DIGITAL AUDIO SERVICE

Library Administrator's Digest, Feb 2005

San Jose, (CA) Public Library - currently experiencing among the highest per capita library materials usage nationwide among large public libraries - is among the first in the country to offer digital audio books in Microsoft Windows Media Audio format. Anyone with a valid San Jose library card can now download, listen to and enjoy unabridged spoken word audio on their PCs, laptops, PDAs and many inexpensive MP3 players. The new service, available at http://ebooks.sjlibrary.org, also provides improved accessibility for those with visual disabilities. Patrons can transfer titles to over 500 portable devices and also burn their selections to standard audio CDs.

"People here in Silicon Valley are always on the go, so audio books on CD have always been very popular," says San Jose Library Director Jane Light. "The addition of digital audio books to our Web site gives residents the ability to download popular audio book titles from their home or office, burn to CD and listen in the car, providing the ultimate in portability and convenience.

"Our e-book site launched in December 2003 and we've had 10,000 checkouts so far," continues Light. "We expect the addition of the audio book format to be as popular as e-books have been."

Residents can choose from a growing list of fiction and nonfiction titles including popular authors such as Ken Follett, Mario Puzo, Johanna Lindsey, Stephen Coonts, Jennifer Crusie and many more. They can also view onscreen information about each title and navigate directly to a specific location within an audio book.

Digital audio books are one more way that San Jose Public Library is utilizing technology to increase customer access. All it takes is a computer and a free San Jose library card.

News Release, San Jose (CA) Public Library, December 2004