Libro.fm will soon offer e-books in addition to audiobooks, giving independent bookstores more ways to sell digital books. The expansion comes after years of bookseller feedback, the company said, and booksellers will be the first group to have access to e-books on Libro.fm, providing critical input on final adjustments before a wider launch.
E-books and audiobooks will be in the same Libro.fm app on iOS and Android, and readers will be able to navigate between the two. With LibroSync, readers who have bought both the audiobook and e-book versions of a title will be able to toggle between them or follow the text while listening. Libro.fm credits will be able to be used for audiobooks or e-books, which can be purchased individually, too. Booksellers will also receive hundreds of e-book ARCs every month in addition to advance audiobook copies, and Libro.fm members will have access to exclusive e-book offers.
Lee Hooyboer, Libro.fm senior manager of bookseller partnerships, said, "Especially over the past few years, we've seen how readers want to divest from Amazon. They want to support their indie because they recognize how important these third places are for their community. And now they can support them all the more with e-books on Libro. These dollars will make a huge difference."
Mark Pearson, Libro.fm co-founder and CEO, said, "Since co-founding Libro, I've always imagined us offering more than audiobooks, and e-books are a natural next step. We've built an audiobook platform that booksellers are proud to recommend to customers, and they've regularly asked us to do the same for e-books. As a 100% employee-owned company with no outside investors, we consider booksellers to be our investors. Their input guides every decision we make."