June is audio book month. According to the Delafield Public Library cataloger Diane Basting (below left), there are nearly 2,500 audio books at the Delafield Public Library, with more available through the online CAFE catalog (CAFE stands for Catalog Access For Everyone).
"The Delafield collection includes a great selection of nonfiction on a wide range of topics, from the Olympics to funny travel anecdotes. There is something for everyone to enjoy," Diane says. Library director Terry Zignego (below right) added, "in preparation for summer, I have ordered 100 new adult audio books."
"Long car rides on summer vacations are the perfect time for audio books. The right narrator can bring the pages to life and put you right in the middle of the story," Diane says. Some people strongly prefer to listen to their books all the time; others occasionally listen. Audio books are ideal for those with less than perfect vision. Or, for people who like to listen in the dark.
What Are Audio Books?
Books you listen to in the form of CDs, Playaways, or digital downloads checked out on your own device from Wisconsin's Digital Library (accessed from library website with any Wisconsin library card).
What Is A Playaway?
A Playaway is an audio book that you check out from the library. It is a small, portable, prerecorded audio player that only needs headphones for you to listen. They are perfect for multiple car passengers who wish to listen to their own book while not disturbing others. Enjoy listening to Playaway books while walking or cleaning. Library staff member Marcy (above) holds some new Playaways.
Good Ways To Find Audio Books:
1. Download from Wisconsin's Digital Library.
Available from the library homepage (or link is above left), use your library card to check out over 7,000 fiction and 3,000 nonfiction audiobook titles for adults, with many more titles for children and teens (look for above logo). Wisconsin's Digital Library is powered by Overdrive with titles selected by Wisconsin librarians.
2. Search the CAFE catalog from library website.
~By Narrator:
Book listeners have favorite narrators. Once on the CAFE catalog, click keyword search from the search drop down menu and enter the narrator's name (start with last name first). Remember to look for the blue audio book icon (shown above) when searching for audio books.
~By Publisher:
If you want to search just the Playaways, enter "Findaway" in the keyword search box. FIndaway is the publisher.
~By "Nonmusical recording" or "Sound recording" or "Audio Ebook":
Click any of these from the Limit by drop-down menu. Do not limit by "Audio-book." This strangely does not work!
3. Stop in the library and ask us where to find adult, teen, and children's audio books.
That's all you need to know to be a savvy library user of audio books. Happy listening!
Fifth Friday Focus is the News' in-depth focus featured in months with five Fridays. If you have a library topic you would like to know more about, please email editor Jennifer at jklett@wcfls.lib.wi.us.
