[Publib] Circulating iPods/Library iTunes accounts

Fri Dec 5 09:38:33 EST 2008

Yeah, the shuffle isn't really designed for audiobooks.  It's whole purpose is to simply "shuffle,' heh.  It is a pain to make it not do so.  One other point for non-iPod brand mp3 players is that the vendors supplying downloadle audiobooks to librarys are, for the most part, supplying them with coding that isn't usable by an iPod, which I've always found a little ludicrous since iPods are the most popular mp3 player, though that is Apple for ya.  That being said, iPods do make it hard for people to take data off of them, whereas cheap mp3 players do not (it would also be easy for anyone to put stuff on the library's generic mp3 player).  So, I'm not sure what happens to the audiobook you load onto a cheap mp3 player--if someone could just rip it off the mp3 player and keep it?  

Perhaps you should check out Playways (pre-loaded digital audiobookp players)?  We'll be getting our first ones soon, and I'm hopeful that they will take off.  I figure especially with the teens, who no longer borrow CD audiobooks, they might have success.

Josh

________________________________

From: Scott Bonner [mailto:sbonner at rhmlibrary.org]
Sent: Wed 12/3/2008 7:30 PM
To: Jennifer Salas
Cc: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Publib] Circulating iPods/Library iTunes accounts

No, we do not provide ipods or access to itunes to patrons.  We might consider putting Itunes on our patron PCs, if the latest versions have overcome the issues they had with earlier versions of the Windows version of iTunes being buggy and hogging resources.  (I've heard the latest version is better, but I haven't tested it because I got so frustrated with the resource-hoggin earler versions that I deleted iTunes from my old home PC and never installed it again.  ITunes, RealPlayer, and WinAmp -- never again!)   :)

The reason I am responding is just to point out that, if your goal is to provide portable players with audiobooks on them, you can save yourself a lot of money by using a non-ipod brand mp3 player.  You can get them for 20 dollars apiece, at the lowest end, and much cheaper than an ipod even if you move into the better quality players.  30-35 is common, but the Shuffle is at least 50, and has issues (see below).  You won't need much of a player to store and play a single audiobook.  You should still be able to use iTunes, and I am sure there are other online stores if that proves problematic.

Also, it has been a while since I last looked at buying an ipod, but from what I recall, it takes some effort to make the Shuffle play an audiobook correctly.  You have to mess with the settings to force it out of shuffle mode, and set up a playlist (If I recall correctly).  That was the case when the new, smaller shuffle came out (as I recall), but I don't know if Apple has changed the OS/firmware since then to make shuffle mode easier to defeat or allow an audiobook to play in the correct order without making a playlist first (say, by playing in filename order by default - not sure if any mp3 player does that).  That all takes staff time.  Also, patrons won't be able to tell where they are in the book, due to a lack of screen, and may not be able to pick up where they left off.  The Shuffle doesn't have a bookmarking function (last I looked - how could they make it usable without a screen to find the option?) and I'm not sure if it will automatically pick up where it left off when you turn it on.  Not all players do, and some require you to turn them off in a certain way to mark the spot, meaning instructing the patron and listening to complaints later.  The Nano solves most of these problems, but then it costs around $150.

If these players are loaners (regardless of brand), what will you do about patrons deleting the audiobook and loading the player with their own items?  Or hacking the thing's software/firmware?  Or using it to infect a library computer at next sync?  And so forth.  What will you do with the expensive little devices when the promotion is done?  If you plan to just toss them, let me give you my mailing address...

-- 
Scott Bonner, Adult Services Librarian
Richmond Heights Memorial Library
8001 Dale Avenue, Richmond Heights, MO 63117
Phone: (314)-645-6202  Fax: (314)-781-3434
sbonner at rhmlibrary.org 

On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 10:44 AM, Jennifer Salas <jsalas at martin.fl.us> wrote:

	I wanted to find out if there are any libraries that are successfully circulating iPods or having patrons download audiobooks to their own iPods through the library's iTunes account (or maybe a library has come up with another creative way to circulate audiobooks for iPods).  My library is thinking of doing a One Book, One Community program and would like to have the book in all formats, including compatible to iPods.  I wasn't sure if there was a different way to do this other than buying a bunch of Shuffles and downloading the audiobook (we will also have Playaways) or buying a bunch of the audiobook and putting it onto an iTunes account.  Thank you!

	Jennifer Salas
	Youth Services Coordinator
	Martin County Library System
	2351 SE Monterey Road
	Stuart, FL 34996
	(772) 221-1405
	jsalas at martin.fl.us 

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-- 
Scott Bonner, Adult Services Librarian
Richmond Heights Memorial Library
8001 Dale Avenue, Richmond Heights, MO 63117
Phone: (314)-645-6202  Fax: (314)-781-3434
sbonner at rhmlibrary.org 