Audiobook titles from Random House are now available

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NEW ORLEANS, LA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- Jun 21, 2006 -- American Library Association Annual Meeting, Morial Convention Center -- Leading digital media vendor OverDrive announced today that it will be the first distributor to offer the Books on Tape Digital Collection to its network of libraries. OverDrive will promote an initial list of 200 titles from the Books on Tape, Listening Library and Living Language catalogs. Newly released titles will be added each month this fall.

OverDrive provides download audiobook services to 3,000 public libraries in the US and abroad. Books on Tape is a division of Random House, Inc., the world's largest English-language general trade book publisher. The Books on Tape Digital Collection features an array of award-winning spoken word material, including adult unabridged fiction and nonfiction from Books on Tape, children's audiobooks from Listening Library, and foreign language learning titles from Living Language.

"Our library partners have been eager to add Books on Tape titles to their download collections as they are in high demand from patrons and readers coast-to-coast," stated Steve Potash, CEO of OverDrive and Digital Library Reserve. "The wait is over. Patrons can prepare to enjoy listening to the most decorated collection of authors, narrators, and audiobooks available for download from the library anywhere, anytime. All that is needed for these great Books on Tape and Listening Library materials is a PC, Internet connection and a library card," Potash added.

"Library downloads is a new arena for us," said Madeline McIntosh, Senior VP, Publisher of the Random House Audio Group, which includes Books on Tape. "OverDrive has been able to develop a great system that meets the needs of not only libraries and their patrons, but also publishers and authors. We are very happy to be working with them to make our titles available to listeners in a new way."

Authors featured in the initial list from Books on Tape include Jonathan Kellerman, Lisa Gardner, Sophie Kinsella, Mitch Albom, E.L. Doctorow, John Irving, Maya Angelou, and, from Listening Library, Kate DiCamillo, Louis Sachar, Ann Brashares, and Libba Bray.

Books on Tape is a division of Random House, Inc., the trade book publishing division of Bertelsmann AG. OverDrive is a leading digital media vendor. See www.overdrive.com

Contact info: Erica Lazzaro (216) 573-6886 x409 Email Contact