The Alert Collector: Listen Up: Best Practices for Audiobooks in Libraries

This issue’s Alert Collector offering on audiobooks is a departure from the usual subject-based column. With the wide availability of downloadable audiobooks, there is a huge opportunity for libraries to serve readers who would rather listen on their mobile devices. Renee Young, a Metadata Librarian III with EBSCO, offers some great advice for any librarian trying to build or improve their audiobook collection. She also suggests ways to promote your collection and help those you serve find great new “reads” in audiobook format. Young is a former reviewer of audiobooks for Booklist, served as member and chair of Listen List Council of the Collection Development and Evaluation Section (CODES) of the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), and has presented on listener’s advisory at national conferences. Her “listening” skills go back to before becoming a librarian: she served in the US Army as a cryptologic linguist, which involved listening to and translating radio transmissions.—Editor