Playaway
Recently I visited the Roseville Public Library and discovered Playaway digital audio books, becoming an instant fan. I’m talking this new format up with those in my own library system where we enjoy NetLibrary and audiobooks that must be downloaded to an MP3 player that the user provides. Note (and this is a big one): that media device cannot be an Ipod/Apple product.
The beauty of the Playaway system is this: there is only one book pre-loaded on each player. You just push the ON button and listen. No ripping and burning required. You check out the audiobook and the player together as a unit so there is only what you want and nothing you don’t. Rooting through the selections, I found more than enough eye candy to keep me busy for weeks. I snapped up Inkheart and Artemis Fowl and I can’t wait to get into bed and “read” with the lights off.
How is this better than a book on CD? First, the size. It’s as tiny as an Ipod and fits into my PJ pocket. Finally I know what that pocket is for! : ) Second, I don’t have to fumble about in the car/in bed/wandering the house doing chores to find the next CD in the set. I’ve got 60 chapters ready and waiting. Third, it runs on one AAA battery. Can’t beat that for an easy power source.
In a casual search, I see that Roseville, Sacramento and Marin all have Playaway technology. If any of you reading have experience with this delightful product, please comment. I’ve yet to see the down side and would love to petition our System to adopt this product. I’m taken back to my childhood when I would fall asleep each night with my juvenile cassettee player telling me stories. Thirty-five years later, I’m still happy to listen to a bedtime story.
HungarianLibrarian
Jennifer writes:
so….
playaways, interesting idea. not any more expensive than a book on cd however there are two major problems with them as far as libraries making investments. 1) unless they’ve created an adaptor they cannot be used in the car and the commuter population is what generally drives (ha ha) the audio book market and uses them the most for libraries. 2) they eat batteries big time. one library bought thousands of batteries because they have to be replaced with every check out. the decided it was not fair to put the burden on patrons to use their own which i agree with. another library explored the idea of rechargeable batteries but that was labor intensive and took up lots of space. so you (or your patrons) end up either dumping used batteries into a landfill at 50 cents a pop or taking a lot of staff time dealing with rechargeables. neither are good solutions. so until they come up with a better version i wouldn’t recommend them.
Anyone else?
HungarianLibrarian
hungarianlibrarian
December 3, 2007