E-Books and Audiobooks
As a child, my family would often drive entire days to reach vacation destinations. I'd invariably bring a stack of print books with me. One trip, we investigated the Harry Potter audiobooks, and the entire car was hooked. My dad still quotes them to this day, attempting his best approximation of Jim Dale's Gilderoy Lockhart or Professor Quirrell.
Beyond that, I don't have a lot of personal experience with audiobooks or e-books. If I listen to spoken word, it's usually a podcast. I have an iPad, which I hear is great for graphic novels, but I haven't tried it out for that purpose yet, preferring to restrict its use to schoolwork for now. This is one area where I know I need to do a little research and exploration. (Maybe I'll get a chance as this quarantine situation stretches on.) I've gotten as far as downloading Libby, OverDrive, and RBdigital to my phone. I'll be honest, it's a daunting process, and I consider myself reasonably tech-savvy. The first few books I searched for were not available at all, or had deep waiting lists of several hundred people through Chicago Public Library. I was demoralized enough to stop trying for now.
Format very obviously affects appeal factor. As with most media, I think the more options readers have, the better chance they have to find a format that speaks to them (pun intended). I worked in traditional publishing from 2013-2015, which was around the time interest in e-books was shifting from a fear that print books would lose market dominance to an understanding of the new market ebooks opened up. I remember being told that e-books were leveling off at about 25% of the market, with print books keeping the largest share. It seems like that number might have been a little inflated--Cahill & Moore write that "sales of audiobooks are about 10 percent of their print counterparts" (2017, p. 23).
When I reflect on which of my friends are the biggest fans of audio or e-books, they are usually voracious readers in print as well, and they typically have long commutes or dull office jobs that leave their hands busy but their minds free. Another segment is new moms, who might be up late at night nursing and need a hands-free, quiet activity. My sister's fiance's mom recently underwent eye surgery and has made the switch to an e-reader because she can make the font as big as she needs. Improved accessibility offered by e-books and audiobooks is profound. I'm especially intrigued by "syncing technology which allows readers to pick the text up in one medium in the exact location where the reading ended in the other medium" (Cahill & Moore, 2017, p. 23). Also, I wouldn't have guessed that "the majority of people listening to recorded books are not substituting the audio format for the printed one, but rather as a supplement to visual, text-based reading" (Mediatore, 2003, p. 318). I wonder if that is still true in 2020, now that many have cell phones and other more portable options for listening.
When it comes to reader's advisory, I can see the challenges involved in recommending these formats. Successful librarians need to "be able to be advisors of technology in addition to content" (Dunneback, 2011, p. 327). The first step is awareness. It seems trade review publications are improving coverage of forthcoming and current titles available beyond print. The next is acknowledging that these formats include additional layers of presentation that can affect other appeal factors, like pacing, characterization, tone, and more. I know what it is to fall in love with a narrator's voice--Jim Dale was lauded in a lot of our readings this week for a reason. But that's one more thing to have an opinion about. "A narrator's decisions about tone, voice, and emphasis can be the determining factor in a listener becoming engrossed in or disengaged from the listening experience" (Cahill & Moore, 2017, p. 24). It's hard to get a sense of that layer without interacting with these formats ourselves. "Collection development of any sort is dependent upon awareness" (Dunneback, 2011, p. 326).
As for e-books, I don't have an e-reader, but I think technology has advanced to the point where the experience feels more like a slightly improved version of the printed page--markers for how much of a book is left, the ability to bookmark or highlight, and a screen/ink that responds better to the amount of light in the space. I know at first e-readers weren't beach friendly, for example, because the screen was difficult to make out. Now, however, readers can sit up in bed without an additional light.
I thought a lot this week about Ranganathan's Laws, "every reader his or her book" and "every book its reader." There are situations where a traditional book makes more sense, and situations where e-books or audiobooks can fill a specific need. I think the real work for all of us lies in making these formats accessible to as many people as possible, be it battling over fair pricing with publishers, or providing the awareness, skills, and technology needed to get these books in the hands and ears of patrons who want them.
Resources
Beyond that, I don't have a lot of personal experience with audiobooks or e-books. If I listen to spoken word, it's usually a podcast. I have an iPad, which I hear is great for graphic novels, but I haven't tried it out for that purpose yet, preferring to restrict its use to schoolwork for now. This is one area where I know I need to do a little research and exploration. (Maybe I'll get a chance as this quarantine situation stretches on.) I've gotten as far as downloading Libby, OverDrive, and RBdigital to my phone. I'll be honest, it's a daunting process, and I consider myself reasonably tech-savvy. The first few books I searched for were not available at all, or had deep waiting lists of several hundred people through Chicago Public Library. I was demoralized enough to stop trying for now.
Format very obviously affects appeal factor. As with most media, I think the more options readers have, the better chance they have to find a format that speaks to them (pun intended). I worked in traditional publishing from 2013-2015, which was around the time interest in e-books was shifting from a fear that print books would lose market dominance to an understanding of the new market ebooks opened up. I remember being told that e-books were leveling off at about 25% of the market, with print books keeping the largest share. It seems like that number might have been a little inflated--Cahill & Moore write that "sales of audiobooks are about 10 percent of their print counterparts" (2017, p. 23).
When I reflect on which of my friends are the biggest fans of audio or e-books, they are usually voracious readers in print as well, and they typically have long commutes or dull office jobs that leave their hands busy but their minds free. Another segment is new moms, who might be up late at night nursing and need a hands-free, quiet activity. My sister's fiance's mom recently underwent eye surgery and has made the switch to an e-reader because she can make the font as big as she needs. Improved accessibility offered by e-books and audiobooks is profound. I'm especially intrigued by "syncing technology which allows readers to pick the text up in one medium in the exact location where the reading ended in the other medium" (Cahill & Moore, 2017, p. 23). Also, I wouldn't have guessed that "the majority of people listening to recorded books are not substituting the audio format for the printed one, but rather as a supplement to visual, text-based reading" (Mediatore, 2003, p. 318). I wonder if that is still true in 2020, now that many have cell phones and other more portable options for listening.
When it comes to reader's advisory, I can see the challenges involved in recommending these formats. Successful librarians need to "be able to be advisors of technology in addition to content" (Dunneback, 2011, p. 327). The first step is awareness. It seems trade review publications are improving coverage of forthcoming and current titles available beyond print. The next is acknowledging that these formats include additional layers of presentation that can affect other appeal factors, like pacing, characterization, tone, and more. I know what it is to fall in love with a narrator's voice--Jim Dale was lauded in a lot of our readings this week for a reason. But that's one more thing to have an opinion about. "A narrator's decisions about tone, voice, and emphasis can be the determining factor in a listener becoming engrossed in or disengaged from the listening experience" (Cahill & Moore, 2017, p. 24). It's hard to get a sense of that layer without interacting with these formats ourselves. "Collection development of any sort is dependent upon awareness" (Dunneback, 2011, p. 326).
As for e-books, I don't have an e-reader, but I think technology has advanced to the point where the experience feels more like a slightly improved version of the printed page--markers for how much of a book is left, the ability to bookmark or highlight, and a screen/ink that responds better to the amount of light in the space. I know at first e-readers weren't beach friendly, for example, because the screen was difficult to make out. Now, however, readers can sit up in bed without an additional light.
I thought a lot this week about Ranganathan's Laws, "every reader his or her book" and "every book its reader." There are situations where a traditional book makes more sense, and situations where e-books or audiobooks can fill a specific need. I think the real work for all of us lies in making these formats accessible to as many people as possible, be it battling over fair pricing with publishers, or providing the awareness, skills, and technology needed to get these books in the hands and ears of patrons who want them.
Resources
Cahill, M., & Moore, J. (2017). A Sound
History. Children & Libraries: The Journal of the Association for
Library Service to Children, 15(1), 22–29.
Retrieved from Academic Search Premier
Dunneback, K., & Trott, B. (2011). E-books and Readers'
Advisory. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 50(4), 325-9. Retrieved from
Library Lit & Inf Full Text database.
Mediatore, K. (2003). Reading with Your Ears: Readers'
Advisory and Audio Books. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 42(4),
318-23. Retrieved from Library Lit & Inf Full Text database
This is an excellent analysis of ebooks and audiobooks. It is definitely important to make sure we understand the added appeals with ebooks and audiobooks. This understanding will help us be better readers' advisors.
ReplyDeleteI specifically like that you mentioned Ranganathan's Laws. Each person is going to have their own unique preferences for how they want their stories: print, digital, audio, etc. As you quote Dunneback, we must be able to advise with appeal terms as well as with knowledge of technology.
Like Rachel, I am THRILLED that you tied in Raganathan's Laws! That hits the nail on the head. You also bring up so many excellent points about the varying appeal, the battle with ebook publishers, and the need to familiarize ourselves with this kind of tech. Fantastic prompt response. Full points!
ReplyDelete