By David W. Keeber |
Sedona Public Library
Sedona, AZ -
A few years back, there was a huge debate in the
library profession about adding video tapes of
films to our collections of books. Some felt
that libraries were about only books, but others
reminded the naysayers that we are supposed to
respond to the needs of our users. They also
made the case for libraries being providers of
information in all forms. In the end, the video
proponents won the day. Since then, libraries
have expanded their collections to include
videos, books on tape, books on CD, DVD’s, and
lately, downloadable books.
This last has been a bit slow to start. Many
people see portable books such as books on tape
or CD as something you listen to in your car,
and if they don’t plan on driving a long
distance, they just don’t check them out. During
the holidays and in the summers, when everyone
is traveling distances to vacation or to see
family, we check out loads of them. It seems
that people see this format as only to be heard
in their cars, or occasionally, especially among
Sedona’s many artists, they listen to the in
their studios while they work.
Everyone has seen the iPod come into wide
popularity in the past few years. Many, many
teens are perfectly happy to go about their
activities with their earbuds in, happily
listening to music. Podcasts, downloadable radio
shows ranging from music to talk radio, are also
starting to gain wider acceptance as more folks
get portable music players onto which they load
whatever the care to listen to.
Now, books in electronic format are no longer
tethered to one’s car stereo system or your home
music player. The Sedona Public Library has a
great new format for books called the Playaway.
These are portable music players that come
preloaded with a single book. They are about the
size of a matchbook and can be used anywhere,
anytime.
Now, you can work in your garden, take long
walks, exercise, ride your bike, or do housework
while listening to top notch personalities
reading your favorite books. The player can be
popped into a pocket, hung on a lanyard, tucked
into a backpack and you can listen for hours to
the latest bestsellers. You don’t need to
understand how to download things off of your
computer because the books come pre-loaded on
the players.
Each player requires a AAA battery to run it for
hours. You also need the little earbuds to hear
the sounds – no speakers on the players. For
sanitary reasons, you will want to have your own
earbuds, so the Library will sell you a pair for
only $1.00! Keep them safe and you can use them
many times, over and over.
Sedona Public Library has invested a fair amount
of money to start this project with an excellent
collection of titles. There are fiction and
nonfiction, bestsellers and standards, adult and
children’s books. If there are titles you would
like to see us add to this collection, be sure
to let us know. You can find these new items on
the rolling cart in the main lobby. Staff is
ready to show you how these work – very easily,
by the way – and you will quickly find that
there is nothing to it. In no time at all,
you’ll be enjoying a great book, happily
untethered from your home or auto stereo system.
Come in to the Sedona Public Library and check
out a Playaway book. You’ll enjoy them and
pretty soon, you may even want your own portable
music player, which would be good because at the
turn of the year, the Library will begin to
offer downloadable audio books that go onto your
own player. But, more on that when that new
service is offered! In the meantime, check out a Playaway!
Past Library News issues:
Sedona Library Archive