Baker & Taylor and Library Ideas, the media publisher behind the Freading ebook and Freegal Music streaming and download services for libraries, and more, have announced an exclusive partnership that will see Baker & Taylor distributing Library Ideas’ VOX and IR [Immersive Reality] Books to libraries and schools. VOX Books are hardcover print fiction, nonfiction, and picture books with permanently attached VOX Readers that transform the titles into all-in-one read-along audiobooks. IR Books are hardcover nonfiction print books featuring virtual reality and augmented reality elements.

According to an announcement, Baker & Taylor “will offer full library processing services and provide sales and marketing support to Library Ideas’ sales and customer service team. Baker & Taylor will be the sole source for VOX Books, handling all order fulfillment, enabling customers to use their state-of-the-art ordering system, Title Source 360 [beginning this spring], and leading processing and library workflow solutions.” The books will ship from Baker & Taylor facilities, while Library Ideas continues managing licensing, publisher relations, and sales and customer support.  

“What the Library Ideas team has developed with VOX Books aligns perfectly with Baker & Taylor’s values of inspiring literacy and learning. I am thrilled to partner with an innovative company with a high-impact product like VOX Books.  We are excited to pair the expertise of our industry-leading library workflow solutions with Library Ideas,” explained B&T President and Group CEO Aman Kochar.

“It’s always our goal to make doing business with us as easy as possible. This agreement moves that goal forward. It’s very exciting to have found a partner who is so library-centric,” said Brian Downing, CEO of Library Ideas.

Both companies will have representatives at the upcoming Public Library Association conference in Columbus, OH, (booths 1906 and 2114), April 3–5.