Information about EAudioBook implementation

Patrons can choose "Radio quality" to listen to audiobooks on library machines.

iPods will not work. MP3 players must support Windows Media DRM (Digital Rights Management).

Park County:

Creative Zen Nano MP3/WMA player + earphones + line-in cable + USB 2.0 cable + Quick Start booklet and installation CD

NWCC:

Dell DJ Ditty

<<
I encourage you all to share your experiences with any devices you or
your patrons try out.  There are so many possibilities, that it isn't
feasible for us (WSL) to provide adequate support for them all.

The State Library purchased a Creative Zen Micro last year for the
purposes of testing the eaudiobooks service.   While I can tell you that
it seems precambrian compared to my iPod Nano, it does play the
audiobooks and does support bookmarking, which is highly desireable when
listening to one of these files which are downloaded as one giant file.  
*Keep in mind that you must download the CD quality file to transfer and
playback on a portable device.  There are newer Creative devices
available on their website (www.creative.com), they might be a little
easier to use than the one we have.  The touchpad on the Micro could be
very offputting for an older user - or someone who's had a little too
much coffee and feels a little shaky ;-), although you can modify its
sensitivity.  I also think the installation software is quite bloated
and takes far too long to set up.  I had some problems with my PC not
being able to detect the device and had to reinstall/update the firmware
on it, which is something the average user may also find a little
daunting.

Definitely look for a bookmarking feature - the Micro supports up to ten
bookmarks.  Oh, and Cheryl Wright from Park County reminds you all to
stay far away from players that only randomize playback - for obvious
reasons, they don't work well with anything but music files.

Desiree Saunders, Systems Librarian
des@will.state.wy.us / desiree.saunders@state.wy.us
WYLD Office, Wyoming State Library
(307) 777-6258>>



>
> > As recommended by the ListenIlliois group of Illinois libraries, we
> > are
> >
> > using the Creative MuVo Micro N200.  With 256 MB it's around $50 and
>
> > with
> > 512, it's about $70 (www.creative.com).  256 is the absolute
>
> > minimum and
> > another lib that's been circulating them for a while
>
> > recommended 512.
>
> >
>
> > I guess the N200 is getting discontinued soon, but the other MuVos
> and
>
> > all
> > the very small (lighter-size) flash memory players should be more
>
> > durable/less
> > sensitive than the larger deck-of-card size players with
>
> > 1-8 GB of memory.
> >  Also I believe Creative is the market leader for
>
> > non-iPod players.
>
> >
>
> > Julie
> > Adamski
>
> > Oak Brook Public Library
>
>

>
> We are circulating Creative Zen Sleek Photo. It is overkill on what we
> need (20M), but we got a good deal on these. I personally use a Sensa.
> We are
> using these with NetLibrary downloadables. You do not need more than 4M
> which is what my Sensa is. Even more important than bookmarking (as far
> as I
> am concerned) is if the player will begin again at the same spot after
> it is
> turn off. Frances W. Levin, Assistant Director Rogers Public Library
> 711 S.
> Dixieland Road Rogers, AR 72758-4033 479.621.1152
>

>
> First, stay away from Apple iPODs as they are incompatible with the
> formats mentioned. While I have not done a lot of MP3 player shopping,
> you might
> find that (like everything else) you will have a trade-off between
> durability and inexpensive. I would also look for one that will allow
> you to
> stop it in the middle of the file and resume later on from the same
> place.
> Since mine does not do that, I cannot use the NetLibrary eAudiobooks
> format.
> Thus, I stick with Overdrive which breaks the audiobook into one-hour
> files.
> Thus, when I stop in the middle of a file, I just go back to the
> beginning
> of that hour, not to the very beginning of the audio book like it does
> with
> NetLibrary. Thomas Edelblute, Public Access Systems Coordinator Anaheim
> Public Library