by Zach Miller
Quick Summary
Advertisements for Ebooks Minnesota will appear on Metro Transit buses beginning the week of May 2. The ads will run in bus interiors, headlights, and on digital screens at light rail stops. The ads seek to reach readers on the go who may not have the regular opportunity to visit the library.
Ebooks Minnesota is the result of a statewide planning effort that culminated in 2014 with the Explore Ebooks MN Summit. The Summit called for "statewide multi-use access" that is "equal, easy, and simplified." Less than two years later, on Leap Day, February 29, 2016, Ebooks Minnesota was born.
More than five years later, Ebooks Minnesota's reader base has grown steadily. The collection has grown, too, and now includes over 9,000 books, including award-winning titles for readers of all ages in English and Spanish as well as Ojibwa, Somali, Karen, and more. Our simultaneous use model has also allowed us to partner with the Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library to host each title in Minnesota's statewide book club, One Book | One Minnesota.
Our Metro Transit ad campaign seeks to reach readers on the go who may not have the regular opportunity to visit the library, but could certainly benefit from an ebook collection that doesn't require checkouts, returns, or a username and password.
We're starting with Metro Transit, but that doesn't mean we're done. We are investigating similar efforts outside the metro area to bring Ebooks Minnesota to every corner of the state. If you have suggestions, questions, or any other feedback about this campaign, please contact me directly at zmiller@umn.edu. I look forward to hearing from you!
