By Suzann Holland

Director

Monroe Public Library

When I was a little girl, I took great delight in audiobooks. Because I am of a certain age, I’m speaking of vinyl. My parents bought me quite a few of those 45rpm book and record sets, many featuring popular licensing properties of the day, including Peanuts and Looney Toons. I often revisited my little 45rpm books and records, well into my pre-teen years. When I went to the public library, I was able to check out LP audiobooks, such as “A Bargain for Frances” and “Little House in the Big Woods.” Those were a wonder to me.

Today, the only place you’ll find vinyl audiobooks are in the places vintage items are usually sold, such as eBay and estate sales. Audiobooks in magnetic formats, such as audiocassette, are quickly dying. The Monroe Public Library carries many audiobooks on compact disc for all age groups. Many more titles are available through other libraries in our system. Only a few libraries still have books on cassette. Many libraries including our own also offer books in a Playaway format. The Playaway is a self-contained MP3 player that you can connect to your own headphones or the auxiliary jack in your vehicle. Playaways have not been fully embraced by libraries because of their high prices and fragility, but they have many enthusiastic fans.

Even though CDs remain a strong format for audiobooks, there are signs that they are losing momentum. The last two years have seen a growing number of audiobooks released exclusively in a downloadable format. You have a number of options for digital downloads.

Audible, a subsidiary of Amazon, serves as my primary source for audiobooks. You can sign up for a plan of 1 or 2 credits per month to use for books. Once purchased, the books are yours to keep, and you’re free to delete them from your device and download them again later. The site features frequent sales for its members. The app is beautifully designed for both iOS and Android.

Your library card gives you 24/7 access to over 71,000 digital eBooks, audiobooks, videos and more thanks to the Libby app and Wisconsin’s Digital Library. Wisconsin’s Digital Library is a project of the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium, with funding from Wisconsin Public Libraries and Public Library Systems. Additional support is provided by Library Services and Technology Act funds awarded to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. The Libby app couldn’t be any easier to use. Look for more information on our website, or ask a team member on your next visit to us. We can even help you get started on your own device. 

The wonderful thing about downloadable books from Libby, Audible, and other services such as Apple iBooks is that you can get them instantly using just the device in your hand. If the Libby book you want is currently being used by too many patrons, you can place a hold on it and even have it automatically checked out to you as soon as it is ready for you.

If your vision is impaired because of a medical condition, you have access to a federally-funded option. As part of a national network cooperating with the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, the Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library provides audio books and braille materials to persons, living in Wisconsin, who cannot see regular print or handle print materials. WTBBL patrons receive and return books and equipment, postage-free through the U.S. Postal Service. WTBBL currently serves nearly 7,000 registered patrons and over 580 institutions (e.g. libraries, schools, nursing homes, veterans centers). There were 1,087 new registrations in 2017.

The quality of narration is very important, and you’ll quickly identify favorite narrators. Many authors choose to read their own books, especially if the person is a celebrity or the book is a memoir. Occasionally, bestselling authors will dabble with a some of their own work. This worked well for John Grisham as he narrated his short story collection, “Ford County.” For the most part though, publishers choose professional narrators for major releases.

The experience of listening to a book can be very different than that of reading it in the traditional way. A good narrator can add nuances to a book that you might not notice otherwise. For those that have difficulty reading for whatever reason, having audio versions enables them to enjoy books they would otherwise be shut out from. Also, listening to a book generally takes more time additional time, as we typically read faster than a narrator can read aloud. For me, slowing down really improves my comprehension of the material. 

Audiobooks can be there with us no matter what we are doing. Listen to the latest celebrity tell-all while you exercise. Share a book with the whole family during a road trip. Revisit an old friend from your childhood while you do boring chores. Where will audiobooks fit in your life? You won’t know until you try them!

— Cover to Cover is provided by the Monroe Public Library and is published the fourth Wednesday of the month. Suzann Holland is the director of the Monroe Public Library.