#22: Audiobooks online - without pulling out a credit card!

Listen to this podcast [2:01] --->

Any books on tape fans out there? Modern listeners (and marketers) call them audiobooks, so we're no longer tied to a specified delivery format. Some of us listen on CDs now, and some of us with iPods or another type of MP3 player may have already ventured into downloading audiobooks for listening on more portable devices. If you are among the latter, perhaps free audiobook downloading is something you already do, but maybe we'll introduce you to some new-to-you sites worth exploring.

BTW: you don’t have to have a portable player to listen to audiobooks, you can also listen to them from a computer - and/or burn the audio files to a CD. Some libraries are making available online audiobooks through companies like NetLibrary and OverDrive. Sadly, though, these audio files don't work with iPods! The reason for non-compatibility with iPods has to do with digital rights management (DRM) - and that Microsoft created the DRM protection for audio files without (yet?) making it available to Apple.


Discovery Resources

• LibriVox - public domain titles recorded by volunteers with a whole Web 2.0 community driving it!
  
• Gutenberg: The Audio Books Project - Yessirree, those electronic book pioneers are dabbling in audio, not just plain text files! Audio titles are integrated into the full catalog; just look for the icon on your search results; however, if you're interested in just browsing...
  • Human-read by author only listing,
    
  • Computer-generated audio - again, browse-by-author-only (finite list for now; Project Gutenberg is exploring how to create a way for users to create computer-generated audio on-demand)
    
• Audiobooks for Free.com - First image you notice is PayPal?!? No, that is the correct url. In spite of the name, it looks like they're trying to make a buck (notice the DOT com?) - but persist! You will need to "join" before being able to download, but they do not require you to register your email address (and this will be the last account we of 23 Things @ GCC will ask you to create!).
  
• OverDrive - if the no -iPod-compatibility issue doesn't impact you, this link brings you to a search page where you can search for Arizona libraries making available titles through OverDrive downloading or search for titles (and then check if any of your local libraries provide access).
  NOTE: you do need to download a media software application to listen to OverDrive titles.
  FURTHER NOTE: unlike the sites listed above, not all titles are in the public domain (i.e. without copyright nor digital rights concerns) because libraries are paying for or subscribing to them. So look for Janet Evanovich instead of settling (?) for Jane Austen!
• Check out this great blog post (found by searching Technorati). The end of the entry includes a far more extensive list of audiobook links than included here.
  

Discovery Exercise

1. Visit LibriVox. Notice the equal treatment on Listening and Reading? From the get-go, this site broadcasts its participatory nature.
   
2. Click the LibriVox Catalog link to search or browse for familiar titles (bearing in mind that all are in the public domain).
3. Once you've identified something that appeals to you, choose either of the first two mp3 files - the one that best suits your connection speed). Audio streaming should kick in at first click; downloading requires right-clicking. Listen online or try downloading a file.
   
4. Blog about your listening experience and about the ideas fueling and sustaining LibriVox. Would you consider recording a contribution to the cause?
   

Technorati Tags mp3,audiobooks,LibriVox,listening,audio