LibriVox in Libraries?

Cyclometh · Post by **Cyclometh** » July 27th, 2008, 3:28 pm

A post in another thread made me think of this- it would be great to get LibriVox recordings and collections into local libraries on CD/DVD. Is there a project somewhere that handles this centrally or is it just something people tackle on their own time/dime?

Starlite · Post by **Starlite** » July 27th, 2008, 4:03 pm

Cyclometh wrote:A post in another thread made me think of this- it would be great to get LibriVox recordings and collections into local libraries on CD/DVD. Is there a project somewhere that handles this centrally or is it just something people tackle on their own time/dime?

Basically, it's something people take on on thier own time/dime.

I have donated my burnt Cd's to the blind society locally. I listen then donate!

Esther

Cyclometh · Post by **Cyclometh** » July 27th, 2008, 4:07 pm

That's fine then. I'm going to look into how I might go about getting some polished-looking copies of LV recordings and collections into my local library. With the covers published already and some time burning CDs (cheap to do), it might be quite useful.

PaulW · Post by **PaulW** » July 27th, 2008, 6:47 pm

I have downloaded and burned to audio CD quite a few of the LV recordings and donated them to my church, because we have two other members who are legally blind besides me. After the two of them have had a chance to listen to them, the discs are kept in the church library for all members to enjoy. I've done my own covers, using large print (24-36 point) for titles, authors, readers, and such, and as large a print as I can on the back cover with the description/summary of the book. The only graphics I've used on my covers are the LV logo and the audio CD logo on the front cover. I either print labels, or use prntable CDs in my Epson Photo Stylus R200 printer (it will print directly on inkjet printable CDs).

Donating them to your local public library sounds like an excellent idea to me. And if they'll let you put up a poster, we have several different versions on our Promotional Material wiki page that you can download and print...maybe we can recruit some more volunteers!

Post by **annise** » July 28th, 2008, 12:53 am

When people donate them to libraries etc do they just use mp3 format ?
I've been thinking of approaching our local library but at the moment they have audiobooks on CD and tape , and I'm not sure how many people can play mp3 files on cd players so wondered if anyone had libraries doing things any other way? I'm not sure that everyone can download files and use them so I was wanting to have as many ideas that can be used in a non private area to take with me.
It would be great if I could say "WoopWoop Public Library" gives its patrons access to these great books by .......
Anne

RuthieG · Post by **RuthieG** » July 28th, 2008, 2:05 am

annise wrote:When people donate them to libraries etc do they just use mp3 format ?

I thought donating to public libararies was a great idea, but am told that my county library (Kent, UK) has an exclusive agreement with an audiobook supplier. I have not yet established if this is confined to audio (i.e. WAV) CDs and hence whether MP3 CDs would be acceptable. But it does raise the point that you should check with your library that it would be able to accept such donations.

RuthieG

icyjumbo · Post by **icyjumbo** » July 28th, 2008, 2:56 am

Ruth,

Doesn't it make you mad when public services enter into commercial arrangements that appear to be somewhat exploitative? Nevertheless, it may be possible to get the commercial supplier of audiobooks to add content from LibriVox to their own catalogue. And then that would benefit all the libraries that have a similar contract with that supplier.

PaulW · Post by **PaulW** » July 28th, 2008, 3:10 am

annise wrote:When people donate them to libraries etc do they just use mp3 format ?
I've been thinking of approaching our local library but at the moment they have audiobooks on CD and tape , and I'm not sure how many people can play mp3 files on cd players so wondered if anyone had libraries doing things any other way? I'm not sure that everyone can download files and use them so I was wanting to have as many ideas that can be used in a non private area to take with me.
It would be great if I could say "WoopWoop Public Library" gives its patrons access to these great books by .......
Anne

I convert them to standard audio CDs, playable in most CD players that will play CD-R discs. And I've had better luck using regular data CD-R discs than the Music CD-R ones. All of the Oz books I've burned (6 of them) have taken 4 audio CD-Rs per book.

I've also found that tapes DOT com is a good US supplier for jewel boxes in small quantities (they'll sell down to a single box), and polylinecorp DOT com for case lots (Polyline has a US $100 minimum order). DISCLAIMER: I have no connection with either supplier other than being a satisfied customer, nor am I pushing folks to use them, I'm just putting them out as possibile souces for discs and jewel cases for folks who want to do this sort of thing..

Post by **annise** » July 28th, 2008, 4:18 am

I was thinking that a really nice way for the public libraries to work would be for them to have Librox on a storage drive of some sort and for people to be able to transfer them to their MP3 players ?

Ruthie - is your library saying you can't walk in and donate a book or a commercial audio book or a librivox book ? I thought we paid for public libraries

Anne

Starlite · Post by **Starlite** » July 28th, 2008, 4:27 am

annise wrote:I was thinking that a really nice way for the public libraries to work would be for them to have Librox on a storage drive of some sort and for people to be able to transfer them to their MP3 players ?

Anne

Yes that would be cool. Of course there are those who still use OLD technology.

I Made my mom get an mp3 playing CD player so I could put more files on one disk. I also purchased one for my car. The salesman asked if I wanted the extended warranty. I told him NOPE. My last car stereo didn't wear out or die, it became a dinosaur and I needed more recent technology to keep up with the times!!! I said by the time this one dies, the technology will have changed again and I would want to replace it completely!

As for mp3 disk versus audio CD, I have used both but as mentioned, many people still use OLD technology. Think of our target listeners group; there will be many seniors who only have OLD technology and NEVER use a computer!

Mp3 disks are great to transport and store files. One can upload to computer and then to mp3 player or even burn them onto CD themselves if they wish but I doubt many will take that trouble and just pass them by. For this reason, I suspect, audio CD's would be more universally acceptable.

Esther

Cyclometh · Post by **Cyclometh** » July 28th, 2008, 9:59 am

annise wrote:I was thinking that a really nice way for the public libraries to work would be for them to have Librox on a storage drive of some sort and for people to be able to transfer them to their MP3 players ?

Ruthie - is your library saying you can't walk in and donate a book or a commercial audio book or a librivox book ? I thought we paid for public libraries

Anne

If people have an MP3 player, they probably can get LV MP3s directly from the source, even if it's via a library terminal. I'm looking to get books on CD that people can check out to my library locally. I'll let you know what they say.

Cyclometh · Post by **Cyclometh** » July 28th, 2008, 1:02 pm

I've contacted my local library, and I'm waiting for a response from their staff on my inquiries. Mostly just trying to establish a connection with someone there.

I'm thinking about creating CDs from the LV catalog and sending them to my library. BUT, it occured to me that the process would actually entail me creating ISOs and jewel case media for them (probably cribbing from the CD case images thread and the LV promotional materials area).

So I started thinking- what about taking those ISOs and media as a ZIP file and putting them up for download as "LibriVox Library Editions"- basically a ready-to-assemble "kit" that anyone could download, burn and print, then give to their local library?

We could assemble interesting collections of works, related works, special editions, collections of specific authors, and so forth.

RuthieG · Post by **RuthieG** » July 29th, 2008, 7:29 am

annise wrote:Ruthie - is your library saying you can't walk in and donate a book or a commercial audio book or a librivox book ?

Yup.

Well... I can donate books, but not audiobooks.

icyjumbo wrote:Ruth, Doesn't it make you mad when public services enter into commercial arrangements that appear to be somewhat exploitative?

Yup.

icyjumbo wrote:Nevertheless, it may be possible to get the commercial supplier of audiobooks to add content from LibriVox to their own catalogue. And then that would benefit all the libraries that have a similar contract with that supplier.

This is a good idea. I intend to make contact at county level (the delightful local library staff are as powerless as I am) and see how we can make progress on this.

What I definitely will do is put together a display of Librivox publicity materials (posters, little handouts with simple instructions etc.) and get them out into local libraries. My experience with teaching older people how to use computers leads me to believe that they are perfectly willing to try new things. They just need a helping hand to get underway.

Ruth

Cloud Mountain · Post by **Cloud Mountain** » July 29th, 2008, 8:03 am

I started a campaign to get the libraries in my county to put the librivox catalog on their website. it's usually put within their database or among their download library.

icyjumbo · Post by **icyjumbo** » July 29th, 2008, 10:21 am

RuthieG wrote:This is a good idea. I intend to make contact at county level (the delightful local library staff are as powerless as I am) and see how we can make progress on this.

I was brought up in Kent (Gillingham) and can attest to the delightfulness of the library staff. I was a complete regular at my local library, and they always looked after me and nurtured my reading habit until I left for university.

This makes me think I should get in contact with my current local library, and see whether I can interest them in the LibriVox catalogue. They like me at the moment after I wrote approvingly of their recent landscaping of the library grounds. People in Malvern are a little conservative, and responded badly to the change. I think it looks great. Or it will do once the planting is more mature. Anyway, they might look kindly on one of my suggestions.

Does anyone have any advice what sort of information I should take with me to back up my case? I'd be grateful for any tips.