Audio Books Go Mainstream

"Once I had a secret love ... my secret love's no secret, anymore." (from the movie Calamity Jane).

Well the secret is definitely out!  Audio books are moving front and center in the publishing world.  Check out this article at the Wall Street Journal, "Can You Hear Me Now? The New Explosion in Audio Books" for a discussion of what's going on in the audio world.  Now that, in the words of Hachette Audio VP, Anthony Goffe, "Everybody has an audio book player in their pocket at this point" sales have taken off.  In fact, Hachette has seen their sales go up over 30% in the past year.
Of course, not quite everyone has a smart phone, but we're getting there and the major audio book publishers as well as straight downloadable companies like Audible (part of the Amazon corporation) are taking full advantage.  This is great news for libraries and lovers of audio books because higher demand is bringing prices down and expanding the list of available titles for downloadable audios and  traditional CDs alike.
While the debate will go on about whether or not listening to a book is the same as reading it or better or worse, the fact remains that audio books are here to stay.  Not just for the visually impaired, but also for the commuter, the treadmill user, the crafter, and the dozens of other reasons that people choose to listen rather than read.
Personally, I listen while I commute.  Nothing to heavy, I've found there are certain books that require too much concentration to make good commuter fair.  But in some cases I have found that listening to a book actually enhanced the experience.  One recent title that comes to mind is Sutton by J R Moehringing.  The print version was leaving me cold, the narration by Dylan Baker brought the book to life for me.
Haven't tried an audio book yet?  You never know what you might like until you try. 

Book Review Friday: The Hen of the Baskervilles

The Hen of the Baskervilles is the latest installment in Donna Andrew's Meg Langslow mystery series, and it does not disappoint.  It's late summer when the story opens. Meg  and her husband, Michael Waterston, are trying to juggle their two-year-old twin sons, Meg's eccentric relatives, and an assortment of wacky friends and neighbors as the townsfolk of Caerphilly, Virginia host a county fair.  A few acts of vandalism could be the work of pranksters, but there's an undercurrent of resentment among the exhibitors and one dark evening, after the fair closes,someone ends up dead.   A great cozy mystery with no sex, no drugs, just a little rock and roll and a character driven story that's sure to please.

You can read this as a standalone novel, but to get the full impact of Meg's wacky family history start with Murder with Peacocks and read the books in order.

For a complete list of Donna Andrew's books click here.

If you like your cozy mysteries on the humorous side, you might like these:

The Southern Sisters mysteries by Anne George, start with Murder on a Girls' Night Out
The Death on Demand series by Carolyn Hart, start with Death on Demand
The Claire Malloy series by Joan Hess, start with Strangled Prose
The Izzy Spellman mysteries by Lisa Lutz, start with The Spellman Files

Technology Skills

Here's an interesting article from The Journal.com 20 Technology Skills Every Educator Should Have.  A great list for teachers and librarians. I'm good with most of these, but there are a few I need to spend some time on.  Great food for thought.

What is a MOOC and Why Should We Care?

A MOOC is a Massive Open Online Course. The first MOOCs were generally science and technology courses offered for free, with no college credit, taught by expert in the field. As the courses catch on more and more topics are being offered for study and for-profit organizations are trying to get into the game. Some colleges are now charging for access to MOOCs with prices varying depending on whether the student wants CEUs or college credit for the course.

Students taking a MOOC are on their own, even more so than a regular online class.  As such, the drop out rate is high.  But those who complete their course gain skills and  knowledge that can help them get a better job and improve their lives.

As public librarians, it is worth our time to learn a little about MOOCs, because sooner or later someone is going to ask.  Students can enroll in a MOOC without being affiliated with a particular college or university and may need the library for computer access, written materials, or other assistance.

The major MOOC providers are:
Coursera
EdX
Udacity
Also, some colleges offer their own MOOCs

Student Advisor.com is a site that "offers free access to trusted educational conversations, college reviews, college comparison and match tools, planning guides, a social network of verified advisors and more."  They also have an entire MOOC Advisor site devoted to all things MOOC including student reviews of courses.

 
For an in depth article about MOOCs check out Massive Open Opportunity by Meredith Schwartz in the May 15, 2013 Library Journal. 

For the sake of full disclosure, I am taking a MOOC through Syracuse University's School of Information Science on Professor David Lankes's book The Atlas of New Librarianship.  It is rigorous, informative, and fun.  I will definitely enroll in another MOOC.

Book Review Friday: Mr. Churchill's Secretary

 

Susan Elia MacNeal's book, Mr. Churchill's Secretary is an Historical mystery about a British subject, raised in the US, but living in London at the start of WWII.  College educated and over-qualified, Maggie Hope gets a job working as a typist at No.10 Downing Street and soon becomes involved in an investigation that ultimately leads to an assassination plot against the Prime Minister, himself.  A good solid mystery adventure with twists and turns, plenty of intrigue, lots of  intriguing characters, and some British history tossed in for good measure.





First in a series, the others are
Princess Elizabeth's Spy
His Majesty's Hope

 If you like Historical mystery series like this, you may like

The Bess Crawford series by Charles Todd, book one: A Duty to the Dead
The Billy Boyle series by James R. Benn, book one: Billy Boyle: A World War II Mystery
The Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear, book one: Maisie Dobbs

For a stand alone mystery set during WWII and featuring Winston Churchill try:

The Unlikely Spy by Daniel Silva

More reasons to visit the library

Really the same great reasons, but we can't say it often enough.  The library offers a great value to it's community.  This article from Money Talk News offers "7 Reasons to Revisit the Library."  Everything from books to music, free wi-fi, free classes, and socializing.  Come to the library.  There's something for everyone.

23 reasons why ...

Here's a link to a great little article from the Public Libraries Online blog, "23 Reasons Why Your Library is the Most Important Place in Town."  I especially like "libraries are places where people come to know themselves and their communities."