OverDrive, the service that allows you to borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and other digital media from your local library, school, or institution, is closing. OverDrive revealed last week in a blog post uncovered by TechCrunch that the app will be discontinued on May 1st, 2023. The business initially announced plans to discontinue OverDrive in 2021, disclosing at the time that the service will be removed from app stores in February 2022.
The closure is part of OverDrive’s endeavour to transition the bulk of its customers to its newer Libby app. The two services have coexisted since Overdrive launched Libby in 2017, albeit there’s no need to use the older app. Libby has a few things that OverDrive doesn’t, most notably support for multiple library cards, a single bookshelf for all your loans and holds, and Apple CarPlay integration.
If you read books on your e-reader via OverDrive, you’re undoubtedly wondering how the shutdown will effect your Kindle or Kobo. Amazon did not immediately react to Engadget’s enquiry on how it intends to manage the shift. Most indications point to the shutdown being a minor annoyance for those who haven’t already switched to Libby. In the United States, you may transmit most books from Libby to your Kindle reader. Also, if you still use OverDrive, you may sync your wish lists with Libby. About Kobo devices, a Rakuten representative said that the business will have more information on the transition in the future. In any event, Engadget will update this piece as additional information becomes available.
