The advent of audiobooks.

The First Chapter of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskerviles (A Sherlock Holmes Novel) in a Public Domain Audiobook file

Audiobooks have been staples of public libraries for quite some time.  Initially (at least at the Fargo Public Library) most audiobooks where in a special tape format for people who are visually disabled.  However, audiobooks in popular format (initially cassette tape, then CD) where eventually offered.

This was great for patrons who do not necessarly have a visual imparement, and want to listen to an audiobook. Audiobooks in physical format are often prohibitivly expensive, often due to the sheer number of disks or tapes that are required to contain the whole book. For example, an unabridged recording of James Joyce's Ulysses costs 56 dollars on Amazon, and is spread over 40 disks.

Although cost isn't as big of a problem for libraries, the number of disks is. If a patron where to loose one disk, or a disk was to be scratched beyond repair, the whole audiobook can't be circulated - you can't replace individual disks on audiobooks.

Recently, audiobooks have been offered digitially, both for sale (for example, Audible.com has a subscription program that gives you 1 book a month for 15, significantly cheaper than buying one physical audiobook), for free if they are in the public domain (Librivox) and to check out from a library.

Both the Fargo Public Library and The Lake Agassiz Regional Library System (Moorhead Library) have started offering audiobooks to check out. The advantages to this for the library patron is that they have access to audiobooks, without having to worry about the problems inherent with physical media. However, the patron has to be able to support the system - having a computer and/or an MP3 player, which not everybody has. Also, like any other library item, a patron must "return" their audiobook - meaning that it comes with DRM (Digital Rights Management - code that restricts your ability to use the software) that will delete the files by a certain date.  Most advanced computer users despise DRM, however, it is a necessity for the free audiobooks. 

It is interesting to see how audiobook technology has changed, and how libraries have adapted historically, and how they are continuing to try to provide for their patrons.  Circulating digital materials is a new innovation for the libraries, and one that can be seen as going against the traditional role of libraries. It can also be seen as libraries living up to their potential, providing new services to get information out to the people. 

Technology and Libraries Overview!

Unshelved comic - January 12, 2011. www.Unshelved.com

Technology has always been a prominent part of librarianship. In fact, libraries where one of the first users of the internet, accessing digitalized catalogs from other libraries at least a decade before internet usage became widespread. New innovations are always being considered by libraries - for example, the Fargo Public Library has began to offer Ebooks for patrons to download, as well as free internet access, computer classes, and resources to learn about new tech.

This is a great thing for making technology accessible.  As we have stated in class, socio-economic class plays a big part in the adoption of technology, and those who aren't as fortunate as others are often left in the proverbial dust. However, the fact that anybody can use the computers at a Public library is a great equalizer, and at least lessens the divide between those who are technologically literate and those who are not.

However, the current system is far from perfect. First and foermost, libraries have limited funds to purchase technology,and also must balance their budget to pay for their employees, new physical materials (books, movies, etc.) and building maintainance.

This limits the amount of computers a library can have, which means that only a few patrons can be fully utilizing a library's technology at any time.  Also, the computers are one of the most used things in the library, it can be hard to gain access during any time of the day.

 Also, school libraries, where technology would be the most beneficial, are having the hardest time affording everything.  According to this article form the School Library Journal

      "After seeing so many schools redirect their library dollars to technology and audiovisual equipment, Knickerbocker created the Snapdragon Book Foundation, which helps foster children's literacy by providing financial grants to media centers that serve disadvantaged youth... Our ultimate goal is to do what we can to see that school libraries are still offering children good books to read—and to help the ones most in need"

Finally, many people have very fixed views of what a library is, how it looks, and it's functions in the current society. These people often reject the ideas of the increased focus of technology in the library, and are concerned with the how prominent it is currently.  This article from the Martha's Vinyard Times demonstrates this perfectly. The author quotes a current librarian:

"Libraries are trying to imagine their futures with or without books," Mr. Sutter continued. "Books are being pushed aside for digital learning centers and gaming areas. 'Loud rooms' that promote public discourse and group projects are taking over the bookish quiet. Hipster staffers who blog, chat on Twitter, and care little about the Dewey Decimal System are edging out old-school librarians."

And follows up with a single word reaction:

"Yikes."

Libraries, especially public libraries, need all the support that they can get. And having people who do not necessarily understand technology or how libraries are planning for the future are a hinderance for everybody.


Technology plays an incredibly important part in modern librarianship, and will continue to change both with and for libraries.