Digital Media Timeline: 1971–2026

60+ sourced events documenting ebook history, OverDrive's transformation, library digital lending, and the consolidation of control over access to written knowledge.

Scope: Project Gutenberg • OverDrive founding & evolution • Publisher licensing restrictions • Private Equity acquisition • Platform consolidation • Leadership dynamics • Corporate strategy • Legal & legislative responses.

Sources: OverDrive filings, Steve Potash DC testimony, KKR earnings, Rakuten disclosures, court records, press releases, industry reporting. Every entry has a receipt. Read the full narrative.

Track Legend

Corporate & Ownership Changes

Product & Platform Updates

Leadership & Governance

Legal & Policy

Industry & Standards

Name	Title	Background	MLS/MLIS
Steve Potash	CEO & President	Co-founder 1986 • JD Cleveland State	NO
Jennifer Leitman	Chief Marketing Officer (NEW)	HGTV, Coppola Company, Preserve Partners • MBA Tennessee	NO
Eric Miller	Dir. Data & Information Science (NEW)	OCLC, Dublin Core, W3C, MIT, EBSCO	NO
Renee Davenport	VP Education (NEW)	Learning Ally, HMH, McGraw-Hill • BS Education Ohio U	NO
Sari Feldman	Board Member	Former ALA President, Former CCPL Executive Director	YES (Kent State)
Chresten Knaff	KKR Managing Director (Board)	Formerly on Simon & Schuster board (Oct 2023–Sep 2024) • BS Economics Wharton	NO

Built by someone who was inside this system from 2008 to 2022. Read the full story.

Digital Media Timeline: 1971–2026

Track Legend

OverDrive Leadership Under KKR