Audiobooks

Audiobooks in some form have been around for many years. In 1931 the government started a program called Books for the Blind which circulated recordings on vinyl or special cassettes. Not until the 1980’s did audios become available commercially for the general public, first in cassette form and later, as more cars contained the players, CD’s.


The Library no longer circulates cassettes but they and CD’s will be sold at the Book Sale Sept. 14-16., The lower level A-V Department circulates hundreds of CD’s, Playaways (self-contained battery-operated devices) plus downloads from My Media Mall and Overdrive. Reviews are available in “Audiofile” magazine and a list of “Classics on Audio” is on a cart in front of the audio fiction. The Children’s Department also has a large collection.

Naturally, the reader is of prime importance. A good reader can really make an audiobook come alive. Jim Dale’s superlative reads of the Harry Potter books are a good example – his talents are more recently on display in “Night Circus” by Morgenstern. Other favorites are Scott Brick, the late Frank Muller, George Guidall, Barbara Rosenblat and Kate Reading. Occasionally, authors read their own works – David Sedaris is a successful example.

So, try out one of the Library’s many audio offerings. They’re mobile and hands-free. They shorten car trips and long walks, entertain you while cooking or sewing and make the written word sparkle.