Audio Collections: Spoken Arts: Audiobooks
Have you listened to a good book lately? More and more people are experiencing books through listening. Audiobooks, or books-on-tape, can be used anywhere you can't hold a book and have something to do that doesn't required concentration. Whether cooking, cleaning, exercising, mowing the lawn or working in the garage, listening to a book is a great way to rejuvenate your mind. Rather than passing time with a popular magazine in a waiting room or line, why not turn on a book? Commuters and vacationers traveling by car, bus, train, or airplane can all enjoy books alone or as part of a family activity.
Audiobooks by William C. Robinson from his course lecture notes for Contemporary Book Publishing in the U.S. at the University of Tennessee provides a brief history and summary of audiobook publishing.
People who criticize audiobook listeners as "nonreaders" or "missing the joy of reading" are being charged with "sense discrimination" by those who enjoy this reading option.
Explore the website Heard Any Good Books Lately? An Industry Booms (Jan. 2005) by Lynn Neary from NPR Morning Edition.
Read Listen My Children and You Shall Hear: Audio Books for Young Adults (Spring 1999) by Marjorie M. Kaiser from the The ALAN Review, 26(3). The latter describes one person's experience with audiobooks.
Read the off-site articles: (1) Hearing Aid, or Listening Can Help Your Writing by Karen L. Oberst and (2) Web Watch Audiobooks: Ear-resistible! by Denise Johnson at Reading Online.
Listen to an audiobook on a topic of your choice such as an Audie audiobook award winner. You might try The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen, Self Matters by Phillip McGraw, John Adams by David McCullough, or The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman. Listen in the car, doing housework, or relaxing, then create a list of the advantages and disadvantages of this format. Consider sharing the listening experience. How does that change the experience?
Audiobook Issues
We’ve known for a long time that reading to children is critical to the love of reading. This may also be true throughout life. Audiobook users can enjoy the voice of a dynamic narrator and get lost in the storytelling experience. Beyond the pleasure of good subject matter, the experience can reduce stress, promote relaxation, and reduce eye strain. By adding yoga, dish washing, or stuffing envelopes, people can even become more productive through multitasking.
There are many issues associated with audiobooks including length, format, organization, and selection issues.
Dr.J's Jags & Jabs
For me, listening to audiobooks on CD (Rather almost two decades ago, it was cassette audiotapes) was an acquired taste. I had to get used to switching tapes (discs) and learn the in-and-outs of working with the technology before it became routine. Isn't that the way it is with almost any new technology? At first you have to relearn or learn new procedures, sometimes it takes a little longer when you are comfortable with the another way of doing things. Newer technologies do not usually exactly replace an older method, rather they do similar things in a little different fashion. Like many people, I first listened to audio programs while making a long commute back and forth to a campus. Today I still listen to audiobooks, some instructional / informational programs, and other types of spoken word programs.
Stephen King recently weighted in with his enthusiasm and some pet peaves in one of his Pop Of King postings: Hail to the Spoken Word.
Abridged versus Unabridged
For people who listen to books in their car, unabridged works are referred to as "cross country" titles and abridged titles as "cross town" titles.
Unabridged means that the complete book is included in the audiobook version. Abridged versions have been edited and only include a portion of the complete work. Subplots, characterizations, and detailed descriptions are often eliminated. For example the unabridged version of David McCullough's book John Adams is read by Nelson Runger and contains 26 CDs. The abridged version read by Edward Hermann costs less than half as much money and contains only 9 CDs or 6 audiocassettes. That's a big different in content and cost.
Read the off-site article Speaking of Audio: Selling Unabridged Audio -- The Complete Audiobook by Robin Whitten in Bookselling This Week (Jan. 24, 2002) for a discussion of this issue.
Listen to the abridged and unabridged version of the same book. Share you experience. Which do you prefer and why?
Most audiobook readers and librarians have very strong feelings about this issue. New users are more likely to listen to short stories or abridged editions. This is a good way to determine which narrators are preferred or to sample an author's work. Listening clubs and casual listeners also like abridged editions.
Established listeners often crave the entire works and are frustrated by what they view as incomplete works. Teachers also seek the unabridged edition when they want students to read along with the book.
In the past many books were only available in abridged versions for audio, however there's a growing trend by publishers to offer both versions of their product. Librarians need to be aware of the needs and interests of their patrons.
Audiotapes versus CDs.
From reel-to-reel and cassette tapes to CDs and MP3s, listeners have experienced many formats over the past century. In the 1930s, the Library of Congress began distributing long-play records for the blind. Since then we’ve experienced vinyl records, cassettes, and CDs. Recently, MP3 and downloadable books can be added to the list. Each new entry doesn’t necessarily mean an end to the old. In some locations, libraries continue to purchase some audiobooks on cassette tape despite the popularity of CDs. But people are finding that many programs are not available in the older format. Thought for the future: how long before CDs are largely a format of the past?
Two online articles, Speaking of Audio: In the Driver's Seat (July 2003) by Robbin Whitte, and The Future of Unabridged (Nov. 2001) by Norman Oder, Library Journal, touch on the issues of digital technologies replacing the older analog cassette tape format. Also you can read a transcript of Profile: Last American Company Manufacturing Audiotape Closes Its Doors (Jan. 2005; Access requires login) or listen to the Archived Broadcast Online from Morning Edition (NPR)
Today, you can still purchase audiobooks in different formats but not every audiobook is available in unabridged form. For example, Self Matters by Phillip McGraw is available in abridged and CD or abridged audio cassette. You can also read the hardback book, softback book, or download the Adobe Reader or Microsoft Reader digital version. Many books are even available in MP3 sounds files. Most people would think that the move from audio cassette to CD audiobooks would reflect the music market, but this isn't the case for a number of reasons.
For audiobooks, more narrative fits on a cassette than an audio CD. Cassettes generally contain 105 minutes of programming, but CDs only hold about 74 minutes. DVDs hold more information, but people don't generally have DVD players in their cars. Although new cars come with CD players, many cars still have tape players.
There are concerns about starting, stopping, and marking your place on a CD. However, many of the newer CD players return to the place they left off if the CD is left in the player. In addition, it's easy to move from track to track in CDs to return to a specific point.
CDs also have advantages. They are relatively durable (that is if someone knows how to care for them) and less likely to be destroyed than cassettes (Does anyone remember wrapping the tape around a sticky capstain roller untill it breaks - even spicing can't help what it does to that track!).
You can get more ideas about availability of titles by browsing through Audio Books on Audio Cassettes and Audio Books on Audio CDs at Amazon Books.
The articles Will CDs and DVDs Disappear? (Sept. 2003) by Peter Cohen from PC World and Forrester Report Says Downloads Will Replace Discs (Sept. 2003) by Jay Lyman from TechNewsWorld reminds us that storage media and processes will continue to evolve.
Intershelve or Separate
Since the introduction of audiobooks, there have been movements to intershelve the collection with books. The placement of any library materials should be related to the patrons and their needs rather than ease of shelving or inventory. In collections where audiobooks are kept separate, users tend to focus on the media. In other words, they're going on summer vacation and want a book they can listen to at the beach or in the airplane. The decision about whether it's horror, romance, or self-help content comes second.
In collections that are intershelved, the content is most important. In other words, patrons are looking for everything they can find on dieting or the Vietnam War. In this case, it might be helpful to have audio, video, and book materials housed together.
Books versus Audiobook and Book versus Kit
There's a soft battle raging between book readers and audiobook readers. The Audio Publishers Association (APA) reported that nearly one in four Americans (24.6%) have listened to an audiobook in the past year (Audio Publishers Association Relaeses Major Consumer Survey and Announces Increase in Audiobook Usage, Sept. 2006).
A lot of books are not available as an audiobook, especially books that are not popular with mainstream readers. And generally the paper edition is produced first, and you will have to wait a period of time before the audiobook comes out. However, a few books are now only available in the audiobook format. These original productions include classics, collections, and lesser known works. For example, you can hear The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Dalai Lama in America, and On the Road with Charles Kuralt. In other cases, an audiobook may come with a book, booklet, and other materials like puppets or posters. Some children's books come with or without a CD or tape.
Consider the end user. Where is the greatest need? Most of us would not attempt to read a book while driving a car. And the experiences of reading a book and listening to a book are different. We use the two forms in a different manner.
Author versus Professional Narrator
A greatest benefit of audiobooks is the ability to hear words aloud. This is particularly true with poetry where the flow of words is so important. The narrator can make or break the quality of an audio listening experience.
Sometimes the author reads the material. For example, Jack Prelutsky, author of The Frogs Wore Red Suspenders, is a great performer in addition to a children's poet.
When selecting an actor or narrator, producers consider the characters in the book such as the gender and age of the main character. The setting of the book and associated accents are also taken into consideration.
Because narrators sometimes do the voices of many characters, they are often trained in the classic theatre.
Listen to excerpts from at least three different audiobooks and compare the narrators. What are the characteristics of an effective narrator?
Learning with Audiobooks
Audiobooks can motivate students to read. They allow children and young adults to enjoy a book at their interest level that might be above their reading level such as Charlotte’s Web or The Incredible Journey. In addition, children who read slowly can still participate in class activities.
For very young children and people learning English as a second language, audiobooks provide a way to learn the patterns of language, focus on objects, and learn expressions. They are also good examples of fluent reading for children and young adults.
Audiobooks can take the "read aloud" burden off the teacher and parent. For example, if you have a hard time getting through Where the Red Fern Grows without crying, let Richard Thomas read it aloud to the class.
Read the off-site article Why Audiobooks Matter by LeVar Burton.
Read Benefits of Audiobooks for All Readers by Denise Johnson (2003) at Reading Rockets.
Read the off-site article, The Audio Time Machine, by Deborah Locke in Book Links, 11( 6), June/July 2002) (Also at AudioBookshelf). It describes the merits of audio books in exploring historical novels. It also provides a nice list of resources.
Read the webpage, Learning with Audiobooks from Audio Bookshelf for more classroom ideas.
Choose a genre of literature that you enjoy and identify three audiobooks you'd like to read. Use some of the references in the article to gather ideas.
Encourage students to become better listeners and readers through audiobooks. Strategies for using audiobooks with children vary. Some teachers encourage their students to read the book along with the tape during the first reading. This familiarizes students with the story. During subsequent readings, students concentrate on the words.
Some learning is formal, while other is informal. Some parents encourage reading through modeling. They provide audiobooks in the car and encourage listening for relaxation.
Read A Bridge to Literacy: Creating Lifelong Readers through Audiobooks, by Denise Marchionda (AudioFile Magazine, August/September 2001) or Listen While You Read by Kylene Beers from School Library Journal, 1998. Create a list of the strategies the author described for using audiobooks with students.
Read the off-site article, Bud, Not Buddy: Common Reading, Uncommon Listening, by Marjorie M. Kaiser (The ALAN Review, 27(3), Spring 2000). Summarize the model described in the article. Working with a teacher, develop a common reading experience around an audiobook of your choice.
Use Listen to Any Good Books Lately? for additional audiobook title ideas.
Audio Book Articles
In addition to the many articles already discussed on this page, many other materials are available on the web and in print. Explore articles in your interest area.
- Bridge to Literacy: Creating Lifelong Readers Through Audiobooks (Aug/Sept 2001) by Denise Marchionda
- Earphone English (May 2002) by Francisca Goldsmith in School Library Journal - this article explores how audio books are used by students studying English as a second language.
- Heard Any Good Books Lately? - IT Works! by Deborah Locke (v.11 no.2) granted by Book Links: Connecting Books, Libraries, and Classrooms, published by the American Library Association.
- How Might Talking Books Change Education for Beginning Readers?
- Learning with Audiobook from Audio Bookshelf – webpage provides reasons for using audiobooks with students.
- Listen While You Read (April 1998) by Kylene Beers
- Listen Your Way to Fitness by Tom Batell (Sept/Oct 1998) American Fitness. (Reprinted at Find Articles)
- Listening to Literature (June 2006) by Grace Rubenstein, edutopia.
- I Listen to Books – An audiobook fan website that shares news and reviews online. People give their auidobooks away similar to the BookCrossing.com idea.
- Success with Audiobooks by Janet Allen from ABC Audiobooks. Explore the relationship between audio books and literacy practices.
- Shared Reading, Karaoke Style by Juli Kendall at MiddleWeb Listserv. Explores shared reading for middle school.
- Talking Books by Jennifer Lindsey
- Tips for Long Drives: Information about Audio Books by Sheryl Nantus from Pagewise
Audio Book Selection
There are resources on selecting audiobooks. A few are listed below for your exploration.
- Audiobooks on the Go: Summer Listening for Kids & Families (April/May 2004) by Sharon Grover from AudioFile
- Books on Tape (Winter, 2000) from Whole Earth Magazine (Reprinted at Find Articles) - Excellent article highlights to pros and cons of audiobooks and provides lots of tips for selected the best ones.
- Digital Format Adds Convenience to Audio Books by H. Jay Wisnicki in Ophthalmology Times - Explores the shift to CD audio books.
Reviews
You can locate some reviews at Find articles.com. For example, they archive School Library Journal reviews. Some producers provide collected reviews.
- AudioFile - Magazine for people who love audiobooks
- Findarticle
- Booklist – Each issue contains audiovisual media reviews
Jenette Larson writes audiobook review articles for Library Media Connection. Read one of her latest: (Aug/Sep2006) What's New in Audiobooks; 25(1), 40-44. (Access requires login). Once logged in you can view a pdf file of the complete article.
Audiobook Distributors
When selecting audiobooks, it's useful to go to distributor and publisher websites. They often provide excerpts from their audiobooks.
- Audio Book Contractors, Inc. - Classic books on tape.
- AudioBooks
- Audio Book Club
- Audio Books on CD Inc.
- Audio Bookshelf
- Audiobooks Online
- Audio Editions - Books on cassette and CD.
- Audio Partners Publishing Corporation
- BBC Audiobooks America
- Blackstone Audiobooks - Company also provides CDs as well as MP3 titles. Materials can be rented.
- Books In Motion - Unabridged audiobooks.
- Books on Tape - Also have MARC records available for books on tape.
- Brilliance Audiobooks - Audiobooks on tape and CD.
- Educational Record Center
- Full Cast Audio
- Hachette AudioBooks
- Harper Audio
- HighBridge Audio
- Landmark Audio
- Learn Out Loud: New Millennium Audio
- Listening Library from Random House - Audiobooks for children and teens.
- Live Oak Media
- Louis Braille Audio
- Nightingale-Conant - Personal development.
- NorthStary Audio Books
- Radio Spirits - Old time radio programs.
- Random House Audio Publishing – Information about audiobooks available including recommended and feature titles.
- Recorded Books, LLC
- SimonSays (Audio) from Simon and Schuster - Information about their audiobooks.
- Teaching Company, The - Audio and video format materials at the college-level for adult education and life long learning.
Other Useful Online Resources
- Audio Bookshelf – Book reviews, ideas for classroom integration, and purchase options. The provide excerpts from reviews such as Booklist, Horn Book, and School Library Journal. They also have an online newsletter. This website as a nice “homey” feel that librarians will enjoy.
- AudioFile - Magazine for People Who Love Audiobooks – this website provides great reviews and information about audiobooks.
- Audio Publishers Association (APA) – Links to lots of publishers and distributors
Print References and Reviews
- Audiobook Reference Guide 2004-2005, 10th Edition.
- Books Out Loud: Bowker's Guide to Audiobooks™ - formerly "Words on Cassette"
- KLIATT – Bimonthly magazine includes reviews of audiobooks
Audiobook Lists
- Audies from Audio Publishers Association (APA)
- Audiobooks in the News from Audio Publishers Association (APA)
- Audiobooks on the Go: Summer Listening for Kids & Families by Sharon Grover at AudioFile
- Best Audiobooks of the Year from AudioFile
- Best of the Best, Kids Audio 2003 from AudioFile
- Black History Comes Alive: Audiobooks for Young Listeners by Patricia Austin
- Selected Audiobooks for Young Adults from
ALA's Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)