Libraries, listeners quick to adopt new Downloadable Audiobooks

DUBLIN, Ohio, USA,  16 March 2005—Libraries of all types and sizes, from Maine to California, are now offering Downloadable Audiobooks from NetLibrary and Recorded Books, making it possible for library users on the go to download and listen to current best-selling audiobooks from a variety of portable listening devices.

Library users have been quick to adopt Downloadable Audiobooks as an easy and convenient way to listen to the latest best-sellers, book club favorites, and award-winning authors.  The Downloadable Audiobooks program from NetLibrary and Recorded Books officially launched Feb. 1.

NetLibrary, a division of OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc., and the leading provider of eBooks to libraries worldwide, has teamed up with Recorded Books, LLC, the premier provider of unabridged audiobooks to libraries, to create this innovative new program for delivering audiobooks to libraries through the Web.  NetLibrary is providing the technological platform, and Recorded Books is delivering the titles and authors that library users want.

Libraries using Downloadable Audiobooks from NetLibrary and Recorded Books vary by type and size, from small public libraries to some of the largest metropolitan library systems in the United States.  Libraries from Houston, to Fairfax County (Virginia), to Orange County (Florida) are reporting a high level of download traffic as soon as audiobooks are made available from the libraries' Web sites.

Audiobooks, in the form of cassettes and CDs, have been popular in libraries for many years.  The ability to download these audiobooks from the Web through the NetLibrary platform is being embraced by long-time listeners as well as new listeners looking for new and different content for their portable listening devices.

"There has been tremendous interest in Downloadable Audiobooks at our library," said Debbie Moss, Assistant Director, Orange County (Florida) Library System, where there were more than 100 Recorded Books downloaded in the first two days they were offered there.  "We're always looking for new and different ways for people to fit the library into their lifestyles.  We can offer Downloadable Audiobooks to our patrons 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Web."

The Orange County Library System serves the residents of the Orange County Library District, with headquarters in downtown Orlando.  The District's diverse population of nearly 1 million is served by the Main Library and 14 Branches.

Ms. Moss said the implementation of Downloadable Audiobooks from NetLibrary and Recorded Books addresses two major goals of the Orange County Library System strategic plan:  "Provide greater customer satisfaction and provide greater ease of access to services;" and "Expand our range and variety of services to meet the needs and interests of a changing community."

Ms. Moss said she is busy working on another goal in the strategic plan:  "Expand use and awareness of library services."  "People in this community are just blown away when they learn about the Recorded Books program here," she said.  "Some people don't expect this type of service from a library.  We want to increase awareness in the community so that people will expect this type of service from this library."

Downloadable Audiobooks from NetLibrary and Recorded Books launched with 500 titles, including works from notable authors who regularly appear among the top 15 works on the New York Times' Hardcover Best Seller List, such as Patricia Cornwell, Alexander McCall Smith, Carl Hiassen, Elizabeth Peters, Nevada Barr, Pat Conroy, and more.  Additional titles are added to this core collection monthly, providing libraries with a continuous flow of new titles to offer their patrons.

Library users can search for, preview, checkout and listen to Downloadable Audiobooks via the Internet and the familiar NetLibrary platform, and can focus their search on audio titles only, or take advantage of search functionality that integrates audio titles with all electronic content their library may have in their NetLibrary collection.

NetLibrary and Recorded Books have developed a simplified annual subscription that bases collection price on library size and anticipated circulation requirements.  Libraries pay once for an annual subscription and block of checkouts matched to the library's circulation trends or population served. 

Libraries can choose from three collections:

• Audiobooks Core Collection.  A growing collection of more than 500 of the latest audiobook best-sellers, book club favorites, award-winning authors and more.
• Pimsleur Language Series Collection.  Easy to understand lessons for beginners, intermediate level speakers, and ESL students covering 39 languages.
• CEV Holy Bible.  The Contemporary English Version Holy Bible offers a faithful and uncompromising translation of the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts, making it an essential resource for any library.

Narrated by professional actors with years of stage and screen experience, Downloadable Audiobooks from NetLibrary and Recorded Books are produced in state-of-the-art facilities and have been recognized with numerous awards including Audiofile Magazine Earphone awards for excellence and Audie Awards from the Audio Publishers Association.  When downloading audiobooks, patrons can select from radio-quality or CD-quality files.  Radio quality provides faster download speeds and is ideal for patrons with dial-up connections.  CD quality offers high-fidelity playback for patrons with high-speed Internet access.

Audiobooks can be downloaded or played on any desktop, laptop or portable device supporting Windows Media Player version 9 and above.  Users can also transfer favorite titles to a wide range of portable devices, including portable music players, portable media centers, Pocket PCs, and even select smartphone devices.

About Recorded Books, LLC
Recorded Books, LLC, a division of Haights Cross Communications, was founded in 1979 and is the world's largest independent publisher of unabridged audio books.  Recorded Books provides unabridged books on cassette and CD for consumer markets, libraries, and schools.  For more information, visit www.recordedbooks.com.

Since 1979, Recorded Books has been the world's premier publisher and distributor of spoken word audio in the United States and the United Kingdom.  Perennial best sellers have made Recorded Books a stalwart on the Publisher's Weekly Audio Best-Seller List.  Recorded Books has also produced over 1,500 children's audio books and has actively promoted these titles in the school and library markets.

About OCLC
Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, OCLC Online Computer Library Center is a nonprofit organization that has provided computer-based cataloging, reference, resource sharing and preservation services to 52,000 libraries in 95 countries and territories.  For more information, visit www.oclc.org.

The NetLibrary division of OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. www.netlibrary.org helps academic, public, corporate and special libraries create a richer, more productive learning environment for their patrons.  By combining the time-honored traditions of the library system with electronic publishing, NetLibrary offers an easy-to-use information retrieval system for accessing the full text of reference, scholarly, and professional books and other e-content. 

Find out more about OCLC

NetLibrary and OCLC are trademarks/service marks of OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. Third-party product, service and business names are trademarks and/or service marks of their respective owners.