Been in a bookmobile lately? Even if you have, I'm sure it wasn't anything like the one planning to make a stop in Katy soon.

The bookmobile soon to be at Maud Marks Library, 1815 Westgreen Blvd., is a 74-foot long, 18-wheeler equipped with computers and Internet access all for the one purpose of showcasing your local digital library.

From noon - 6 p.m. Jan. 27, the national Digital Bookmobile will be open to the public for tours and test drives. Well, test drives of the digital library, not the vehicle itself.

Operated by Ohio-based e-book supplier OverDrive, Inc., the Digital Bookmobile is touring the country as part of a campaign to increase awareness of digital libraries, which allow library patrons to check out books, audiobooks, music and movies by downloading the items through the Internet. I previously blogged about this great free resource here.

At the event, visitors can enter their name for a prize drawing to win a free MP3 player. Free refreshments and entertainment will also be provided.

Sylvia Powers, branch librarian of Maud Marks Library, said the Harris County Public Library system has an extensive digital media collection as part of its e-library and people need to know how to access those materials. Harris County's virtual library is accessible at this link.

"There are so many books in our databases and all you need is a library card," she said.

Maud Marks Library is one of two locations in the Houston area where the Digital Bookmobile will visit on its tour. The bookmobile will be at the Houston Public Library's Central Library in downtown Houston Jan. 28 before it heads out to Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Albuquerque.

Dan Stasiewski, marketing associate with OverDrive, said the Digital Bookmobile helps readers experience the free digital book catalog and Web site from Harris County Public Library using instructional videos and interactive computer stations based on the truck.

The bookmobile last visited the Houston area in December 2008 when it made a stop at a Harris County library in Spring.

"We're thrilled to have another chance to showcase Harris County Public Library's free ebook, audiobook, music and video downloads, this time at the Maud Marks branch library in Katy," Stasiewski said.

Downloads from Harris County's site are available 24/7, Stasiewski said. Once downloaded, the digital media can be read and/or listened to on a computer or transferred to any MP3 player or digital book reader. Digital books and music are borrowed, similar to the traditional a library setting, but at the end of the lending period, titles automatically expire without any late fee, Stasiewski said.

New releases as well as hard-to-find titles are available in the Harris County Public Library's e-branch. However, digital media cannot be downloaded to an library computer.