Audio Book Breakthrough: A Guide to Selection and Use in Public Libraries and Education

This is the first book on audio book selection and use for public and school librarians and teachers. Topics addressed include how to begin and upgrade a collection, the relative merits of complete and abridged audio books, a sample written selection policy for the audio book collection, how to evaluate production qualities of audio books, ratings of products from major producers and distributors based on a survey of AV librarians, and an annotated bibliography of more than 200 outstanding audio books. A chapter on audio in education offers a rationale and many practical suggestions for incorporating audio books in education from elementary school through adult literacy programs.

This guide begins with a glossary of terms specific to this medium. Chapter 1 traces the history and development of the audio book industry and producers, and sketches a rationale for library use. Chapter 2 focuses on the pros and cons of complete and abridged audio books in libraries. Chapter 3 offers practical advice on selection and display and evaluates the quality of tapes and packaging. Chapter 4 offers a rationale for use of audio books in education at all levels and suggests strategies for implementation. Chapter 5 gives the results in tabular form of a questionnaire sent to librarians who rated the quality of products form the major audio book producer distributors. Chapter 6 is an annotated bibliography of more than 200 outstanding titles including quotes from reviews, prices, name of reader, etc. Chapter 7 is a directory of producers/distributors with information about products, library discount, replacement policy, distribution, and the authors' comments on their products.

PRESTON HOFFMAN is the Book Sounds columnist for Wilson Library Bulletin and author of A Change of Voice: The Art of the Spoken Word (Wilson Journal) and a monograph on audio books Occasional Papers #184 (University of Illinois Press). He holds an M.A. in speech communications and English from Columbia University and is the extension services librarian for the Burke County Public Library in North Carolina.

CAROL H. OSTEYEE received a doctorate in education from Columbia University and teaches in the Burke County, North Carolina, public schools. She is the author of Critical Thinking Model and Handbook (1992). Her interest in curriculum innovations, especially whole language, led to her research in the use of audio books in education.