Penguin Group Offers Download Audiobooks & eBooks to Public Libraries

CLEVELAND, OH--(Marketwire - August 27, 2008) - Public libraries can now lend download audiobooks and eBooks by best-selling authors such as Stephen King and Nick Hornby, as well as blockbuster titles like "The Pillars of the Earth," to their patrons. OverDrive (www.overdrive.com), the leading digital book distributor to public libraries, now offers Penguin Group titles in audiobook and eBook formats to its network of library partners. Hundreds of Penguin Group audiobooks and eBooks will be added to OverDrive's e-warehouse, supplementing OverDrive's collection of more than 150,000 eBook, audiobook, music and video titles. Libraries can add Penguin Group to their OverDrive-powered collection by logging into OverDrive's collection development portal at www.contentreserve.com.

"Penguin is one of the largest English-language trade book publishers in the world, and now public libraries can add digital books from this global publisher to their download collection," said Erica Lazzaro, OverDrive Licensing Counsel. "We look forward to working with Penguin Group to offer their popular titles to our 7,500 library partners."

"Teaming with OverDrive gives us a unique opportunity to offer our expansive collection to the digital library market and deliver our quality titles to even more readers," said John Fagan, Penguin eBooks Marketing Director. "Library users will now have the chance to download audiobook and eBook titles from some of the biggest authors in the world."

Through OverDrive, Penguin Group provides libraries with access to hundreds of blockbuster audiobooks and eBooks. The Penguin Audio catalog includes hits like Diablo Cody's "Candy Girl," Ken Follett's "The Pillars of the Earth," Patricia Cornwell's "Book of the Dead," as well as titles from Stephen King, Nick Hornby, and Tyler Perry. Frontlist and backlist eBooks from the Penguin Group's stable of best-selling authors is available in both Mobipocket PRC and Adobe PDF formats. New titles from Penguin Group in both audiobook and eBook formats will be added to the OverDrive catalog every month.

To see if your library is a member of OverDrive's network, and to find titles of eBooks, audiobooks, music, and videos available from public libraries, go to http://search.overdrive.com.

About Penguin Group

Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the U.S. member of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children's trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks, including Berkley Books, Dutton, Frederick Warne, G.P. Putnam's Sons, Grosset & Dunlap, New American Library, Penguin Books, The Penguin Press, Philomel, Plume, Puffin, Riverhead Books and Viking, among others. The Penguin Group (http://www.penguin.com) is part of Pearson plc, the international media company.

About OverDrive

OverDrive is a leading full-service digital distributor and supplier of eBooks, audio books, music, and video. We deliver secure management, DRM protection, and download fulfillment services for hundreds of publishers and institutions (rights holders) and thousands of libraries, schools, retailers, and aggregators serving millions of end users. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, OH. www.overdrive.com

Contact Information: Contacts: David Burleigh OverDrive, Inc. 216-573-6886 x218