Pasadena library patrons checked out 72,106 e-books and audiobooks through the OverDrive platform in fiscal year 2026 (which ended June 30), up 37% from 52,511 in fiscal year 2022. The waitlist is growing even faster: the number of titles patrons are holding or waiting for jumped 80% to 33,229, according to a staff report presented to the City Council on Monday, July 20.
To keep that digital collection running, city staff asked the council to authorize a sole-source contract with OverDrive, Inc. worth up to $2 million over five years. The item appeared on the consent calendar at the council's July 20 meeting. No vote result has been confirmed.
The proposed deal covers an initial three-year term with two optional one-year extensions for e-books, digital audiobooks, and related digital services. Funding for fiscal year 2027 would come from existing Library Books appropriations in the Library Services Fund, with no impact on the General Fund.
Who uses it
Unique users grew 68% over the same four-year span, reaching 8,683 patrons. The staff report, prepared under Library Director Tim McDonald, describes OverDrive as one of the library's most heavily used digital services and notes that demand has climbed while branch space for physical collections remains limited. The Central Library has been closed since Monday, May 3, 2021, for a seismic retrofit targeted for completion in summer 2028, according to a city manager newsletter published July 16.
Pasadena Unified School District students also tap the collection through OverDrive's Sora app, borrowing titles with their student ID numbers. The library offers 6,749 digital magazine titles through the Libby platform for unlimited simultaneous use.
Why sole-source?
Staff recommended skipping competitive bidding because OverDrive licenses cannot be transferred to another vendor. Switching platforms would force the library to repurchase thousands of titles and would cut off Kindle compatibility, which accounted for about 39% of e-book checkouts — 13,468 loans — in fiscal year 2026. The library's OverDrive collection holds more than 17,000 digital titles and 28,000 licensed copies.
Cost per checkout
The library spent about $105,000 on digital content in fiscal year 2026 across 98,748 checkouts, working out to roughly $1.06 per loan. E-books and audiobooks alone cost $87,471 against 72,106 checkouts, or about $1.21 each.
The contract appeared on the consent calendar, which councils typically approve without discussion. No vote result has been posted. The council is in summer recess; residents can check the meeting schedule at www.cityofpasadena.net.
