The first thing that occurred to me when I started this unit was why was just about audiobooks? Did e-boosk really not exist just a few years ago when 23 Things was first created? This unit should really incorporate both since many of the resources (i.e. Overdrive) we're investigating here do.
To me, it seems like downloadable audiobooks are one of our most underused resources. Maybe it just seems that way because this is one resource that people don't have to come to the library to access so we never see it being used like books. Audiobooks on CD get some of our best circulation numbers so it seems only natural that there should be a big audience for their downloadable counterparts. Part of the problem, at least in my library system, is that we don't do a very good job of advertising them to those who would be most comfortable using them (children & teens). When we first starting getting them, we mainly had adult titles but now we have more and more children's and teen titles available. (More than most of our staff probably realizes.) We've tried to ease access to them by adding them to our regular catalog and linking to the download page, but the link is a bit hidden within each record (and it literally is a link - a small icon of a chain link -- not instantly intuitive if you ask me). Of course, the fact that Overdrive and NetLibrary were unable to offer iPod compatible titles early on didn't help either.
I haven't made much use of these resources myself, sad to say. I think I am more of a visual learner so it's easier for me to focus my attention on printed text. One of these days I may try a downloadable audiobook though. Now, if only we could find a way to offer music in the same way.....
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