially downloaded an audiobook prior to the update will need to return to the library bookshelf to download any missing parts.  If users try downloading missing parts directly without first reactivating the download from their library website bookshelf, they will receive a ‘downloadManagerErrorDomain:403’ error.

Note: The Adobe authorization and audiobook download issues will only impact iOS users.

We’ve created two help articles to help end users through both Adobe authorization and audiobook download:

• Why do I have to sign in with an Adobe ID after updating OverDrive Media Console for iOS?
• What to do if there is a ‘downloadManagerErrorDomain:403’ error when trying to download an audiobook using OverDrive Media Console for iOS

If you have any questions, please contact support through Content Reserve under the Support tab.

Fortunately, the folks at TeenReads.com have compiled a list of titles that they have dubbed the ‘Ultimate Teen Reading List’. With over 400 titles, this smorgasbord of young adult books contains something for just about every kind of reader. They tout, “One of our goals each month is to inspire you to read — and to keep reading. We have found that required reading lists for school — especially summer reading lists — are not exactly inspiring. Thus we have created what we think is the Ultimate Teen Reading List — over 400 titles that we believe are perfect choices for reading and discussing. Our dream is that schools will use this list to help them make their own for summer reading or, even better, suggest that students just read what they want from this list. How did we create our list? We compiled entries from Teenreads.com readers who weighed in with their selections, and we also asked our staffers for suggestions.”

Interested in seeing what they picked? You can find the list by visiting teenreads.com.

With special thanks to OverDrive’s extensive catalog of over one million titles, we were able to recreate nearly the entire Ultimate Teen Reading List with our own collection of eBooks and audiobooks.  We have made this list available to you in Content Reserve, and would like to invite you to log in and check it out. With such an amazing plethora of visionary, infamous titles to choose from, you’ll find it hard not to get inspired to buy them!

(Their imaginations will thank you.)

Rob Mooney is a Collection Development Analyst with OverDrive

To help you promote your digital collection inside the library, we’ve created a Summer Marketing Kit. You can help your community cool off by getting crafty with these promotional materials. We’ve designed the smart guides with plenty of empty space at the bottom – perfect for gluing a popsicle stick to and creating an instant fan. There are also summer posters you can display around your library.

Don’t forget about reaching out to your community with ways other than inside your library doors. Post status updates of new titles via Facebook or Twitter, start a Summer Reading Digital Book Club, and be sure to promote at any festivals or community events your library attends.

Check out the Marketing & Outreach section of the Partner Portal or reach out to your Account Specialist for more great marketing ideas.

Cassie Renner is a Marketing Specialist at OverDrive

On Thursday, May 23^rd, at 8 p.m. ET (here’s a converter for different time zones), Sourcebooks and OverDrive will host a Facebook chat with Michael Malone, giving readers from across the globe the opportunity to ask questions about Michael’s book, his life, or anything else! The chat is open to everyone, so please feel free to share this link with your patrons.

We’re expecting a large crowd, so please submit your questions for Michael in the comments section of this blog and we’ll make sure they’re asked during the chat! Also, keep sharing your thoughts on Twitter by using #BigLibraryRead and be sure to follow Michael’s Twitter and Facebook page for updates from the author.

We’re looking forward to your questions for Michael and chatting with you this Thursday!

Adam Sockel is a Marketing Specialist at OverDrive

Deal watchers, coupon clippers, and savings sleuths, listen up!

Here’s the lo-down on some of the hottest new MP3s now on sale until May 31:

Swoon over the all three titles in the teen hearthrob romance “Crash” trilogy (“Crash,” “Clash,” “Crush“), a modern day racy Romeo-and-Juliet that follows bad boy Jude and determined Lucy, two young lovers deeply tangled in a hot and spicy love affair. Adults will eat up the steamy series as well as older teens.

Twitter sensation Kelly Oxford reads her memoir “Everything is Perfect When You’re a Liar” with her trademark humor and wit. The hilariously blunt musings on life and motherhood will have even the toughest critics laughing out loud. This time, luckily for listeners, she’s not limited to 140 characters.

Fans of Kiera Cass’ “The Selection” will flip for recently released Book 2, “The Elite.” The story continues with the elite vying to win the prince’s love. Described best as YA dystopian fiction, this title is Veronica Roth’s “Divergent” meets the TV show “The Bachelor.”

Summer’s the perfect time to start listening to literary gems, series that suck you in, or nonfiction and biographies to bulk up on the facts of life. Vacation travelers will want to fill their devices with “road trip reads” perfect for long car rides while pool-goers will be popping in their ear buds while relaxing and soaking up the sun’s rays. So many reasons to love and listen to audiobooks this summer and all year round.

As they’ve always been, HarperAudio titles operate on the one copy/one user lending model. Grab the titles you had planned to buy anyways and save for summer! Visit Content Reserve for a full list of titles.

Annie Suhy is a Merchandising Specialist for OverDrive.

Are you an armchair traveler? While I do enjoy traveling to a new city or exploring a new place, I cannot always find the time or the budget to fulfill my every whim. Instead of feeling gloomy, I choose to put a positive spin on things and become an armchair traveler.  When I am an armchair traveler, I hike to exotic locales and hob nob with fascinating people. When I am an armchair traveler, I am invited to be a member of prestigious social circles and hear the latest gossip. When I am an armchair traveler, I can experience a time and a place that is no longer.

For those who can explore Ireland in person, a Lonely Planet travel guide eBook can help lead the way. For my fellow armchair travelers, here are five of my favorite titles which will whisk you away to the Emerald Isle from the comfort of your home.  If you have dreamed of visiting Ireland or enjoy reminiscing about your Irish experience then consider these titles as the ultimate tour of Ireland’s history and people.

“Dubliners” by James Joyce

“Ah, there’s no friends like the old friends” wrote James Joyce in Dubliners. This classic features fifteen short stories told through the eyes of common Irish citizens in beloved Dublin.  A must read for anyone who enjoys stories with about Ireland and its’ people in the early 20^th century.

“Winterwood” by Patrick McCabe

This book earned the distinguished title “Irish Novel of the Year” in 2007. McCabe’s suspense novel is an original work which immerses the folklore of Ireland with the story of Redmond Hatch and his family’s new life in Winterwood.  If you like fiction titles with suspense than give this one a try.

“Just Mary: A Memoir” by Mary O’Rourke

This political memoir written by Mary O’Rourke earned the prestigious Irish Book Award “Listener’s Choice” in 2012. As the description says, “The book is like the woman herself: open, warm, and frank.”

“The Last Storyteller: A Novel of Ireland” by Frank Delaney

The Last Storyteller is the latest addition (2012) to Frank Delaney’s Novels of Ireland Series. Each historical fiction novel explores the beauty and intrigue of Ireland. This latest installment describes “Ireland of the 1950’s, its fully realized inhabitants, and the dynamic political and personal relationships that make for a remarkable story.”

“The Year of the French” by Thomas Flanagan

The National Book Critics Circle named it “the most distinguished work of fiction” in 1979. A work of historical fiction The Year of the French describes the efforts of the Irish patriots and the French troops who in 1798, triumphed against English rule and inspired peasants and landlords to unite and believe in freedom.

To find these titles* and more, visit Content Reserve or contact your Collection Development Specialist.

*Please note that title availability may vary by geographic region.

Renee Lienhard is an Analyst on the Collection Development team at OverDrive.

You probably know that on May 8^th, thousands of popular front-list eBook titles from Hachette Book Group were added to Content Reserve.  Featured Hachette authors include David Sedaris, James Patterson, Malcolm Gladwell and the list goes on. Just one week later, we have more good news – additional Hachette titles are now available! Newly added content includes:

“Art Girls Are Easy” by Julie Klausner  – This newly released YA comedy chronicles the life of prodigious art student Indigo Hamlisch and the crazy events during her last summer at Silver Springs, an all-girls Performing Arts Academy.  Listed as a mature and edgy YA read for all readers looking for a little inspiration, Art Girls will please all of your patrons.

“We Are Anonymous” by Parmy Olson – If you’re more interested in an exposé on high-level hacking than the travails of a gifted teenybopper, this is the book for you.  Parmy Olsen takes a respite from her gig at Forbes to present an account of the intricate scheme pulled off by hacker groups Anonymous and LulzSec, and their ultimate downfall.  With glowing reviews the world around, Olsen will keep you on the edge of your seat.

“Where’d You Go, Bernadette?” by  Maria Semple– Looking for intrigue that’s a little less intense? Look no further than this novel, which follows the search of a 15-year-old girl for her mother, Bernadette, who has suddenly vanished. This inventive and endearing book will appeal to a wide variety of your readers.

Bernadette, a humorous literature title, is set in Washington, which could be why it was recently named the feature title for a program called Spokane is Reading, sponsored largely by OverDrive partners Spokane County Library and Spokane Public Library. Debra Park, Adult Collection Development Librarian at SCLD was thrilled to hear about its availability as an eBook.

“SCLD just added copies of the EPUB now available from OverDrive in anticipation of Maria Semple speaking at our October ‘Spokane is Reading’ activities. Providing digital copies greatly extends the opportunities for library members through the county to read before meeting the author.” – Debra Park

Bee may have trouble finding Bernadette in the novel, but you’ll have no trouble finding these titles and many more in Content Reserve. We are creating a cart of these titles and will put it into your Content Reserve account in the next two days. For additional customized shopping carts, contact us today at collectionteam@overdrive.com.

Hachette eBooks follow a one-copy/one-user lending model, and there is no checkout or term limit. U.S. and Canadian standalone library systems, schools, colleges and members of consortia that have an OverDrive Advantage account are eligible to add Hachette eBook titles to their digital collections.

Jason Sockel is a Collection Development Specialist at OverDrive.

What did you do to prepare your students/staff for your service?

We trained all of our Library Media Specialists on the basics of OverDrive. Then, the LMS trained their staff and students at each school. We have also allowed parents and students to bring personal devices and have helped them to get started. We also recommended that they go to the public library for help. Our public library has used OverDrive for quite some time and has someone on staff to help assist patrons with their devices and issues they might have.

During this campaign, we will post discussion questions on Facebook and Twitter, so be sure to encourage your staff and patrons to follow us and Michael Malone and be a part of the dialogue. In addition, there will be a worldwide conversation using the hashtag #BigLibraryRead, so tweet your thoughts often. Next week, the book’s publisher,

So let’s have a look at the vitals: The Z10 is 4G ready, and features a 4.2” touch screen (1280 x 768 resolution), front (2MP) and rear (8MP) cameras, 16GB of internal storage – expandable up to 32GB of external storage via microSD, 2GB of RAM, all powered by a 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4. All of these bells and whistles join forces to run the new and improved BlackBerry 10 operating system.

The first thing I noticed about the device was the lack of buttons on the face.  Sure, you have the power button, mute, and volume up/down buttons on the top and right edges, respectively – but there’s no Home key, Search key, or “BlackBerry” key. You do get soft-keys on screen for calls, searching, and camera access, but all other navigation is based on gestures. Swipe up from the bottom bezel to get to the home screen – this works even when the screen is turned off, waking it up, and getting you right to your apps. Swipe up from the middle and to the right to get to notifications, swipe down from the top bezel to get to settings. In keeping with the trend started with the BlackBerry Playbook’s OS, BlackBerry 10 devices can use Android apps using the Android Runtime included in the OS.  This means you can install OverDrive Media Console for Android on the device, and use it the way you would on the latest Android devices.

It’s been awhile since BlackBerry brought something truly new to the market, and with Apple and Google having established a solid foundation for the new generation of Smartphones, the Z10 has a lot to prove. Based on what I’m seeing with the device, it doesn’t look like the fight should be too difficult for BlackBerry. The Z10 is a solid device with quite a bit of power under the hood, and plenty of features to go around. The BlackBerry 10 OS is also pretty fresh with its emphasis on gestures, neat enhancements, and eye-candy. At least one former iPhone owner in our office has already made the change to the BlackBerry Z10. You may be seeing more of these devices coming through the doors of your library soon.

Justin Noszek is a Support Specialist for OverDrive