Week Ten Prompt

 Audiobooks & eBooks

I am not an ebook or audiobook reader. When I read, I want to feel the book in my hand, flip back and forth through the pages, and make notes in the margins. I am drawn to cover art, paper weight and feel, and book size. All of the above affect whether I want to read a book or not. I like adding the physical relic of a story I loved to my book collection. I like purchasing secondhand books, especially older ones with other reader’s thoughts etched in the margins. Despite all of this, I purchased a Kindle last week because I have come to realize that audiobooks and ebooks are extremely popular, and to be able to engage in discussions with patrons about what they are reading, I need to dedicate some of my reading time to experiencing stories through these formats. 

The appeal factors that print, audio, and ebooks have in common are pacing, characterization, storyline, and frame (Chelton, 2003, p. 319). This is no surprise since the components of a story do not change based on its physical package. But the container that delivers the story does have an impact on the reader, and can add another layer of appeal to a story. 

An additional appeal factor to consider with audiobooks is audible presentation (Chelton, 2003, p. 319). The narrator must be able to:

• Match pacing of the book (Chelton, 2003, p. 319).
• Adopt different accents and use their voice to distinguish between characters (Chelton, 2003, p. 319).
• Frame the story using tone, mood, and atmosphere (Chelton, 2003, p. 319).
• Ensure that voice does not interfere with the meaning of the story or information (Cahill & Moore, 2017, p. 23).
• Use proper pronunciation (Cahill & Moore, 2017, p. 23).
• Withstand long hours of recording by having a clear, strong voice (Cahill & Moore, 2017, p. 24).

When conducting a readers’ advisory interview with a patron who uses audiobooks, it is important to ask questions about:

• preferences in narration
• where they plan to listen to the book
• what format they prefer (CD or downloadable)
• if the length is a factor in choosing a story
• if there are any technological features that they feel impacts the reading experience (Chelton, 2003, p. 321).

Although ebooks are a form of print, the appeal hinges on the convenience factor. E-readers are thin, portable, and make downloading new material easy. E-books can be borrowed from the library from any location and returned as quickly as they are checked out. For readers who are eager to get their hands on the next TBR list item, this is the most efficient option. I personally feel torn about using this format. I understand the appeal of getting new books quickly and efficiently, but I feel such a strong connection to the physical book that would be very selective in what I chose to read on a device. For instance, if I were checking out a recommended book that I wasn't sure I would like, I might choose to download it to read instead of taking the time to acquire a physical copy. I have also found that downloaded versions of books used for reference (such as a cookbook!) have been more efficient than finding a physical copy as well. 

Overall, it is important to understand how all of these factors affect the reader and to be knowledgeable about these aspects of the ebook and audiobook collections in your library.