This summer, RBdigital was acquired by Overdrive. As part of this acquisition, the RBdigital platform that NC LIVE relies on for our statewide RBdigital collection will be retired. The NC LIVE Resource Advisory Committee explored options for replacing this platform, and the NC LIVE Librarians’ Council made the decision to move NC LIVE’s RBdigital content to the hoopla 2.0 platform. Note: Overdrive was not a feasible replacement as they could not accommodate our multi-type, consortial set-up.
On December 2, 2020, NC LIVE’s 2,581 ebook and audiobook titles from RBdigital with permanent access will be transferred to the hoopla platform. The titles will retain the same user permissions they had via RBdigital - one user per copy with permanent access. All NC LIVE libraries will be able to access this content on the hoopla platform via the NC LIVE hoopla account.
If libraries already have their own hoopla instance, or they wish to open a hoopla account, this NC LIVE content can be included via libraries’ individual hoopla instances starting in Spring 2021. Before Spring 2021, NC LIVE content will only be accessible through the NC LIVE hoopla instance, since hoopla will still be working on building out their consortial platform. Please note that libraries are not required to sign up for their own hoopla instance, and can continue to access the content through the NC LIVE instance.
Libraries with locally licensed RBdigital content:
If libraries have content that they purchased locally from RBdigital, they will need to decide what to do with their content separately from NC LIVE. If libraries would like to move their locally licensed or locally purchased RBdigital content to hoopla, please contact Eric Timm at ETimm [at] midwesttapes.com (ETimm[at]midwesttapes[dot]com)
Hoopla works with all popular e-readers, in addition to that it works with Alexa, Roku, Kindle Fire, apple TV and more. A hoopla app is available for download.
Timeline for NC LIVE transition to hoopla
November 2, 2020-
- NC LIVE splash page messaging will alert users that access to RBdigital is ending and moving to hoopla
December 2, 2020-
- NC LIVE ebooks and audiobooks will be made available via the hoopla 2.0 beta platform. The link to Hoopla will be posted on nclive.org.
- NC LIVE access to RBdigital will end. NC LIVE will remove the link to RBdigital from nclive.org and the Browse A-Z Database page.
- NC LIVE links to RBdigital will redirect to Hoopla
More details will be sent out closer to the December 2 hoopla transition date. In the meantime, please contact the NC LIVE Help Desk with any questions.