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OverDrive Digipalooza 2021

DigipaloozaSmallerEvery two years, OverDrive hosts Digipalooza in Cleveland, Ohio. I've attended a number of times and I always learned lots of information to bring back to you. It's also a lot of fun and I really miss in-person conferences! I captured this image from the 2017 video and you can see Sara Gold from WiLS and Molly Warren from Madison in the image as well.

The 2021 Digipalooza is going completely online! And, the cost to register is only $39* for three half-days of content. Digipalooza runs from Tuesday, August 3 through Thursday, August 5 with programs starting at noon Central Time (1 p.m. Eastern Time) each day.

The conference schedule is packed with programs geared towards Public, School, and Academic & Corporate libraries. This is a great way to learn more about OverDrive and Libby including a keynote address featuring Dr. Carla D. Hayden, Librarian of Congress, networking and social opportunities, and many more. One of the highlights for me is a session called OverDrive Technology & App Updates where OverDrive developers share what they're working on next.

I hope you take advantage of this unique opportunity to attend Digipalooza virtually in 2021! I'm sure that OverDrive will make it a memorable experience.

*SCLS libraries can use CE Grant funds to offset the registration cost.

 

Libby Updates

OverDrive recently released a significant update to the Libby app and there are a few changes I want to highlight.

LibbyUpdate2021Let's look at the changes by exploring the Shelf and the Timeline.

  • Patrons can see the number of items they have checked out and on hold at a glance. Also, there are some new tags to checkout. The one next to Holds is a Smart tag. This one contains titles I've borrowed in Libby and it's automatically populated by my activity. I created this wish list tag I created to keep track of books I'm interested in. (side note: patrons can now sync their Wish Lists from the OverDrive App or website to the Libby app)
  • As an audiobook listener, I am always curious about the length of the book. Now, instead of having to look at the details of the book or open it up, I can see the length of the book from my Shelf. A small change that made me very happy.
  • The highlighted bar at the bottom of the app is an easy way to get back to the title I'm currently listening to (or reading). If you happen to click on the X, it removes this bar from the screen and all you need to do to reopen the book is to tap on "Open in Libby."

LibbyUpdateNext, let's explore the Timeline screen.

  • At the top of the screen is the total number of items I've checked out, renewed, and returned along with the holds I've placed. Kind of fun information to know!

  • Next up is the timeline. In this case, it's showing my April activity. If you tap on the double arrow icon, you can change the month and see your activity for previous months.
  • At the bottom of the app is the Navigation footer. There are some new icons here. From left to right we have:

There are a few other updates and you can watch a short tutorial for a tour of the updates. For more information, visit Libby Help. Questions or comments? What do you think of the changes? Let me know!