Hear A Book @ Your Library

By Brenda Thompson, Community Relations Coordinator

January 26, 2011

As a child I loved being read to. In fact, without a TV in the house, it was about all we did in my early years. My mom, my sister and I would cuddle up in bed and plow through a whole stack of books in an afternoon.

As I grew older I found I still liked to hear, rather than just read stories. Unfortunately, no one was willing to sit around and read them to me anymore! I once was caught lying in the hallway (as a teenager), listening at the crack between the door and the floor as my dad read to my little brother.

As an adult I still have not lost my love of hearing stories. I find listening to books a great way to engage my mind and imagination while doing other tasks. I listen while doing dishes, organizing paperwork, driving, gardening, exercising, you name it.

For those who love to hear stories, your library is an excellent resource. Purchasing audiobooks can be very expensive, but at your library, a variety of formats are available for free.

Audiobooks on cassette tape and CD can still be checked out, but many people find our two newest formats more convenient.

Playaways are preloaded mp3 players that include one book, read aloud. The unit is about the size of a deck of cards and is completely self-contained, so all you need is one triple-A battery and a set of headphones. No more worrying about bulky players, changing tapes or scratched disks!

A variety of titles, authors and genres can be checked out on Playaway, and your librarians are continually adding more. We are always interested in your suggestions for particular topics or authors.

The second new way to get audiobooks is to download them from the library website. This option is convenient if you want to play audio files on your computer or laptop. Even better, the files can be transferred to an mp3 player of your own, like an iPod or a Zune.

Currently 5,700 audiobooks are available to download (4,000 of which work on iPods) with more added monthly.

To get started, go to www.natronacountylibrary.org and click on “Download Audiobooks.” This link gives you instructions to create an account, search by title, author or subject browse, and download the stories you want to hear.

You will need your library card number (located on the back of your card) and PIN. To obtain a PIN, call 577-READ or ask at any library branch.

Personal mP3 players are all different and can be a little confusing. If you need assistance transferring the files, our friendly staff is more than willing to walk you through the process either in person or over the phone to help get you started.

If, like me, you enjoy hearing stories read aloud, the options are now more portable than ever! Visit our website at www.natronacountylibrary.org or call 577-READ to find out more.

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