SONY MUSIC TO OFFER DOWNLOADS VIA PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Library Ideas, LLC, a new media company focused on Public Libraries, has announced an agreement with Sony Music Entertainment to provide its network of Public Library websites in the United States with access to songs from Sony Music’s catalog of legendary artists. Library Ideas is a new media company focused on the educational markets, based in Fairfax, Virginia. The Company offers music, movie and language learning solutions to public libraries as part of its developing product suite.

Ten Public Libraries have agreed to launch the Library Ideas music service in the next few weeks via their websites, including the Orange County Library System in Orlando, Florida, the Nashville Public Library, the Princeton (NJ) Public Library, Maricopa County Library District (AZ), Santa Clara County Public Library (CA), Paris Public Library (TX), Wilkinson Public Library (CO), and three others.

The service will allow libraries to increase the size and diversity of library collections by offering access to hundreds of thousands of songs. Under terms of the agreement, registered card holders of participating libraries will be offered the ability to join the service through the local library website and download a select number of Sony Music tracks in the MP3 format each month at no direct cost. Participating libraries will underwrite the purchase of the music.

“We have been waiting a long time for a service like this that delivers great music, compatibility with lots of devices and simplicity of use. We think this will be incredibly popular with our patrons and will help the library in marketing all its services to the community,” said Mary Anne Hodel, Director of the Orange County Library System in Orlando, Florida.

“Music is very important in our community,” said Donna Nicely, the Director of the Nashville Public Library, “and the internet is a major source of where our patrons want to get their music. We are very pleased to see this offering.”

“Sony Music has an incredibly expansive and popular catalog and we are really excited to partner with them on this, a very important product for libraries,” said Brian Downing, co-founder of Library Ideas. “A library is a focal point of the community that requires many tools to excite people about library resources. More than anything, that is the reason for this service.”
Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a roster of current artists that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. It is home to premier record labels representing music from every genre, including American Recordings, Arista Nashville, Arista Records, Aware, Battery Records, Beach Street Records, Black Seal, BNA Records, Cinematic, Columbia Nashville, Columbia Records, Epic Records, Essential Records, Flicker Records, Fo-Yo Soul, GospoCentric, Hitz Committee Entertainment, J Records, Jive Records, LaFace Records, Legacy Recordings, Masterworks, Polo Grounds, RCA Records, RCA Nashville, RCA Red Seal, RCA Victor, Reunion Records, Slightly Dangerous, Sony Classical, Sony Music Latin, Star Time International, Verity Records, and Volcano Entertainment. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.