FAQs


How does invoicing work in general?

All invoices are uploaded to the INVOICING tab in OverDrive Marketplace. Any Marketplace users with the ‘Manage invoices’ permission will automatically receive an email when a new invoice has been posted. Each email contains a direct link to the invoice in Marketplace, and all invoices can be viewed directly in Marketplace from INVOICING > View invoices.

Can you invoice me in my home currency?

At this time, we can only issue invoices in US Dollar. However, we do accept foreign currency payments. If you wish to remit payment in your home currency, you must first convert the invoices to your home currency using the exchange rate effective on the date of the invoice.

When will I receive my invoices?

Billing frequency depends on the type of purchase made. The following is a list of different products and the frequency at which we invoice new purchases:

Content Orders in OverDrive Marketplace Daily
eBibliofile MARC Records Monthly
OCLC Marc Records Quarterly
Content Deposits Daily
Promotional Materials Monthly

How will I be billed for my annual platform fees?

Most customers are billed on an annual basis. The service period covered by these invoices is determined by your contract terms. Renewals are not emailed in advance of the end of your current service period. For example, if your current service period ends April 30th, you will receive your renewal invoice on or after May 1st. If you are a library joining an existing consortium, your initial invoice may be prorated to have your annual billing cycle align with the existing members of the consortium.

How will I be invoiced for Front Line Tech Support?

Your initial Front Line Tech Support invoice will be sent within 30 days after the launch of the service. This invoice will cover 12 months of service, and renewals will be invoiced annually based on the anniversary of your go-live date. Renewals are not emailed in advance of the end of your current service period. For example, if your current service period ends April 30th, you will receive your renewal invoice on or after May 1st.

What is a content credit?

Many contracts include a Content Credit – a prepayment for content ordered in OverDrive Marketplace. If you have a credit on your account, OverDrive Marketplace orders and MARC record orders will be applied to the credit balance automatically until it is fully depleted. Each invoice will show the total amount purchased, the amount of credit used and the amount due (if any). The invoices will also show your remaining balance for tracking purposes. You will be invoiced for purchases in excess of the credit balance. You may also choose to continue a credit balance by adding more funds to your account.

How do I add more finds to my credit/deposit account?

OverDrive Marketplace users with “Purchase” permissions can purchase content credit from the Shop tab drop-down menu. We will issue an invoice within approximately 2-4 business days. The credit is added to your account as soon as you are invoiced and payment is required within 30 days. Credits purchased beyond your contractual content credit can be used for all types of invoices, upon request.

Where can I find my credit balance?

Credit balances are provided at the bottom of each content invoice. You can also view your credit balance by clicking the drop-down next to your name in Marketplace > Estimated Content Credit. You may also contact our Accounting team for the most updated information via the Invoicing web form on the Support tab in OverDrive Marketplace. Content credit purchased on the Shop tab in OverDrive Marketplace is tracked in the Content credit order history report on the Reports tab.

How can I tell if I have any unpaid invoices or unused credits?

From the INVOICING > View invoices tab in OverDrive Marketplace, you can view your credit amount and the status of all invoices. You can also select “Search invoices” and filter by status to specifically highlight unpaid invoices.

I have a credit balance, but I have received special funding and need to be invoiced for an order rather than have it applied to my credit balance.

Please contact our Accounting team via the Invoicing web form located on the Support tab in OverDrive Marketplace with any special billing requirements. Please indicate whether this is a one-time exception or ongoing.

I am close to my fiscal year-end and I need an invoice quickly for my recent content purchase

Content invoices are generally posted in Marketplace within 2-4 business days following the order, but are always dated the day the order was placed. Invoices are generated overnight and therefore cannot be issued the day of the order. If you have an urgent invoice request, contact our Accounting team via the Invoicing web form located on the Support tab in OverDrive Marketplace noting the specific date by which you need your invoice.

I need my content purchase to indicate my internal Purchase Order Number. How can I do that?

In order to have the purchase order included on the invoice, there is a special field that you can fill in when submitting the order in OverDrive Marketplace. When you click Purchase Cart on an order, a box will pop up that asks for Internal PO. Whatever you enter in that field will show up on the invoice in the “Purchase Order No.” box. The field is limited to 20 characters.

How can I obtain OverDrive’s W-9 form?

You can find the OverDrive W-9 Form in OverDrive Marketplace under Support > Quick help.

Each member of our consortium/school district orders content separately in OverDrive Marketplace? How can we ensure invoices go to the right people?

For direct billing arrangements, any user who will be submitting orders in OverDrive Marketplace needs to have the correct billing account selected on their user profile. This lets our Accounting team know which library/school should receive the invoice. All invoices are then routed according to the user that submitted the order. Therefore, a single user account cannot place orders for multiple accounts. If additional billing accounts need to be set up, contact our Accounting team via the Invoicing web form located on the Support tab in OverDrive Marketplace noting the name of the library/school, billing address, and name and email address of the person(s) to receive the invoices.


I’m interested in OverDrive Advantage. How do I find out more and enroll?

OverDrive Advantage gives libraries that are members of a shared collection the ability to offer popular titles—exclusively for their users. Find out more at our Service Enhancements page. When you’re ready to enroll, contact your Collection Development Specialist.

Can you invoice me in my home currency?

OverDrive Advantage integrates the titles you purchase within the shared collection. As a first step, users should sign in to their accounts on the digital library website to see the unique titles and additional copies of popular titles purchased just for them. Contact your Account Specialist for tips and best practices on promoting Advantage to your users.

Can I create additional logins for my Advantage account in OverDrive Marketplace?

Yes. To add an additional login for your Advantage account, contact your Account Specialist with the name and email address of the new user.


Our ILS is scheduled for an upgrade or downtime. Who should I alert?

Our Support Services team should be alerted in advance of scheduled updates or maintenance to your ILS server to avoid service disruption. Please contact Authentication Support via the web form located on the Support tab in OverDrive Marketplace.

We recently made changes to our ILS and now users cannot sign in to our digital library website. Who should I contact for assistance?

Contact our Authentication Support team via the web form located on the Support tab in OverDrive Marketplace as soon as possible to resolve the issue and restore access for users. Be sure to use the checkbox indicating your site is experiencing an outage.

I recently issued a new library card number to a user and now he/she is unable to access holds and borrowed titles on his/her old card on the digital library website. How can we fix it?

You can merge a user’s original and new barcodes (library cards or other IDs they use to sign into your site) in OverDrive Marketplace using the Merge IDs tool under the SUPPORT tab. This will allow the user to retain their account activity from their original card (checkouts, holds, wish list, etc.) when they switch to their new card. Please note: For reporting purposes, historical activity associated with the original barcode will remain associated with that barcode. Any activity after this merge will be associated with whichever barcode the user uses to sign into your public-facing website.

What is User Login Manager?

For information about User Login Manager, please contact your Account Manager.


I have a title from a local author that I would like to add to our digital collection. How can I go about that?

Publishers can apply and learn more about digital distribution via OverDrive on our Publishers page. For follow-up questions, contact pubinfo@overdrive.com.

Can I request that OverDrive acquire a certain title?

Yes. Submit a request in OverDrive Marketplace by clicking the Support tab > Support and choose “Content Request” as the Issue Category.

What options are available for MARC records?

There are several options for integrating titles in your digital collection with your library’s online catalog to increase discoverability. Learn more on the MARC Records page in OverDrive Marketplace, under the ADMIN tab. (If you don’t see the Admin tab, contact your library’s OverDrive Marketplace Administrator for assistance or to request the appropriate permissions.)

You can also find out more about our free MARC Express Records and download samples from our Resource Center page: http://resources.overdrive.com/library/apps-features/marc-express/

I purchased a title in error. Can I get a refund/credit?

Due to the nature of digital content, all orders are final. Carefully review all titles before submitting a purchase order.

How do I find out about current sales and special promotions?

Stay informed on the latest releases and sales for digital books by signing up to receive OverDrive Newsletters via email and subscribing to OverDrive Blogs. Visit the Featured page in OverDrive Marketplace and our Content Sales page regularly to find current sales and promotions highlighted.

How do I suggest subject heading changes to titles in our digital collection?

You can recommend subject heading changes to titles in your digital collection through Marketplace in OverDrive Marketplace. Once you find the title in Marketplace, simply click the ‘Recommend subjects’ link beneath the listed subject headings on the title details page and enter the subjects you’d like to see added or removed. Once the title has received multiple recommendations for a subject change from librarians in the OverDrive network, it will be implemented globally.

I have questions about how to use OverDrive Marketplace. Where can I learn more?

Please reference Marketplace Help to learn more about purchasing, curating content, running reports and more.

How do I get access or create a new username for OverDrive Marketplace?

The OverDrive Marketplace Administrator for your library or school can create new usernames and assign the appropriate permission for staff. On the Admin tab in OverDrive Marketplace, the administrator will find the Marketplace Users page. For more information on managing OverDrive Marketplace user permissions, visit Marketplace Help > Admin > Marketplace users

When will titles I purchase appear on our digital library website?

Titles will populate on your digital library website within 4 to 6 hours of submitting a purchase.

How can my library add public domain ebooks to our service?

A Simultaneous Use plan consisting of 1,000 or more public domain ebooks from Project Gutenberg can be added to your digital collection at no cost. The Simultaneous Use lending model means that the titles will always be available for users to borrow (no waitlists) on your site. Titles in this plan will be integrated with your purchased titles, and they will never expire. To add the Project Gutenberg plan to your digital collection, visit OverDrive Marketplace and select Simultaneous Use under the Shop drop-down menu.

When shopping in OverDrive Marketplace, I see abbreviations like OC/OU and MA. What do these mean?

A breakdown of lending model ownership and availability will show for all titles as you browse and search the catalog or view titles in carts. Here’s a key of the abbreviations in use for each lending model:

  • OC/OU = One copy/one user
  • MA = Metered access
  • SU = Simultaneous use


Who do I contact at OverDrive if I have a question?

We have a team dedicated to serve your library. You can find the team members and their contact information on the Support tab in OverDrive Marketplace.


Why is a certain title not available in Kindle format? I can that see that the Kindle version is available from Amazon. (For U.S. libraries only)

OverDrive may receive the EPUB/PDF format from the publisher before Amazon can update our catalog with the Kindle format. Once the Kindle format is available, it will automatically be added to your digital library website for titles you have purchased.

What is the difference between Open format ebooks (e.g., Open EPUB and Open PDF) and the standard formats?

Open EPUB and Open PDF ebooks may offer more flexibility for devices and reading applications. Check out the Devices section at OverDrive Help for more information.

I want to purchase titles in a format my library currently doesn’t offer. What are my next steps?

Before submitting an order with content in a new format, confirm that your library wants to offer that format. Due to the nature of digital media, all sales are final. Please contact your Account Specialist with questions.

What format options are available that don’t require a download?

OverDrive Read is a browser-based ebook reader, and OverDrive Listen is a browser-based audiobook player—both of which do not require software installation or downloading. Look for these formats when you borrow ebooks and audiobooks.


Where can I find help for purchasing titles?

Visit Marketplace Help to learn more about purchasing titles. You can also view on-demand trainings about shopping, account management and running Marketplace reports in the OverDrive Marketplace tab in the Staff Training section of the Resource Center.


Can I order marketing materials from OverDrive?

OverDrive can assist you with ordering print materials if you do not have a local printing service or the option to print in-house. Please contact your Account Specialist for a printing price sheet and order form. U.S. only at this time.

Can I print in-house?

Yes. Flyers and posters are sized to print on 8.5×11 or 11×17 paper. Half-sheet flyers, bookmarks and other smaller pieces are provided in a format with multiple items per 8.5×11 sheet. For your convenience, materials with multiple items per sheet include crop marks. Sticker sheets are designed to print 12 2×2 stickers. For optimal printing, we recommend printing stickers on Avery #22806. For all printed materials, keep your settings to print actual size. Additional paper sizes are available in the zip A3 & A4 International Paper Sizes found in the Marketing & Outreach Print-Ready Materials tab, under “Additional Options”.

How can the materials be customized?

Many materials include a field you can customize with your OverDrive URL. Once customized, save the file locally. If you would like further customization to the materials, please contact your Account Specialist.

Do you have free marketing materials that I can use to promote OverDrive?

Yes. Visit the Marketing & Outreach section of the Resource Center for print-ready materials, digital resources, communication templates and programming ideas.

Do you have more detailed instructional guides?

Yes, you can download Getting Started Guides in the Marketing & Outreach Print-Ready Materials tab, under “Additional Options”. These guides provide tips for getting started with the OverDrive app (for smart phone or tablet users), dedicated eReaders (NOOK, Kobo, etc.), desktop & laptop computers, and Kindles (U.S. only). For more information, please visit OverDrive Help: http://help.overdrive.com/#devices.

Do you offer pins or buttons?

Yes, visit Marketing & Outreach > Additional Options > “Ask me about ebooks” Staff Swag for pins and buttons.


I’m viewing a report in Marketplace, but I don’t see the information I need. How do I change the parameters or filters for the report?

To adjust the settings for a report, select the ‘Run new report’ option on the right-hand side. This will allow you to input new parameters and organize the report by month, branch, format and more.

In the Circulation Activity report, what do the format types ‘ebook (Pending)’ and ‘Audiobook (Pending)’ mean?

Users can borrow a title but are not required to choose a format at checkout. Therefore, until the user selects the format, the checkout is categorized as ‘Pending.’ Checkouts will remain in the ‘Pending’ category until the user selects a format. If the loan expires before then, the checkout will remain as ‘Pending.’

Where do I go for statistics on usage of our digital collection?

Statistical reporting for your digital library is available in the INSIGHTS tab of OverDrive Marketplace.


A user missed a hold that was ready for him/her, but never received a holds notification email. What happened?

If the user was recently issued a new library card number, the title on hold may have been associated with the old library card number. Contact our Support Services team via the Support tab in OverDrive Marketplace. It is also possible the user’s email provider blocked the notification. Whitelisting the sender email address donotreply@overdrive.com should help ensure this does not occur in the future.

A user has a question about a specific device. Where can I direct him/her for an introduction and tips for use?

Click Help in the upper right corner of your digital library website for a link to help articles, device information, and more.

When troubleshooting issues on behalf of a user, is there a report available to help me gather the details of the borrowed item?

Yes. Visit the Reports tab in OverDrive Marketplace and choose the ‘Search checkouts’ report in the User Statistics section. This report allows you to search for and view your patrons’ active checkouts by unique checkout ID, library card number, or title.


My library is hosting sessions to teach users about the service. Do you have resources available to help us prepare?

Yes. Before your session, make sure your staff is knowledgeable about the OverDrive user experience by viewing our on-demand trainings in the Resource Center. Visit the Training Templates tab to download and customize OverDrive presentations and demonstration checklists.


My library is interested in OverDrive’s eReading Room for Kids. Where can I find more information?

The eReading Room for Kids or Teens is a customizable section of a public library’s OverDrive-powered website that displays content only for children or young adult readers. Additional details can be found at our eReading Room product page. Contact your Content Sales Specialist for more information.

How do I feature custom collections on my digital library website?

In OverDrive Marketplace, users with the Curate permission can customize collections featured on your digital library website. You will find the curation interface under the CURATE tab in Marketplace. To learn more about curated collections for your digital library website, including step by step instructions, visit Marketplace Help > Curating.

How are the collections on our digital library website’s homepage created?

Marketplace users with the Curate permission can create auto-generated and custom collections for your library’s OverDrive site via the CURATE interface in OverDrive Marketplace.

What is Sora?

Sora is a new app being designed just for students and OverDrive K-12 school library partners. We expect to launch the Sora app in 2018.

Who is the Libby app intended for?

Libby is designed for public libraries, targeting new readers.

What is the Libby app?

Libby is a new app for readers to discover and enjoy ebooks and audiobooks from the library. Inspired by user and library feedback, Libby was designed to get people reading as quickly and seamlessly as possible. Learn more about Libby at: https://resources.overdrive.com/meet-libby/.