[Web4lib] Announcement: New reports about digital audio books and libraries

[Tom Peters]

I apologize for any duplicate copies of this message you may receive.

Please allow me to bring to your attention the recent release of two reports about digital audio books and libraries.  Although I was the author of both reports, neither vanity nor greed is my motive in announcing the availability of these two reports.  Simply put, I'm excited about the prospects for digital audio book services through libraries.  Digital audio books are proving to be popular across amazingly diverse segments of the reading public, including readers who continue to visually read printed books and ebooks.   

Here's the announcement:  

A free white paper (PDF file) comparing the downloadable digital audio book services offered by OverDrive and NetLibrary/Recorded Books has been released. The report, commissioned by OverDrive and written by Tom Peters of TAP Information Services, compares the two services along several key parameters, including collections, systems, support, usability, and usage. This report, which also briefly examines the newer downloadable video services from OverDrive and Recorded Books, complements another recent report by Tom Peters of TAP Information Services about digital audio book services for libraries. That report was published as volume 43, number 1 of Library Technology Reports, a publication of the TechSource unit of the American Library Association.

The report that OverDrive commissioned is freely available online in PDF format at the following URL:

http://www.overdrive.com/Resources/EvaluatingDownloadSvcsWhitepaper.pdf

Information about the Library Technology Report from ALA TechSource, including purchase and subscription options, can be found at the following URL:

http://www.techsource.ala.org/

NB:  Although I was compensated for writing both reports (writing reports, coordinating programs, and other activities supporting libraries, library-related organizations, and librarianship is my business, and I cannot afford to do as much "pro bono" work as I would like), usage of the one report and sales of the other will not increase my compensation.  I thank OverDrive and ALA TechSource for commissioning these two reports.  

Thanks!
 
Tom Peters

TAP Information Services
1000 SW 23rd Street
Blue Springs, MO 64015
phone: 816-228-6406
email: tapinformation at yahoo.com 
web: www.tapinformation.com
Skype: tapeters4466
Gizmo: TomPeters4466 

TAP Information Services helps libraries and 
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