Read an Ebook Day2026 · Date · History
OverDrive states that Read an Ebook Day takes place every September 18 and documents the campaign’s 2014 launch.
About Read an Ebook Day
Read an Ebook Day is an OverDrive-led reading campaign observed annually on September 18.
OverDrive’s launch announcement identifies September 18, 2014 as the first International Read an eBook Day.
Why Read an Ebook Day matters
The campaign encourages digital reading and participation by libraries, schools and readers.
It is a first-party organizer campaign rather than a statutory public holiday.
History of Read an Ebook Day
OverDrive announced the first International Read an eBook Day for September 18, 2014.
The launch described it as an annual digital-reading event.
OverDrive continued to mark September 18 in later years under the shorter Read an Ebook Day wording.
In 2026, OverDrive again announced a September 18 Read an Ebook Day campaign for libraries and schools.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
OverDrive
OverDrive’s 2014 first-party announcement launched the first International Read an eBook Day.
First documented observance
OverDrive’s 2014 launch explicitly calls September 18 the first International Read an eBook Day.
OverDrive
OverDrive continues to publish and promote Read an Ebook Day, including a 2026 campaign for September 18.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
6 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe Read an Ebook Day
Use September 18 as the recurring date.
Attribute the campaign’s origin and stewardship to OverDrive.
Do not describe it as a government-created or UN observance.
Year-specific promotions can change, while September 18 and the documented OverDrive organizer history remain the stable points.
Read an Ebook Day Facts
Read an Ebook Day is observed on September 18.
OverDrive launched the first edition on September 18, 2014.
The 2014 launch used the wording International Read an eBook Day.
OverDrive continues to promote the day and documented another campaign for September 18, 2026.
The observance is an organizer-led reading campaign, not a statutory holiday.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
OverDrive (opens in a new tab)
OverDrive — 2014 launch announcement (opens in a new tab)
First Party History
OverDrive — Read an Ebook Day (opens in a new tab)
First Party Event
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Read an Ebook Day?
18 September annually The documented recurrence rule is: 18 September.
Does Read an Ebook Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is Read an Ebook Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: OverDrive / organizer-led reading campaign. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Read an Ebook Day?
The documented basis is: OverDrive states that Read an Ebook Day takes place every September 18 and documents the campaign’s 2014 launch.. Supporting evidence includes OverDrive — Read an Ebook Day. The site does not infer a separate creator or founder unless reviewed evidence establishes one.
Is Read an Ebook Day international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: OverDrive / organizer-led reading campaign. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-09.
When is Read an Ebook Day?
It takes place annually on September 18.
Who launched Read an Ebook Day?
OverDrive launched the first International Read an eBook Day in 2014.
When was the first edition?
OverDrive’s launch announcement identifies September 18, 2014 as the first edition.
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