Read You Loud and Clear

Categories: In the News , Digital Audiobooks

Every day at the library, customers check out the newest titles by authors such as Janet Evanovich and James Patterson.  But they aren't just checking out the books. Many seek out these titles in audio book form. I was surprised last week by an article in the New York Times that debated whether listening to a book on cd was equal to reading that same book:

"Dain Frisby-Dart, 40, an avid audio book listener from Trempealeau, Wis., told her book group a few years ago that she was listening to the current selections.  One of the members, a man in his 70s, reacted as if she had been reading CliffsNotes."

The article describes how many of the people who listen to audio books do so in private: in the car, at home, or while wearing headphones. But with book clubs growing in popularity, people's reading - and listening - habits are being made public. 

I am surprised that there is still resistence to books in audio form.  Our library system has extensive and growing collection of books on cd.  A couple months ago I listened as Barack Obama read his latest book, The Audacity of Hope.  Also through the library website, I have access to thousands of digital books that can be downloaded onto my home computer.

Technology will never stop growing.  We will continue to receive information in different and (sometimes) more efficient ways.  We read a newspaper in print, we read it online, or we listen to it as a podcast.  But the purpose remains the same: to learn, to be entertained, or to connect.