Prompt 5: eBooks and Audiobooks

I have to admit, there is something about the feel of a book in my hands that makes me happy. This is a conversation that I have held with many patrons! But out of convenience, I find e-Books and audiobooks to be great tools. I have even been known to read the same story via a physical book and an ebook at the same time. I read the physical book all day and switch to the ebook at night or when I do not want to carry the actual book. This way I can switch seamlessly between the formats that work best for me at the moment.

I personally struggled a bit with audiobooks at first. I would lose track of the story and struggle to keep track of multiple characters.  So audiobooks lost some of their appeal for me. However, I would say that even throughout this class, I have gotten better and can now listen to a book while I get things done around the house. This adds appeal because being tight on time does not mean I have to wait to dive into a good book. I can do dishes, make dinner, take out the trash and find out whodunnit. 

I have also found that I listen to books I may not have read in physical format. For instance, I just listened to Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. I would not have chosen this book to sit and read but I thoroughly enjoyed it while I did my chores. Turns out, I am not alone. Mediatore (2003) noted that readers often chose audiobooks they would not have read otherwise.

Genre effects - Some books are known for how large they are. In ebook or audiobook format, the reader does not see or feel the length of the book. I personally enjoy the accomplishment of closing a big book. I don't get that same feeling when I close out an ebook or audiobook. 

The ability to change fonts, spacing, and text color are benefits for ebooks. If someone struggles reading a certain style font, no problem, they can change it! That being said, these changes can affect the pace of the book. If I don't feel like wearing my glasses at night, I will make the font larger on my eBook, but it definitely changes the layout of the story and potentially the flow.

For me, the narrator of an audiobook can make or break the story. The right narrator can draw you into the story but the wrong one can ruin it. I love the ability to have different voices, music, and other additions to audiobooks. However, too much can detract from the story.

At the end of the day, I am here for the story. Whatever the format, I have learned to truly enjoy the positives of the format. 

Here is a brief overview of the main pros and cons of ebooks and audiobooks: 

Pros of ebooks and audiobooks:

1) They are easier to take with you! Headed to an appointment and know you will be waiting a bit, all you need is your phone. Taking a trip, enjoy an audiobook along the way (Mediatore, 2003)!

2) The right narrator can make a story even better.

3) Readers can get other things done while they dive into an audiobook.

4) Books can be accessed from the patron's home. No trip to the library needed. This was especially helpful during the COVID pandemic when libraries were closed down (Marshall, 2020).

5) No change of fines or fees - the books are returned when they are due.

Cons of ebooks and audiobooks:

1) It doesn't feel the same! From the cover to the turn of the page to the closing of the book, there is nothing quite like reading a physical book.

2) These formats are costly, at an average of $40 industry-wide (Marshall, 2020). I can buy 2 or 3 physical books for the library for the cost of an ebook or audiobook. Adding more of these to the library is costly. Librarians are at the mercy of the publishers for these formats, an issue that recently caused librarians to speak up about costs and limits (Schwedel, 2020).

3) Some narrators can ruin a story. A bad accent, bad timing, etc. can make me turn the book off.

4) They sometimes take the book back before I am done. There is nothing more frustrating than being at the end of the book to have it taken away! I have had conversations with patrons that feel the same. Waiting through a waitlist to read the last couple of chapters is disappointing. 

5) Audiobooks make it harder to go back in the story to check on something. In a physical book, I will typically kind of know where the part I want to reread is. That is not the case for audiobooks. I've also fallen asleep listening to them and had no idea where I left off! Someone, please design a way for my audiobook to hear my breathing change and pause my audiobook! :D

References

Marshall, A. (2020, December 7). Publishers worry as ebooks fly off libraries' virtual shelves. Wired. https://www.wired.com/story/publishers-worry-ebooks-libraries-virtual-shelves/

Mediatore, K. (2003). Reading with your ears: Readers' advisory and audio books. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 42(4), 318-23. [Library & Information Science Source]

Schwedel, H. (2020, December 7). Why angry librarians are going to war with publishers over e-books. Slate. https://slate.com/business/2019/09/e-book-library-publisher-buying-controversy-petition.html