Update on the Listen Up Wisconsin Project
July 2003

Current Statistics (collected July 9, 2003)

Table 1: Circulation Statistics

We are trying to determine what might account for the high circulation at Brookfield. Information from the statewide survey indicates that there isn’t any significant difference between the areas of the state in interest in this technology. Brookfield is circulating multiple titles on the players each time they circulate the devices, which accounts for some of the difference. They may have also promoted the service more aggressively than other libraries in the project.

Table 2: Information about the collection

Almost all of the titles in the collection are unique. We have only purchased multiple copies of 1 title in the collection.

Reactions from libraries participating in the project
Feedback has been received from all of the libraries participating in this project.

Brookfield: The most usage of the MP3 players has been at the Brookfield Public Library, although they report that the project has been understated and under marketed. Their feedback is as follows:

Staff concerns/problems:

• Slow download times and transfer times to device.
• Device can only be activated on one PC at a time.
• Procedure and number of steps involved in checking titles in/out and then downloading can be a bit cumbersome, time consuming, and stressful while patrons are waiting.

Patron concerns/problems:

• Would like more titles downloaded on the device--larger memory card
• Like the size of the device, but some have difficulty seeing the display screen and pressing the buttons.
• It is difficult to find or return to a specific spot in the title being listened to.
• The cassette adaptor does not stop playing when the car engine is turned off--running down the battery and making it difficult to return to the place last heard.
• The sound quality varies from title to title and can be very poor with some titles.

Although they have not started to download titles to players owned by patrons, this service has been requested. They are currently evaluating offering this service.
The Brookfield Library will be getting an additional memory card to put more content on their players.

Pewaukee: Pewaukee Library also reports that the project is popular with their customers, but reports that the largest drawback is battery life. A few of their customers have mentioned purchasing their own player. They like the convenience of the player and the offerings provide advantages over the other audio equipment that is owned. Some users report that they enjoyed taking the device on a walk, and would walk more to hear more of the book. They hope the project continues.

DeForest: The DeForest library found that mostly senior citizens were interested in the project, but found that the buttons were too small. They are returning their players to be tried in another library.

Reedsburg: The Reedsburg Public Library had a flurry of business at the beginning, and people seemed excited about it, but they haven't really had repeat business. They did do promotion at the beginning on the radio and in their newspaper. They think that people might be afraid of checking out the device and breaking it. They haven't had any requests to load titles to patron devices. Customers have also stated that the buttons are too small and the battery life is short.

Columbus: The Columbus Public Library also gave the same feedback about the battery life and the small buttons. They have not been able to generate much excitement about the project, although they do have posters hanging in the building. They have had a complaint about difficulty in getting back to the spot where you were if you lose your place in the book. They do not feel that getting the titles onto the device is a cumbersome procedure.

Waukesha: The Waukesha Library began circulating their devices last week. The first customer returned the device reporting that it was broken, but the problem was that they did not hold the “on” button down long enough to turn the device on.

Patron survey responses
Unfortunately, we have received only 4 patron survey responses, and 2 of them are from library staff members. As a result, there is little to report. Most respondents reported that they were likely to borrow an OTIS player again, and most felt that this is a useful project. The open-ended comments from the 2 non-library staff members indicated that they like the size and portability of the device as well as the ease of use. One user reported problems with losing his place in the book, and that the batteries did not last long enough.

Administrative issues
There have been a few problems in managing this project for the 2 library systems involved:

1. Circulation: Because Audible has not provided a means for circulating titles, we are responsible for tracking circulation. Libraries need to know what titles are available and what titles have been checked out. If they check out a title that is currently circulated by another library, we must purchase a second copy from Audible.

For libraries that share an automated system, loading records into the automated system and using that to keep track of the titles could possibly accomplish this task. Because we do not share an automated system, ListenUp libraries are required to fill out an online form each time they check out and check in a title. This process adds extra steps to circulation and libraries sometimes forget to do it.

To eliminate this step, libraries could circulate the titles, keep track of the circulation locally and report the titles that have circulated once a month or so. However, this method might result in more duplicate titles being circulated, requiring us to purchase more copies of titles.

2. Discovery of titles: Because the ListenUp titles are not loaded into the local automated system, patrons do not find them when searching the online catalog. Currently, patrons must visit the separate ListenUp website to find out what titles are available. This configuration requires someone to update the ListenUp website with new titles as they are purchased. This activity hasn’t been happening as quickly as it should be, so newer titles aren’t always found in a timely manner.

3. Promotion: Because only a few libraries in each system have this service available, system-wide promotion hasn’t been possible. Promotion has been left to the local libraries, with the systems providing materials (bookmarks, posters) to them. Some libraries have promoted through local newspapers and radio stations. In general, having the ability to do wider promotion of the service would generate more circulation.

Update on Audible.com
When we initially signed up with Audible, they indicated that a circulation mechanism for libraries was in the works. So far, this has not yet materialized. We are responsible for keeping track of the number of copies of each title that are circulating. We occasionally report this information to Audible.

Audible is allowing us to load titles on patron’s devices from within the library. We are required to purchase additional copies of titles after they have been loaded on a few patron devices. Audible does not have a formal policy on how many times a title can be loaded on patrons’ devices before additional copies must be purchased. It is up to us to keep track and report this information.

Audible did create “The PatronDirect Program” which allows libraries to eliminate cataloging and circulation of titles. Instead, the library purchases codes from Audible. These codes allow a patron to purchase a title directly from the audible.com site and load the title onto his own device. The library does not maintain a circulating collection of titles at all.

Updates on audio e-books in the library world

New Project: Loeb Library
This is a collaborative, multi-state, digital talking book project, using audible.com that began July 1, 2003. The project goal is to develop, conduct, and evaluate a one-year, multi-state beta test that provides a wide variety of digital audiobook (audible e-book) content and services to visually impaired and physically challenged library users. The states participating in this service are: Illinois, New Jersey, Mississippi, and Hawaii. The url for this project is at: http://www.lobelibrary.org

New vendor: Overdrive
Overdrive, the vendor providing e-books for the Cleveland Public Library and King County Library System, will be providing audiobooks in Windows Media Player format later this year. Overdrive has the ability to integrate with local automated system, allowing patrons to circulate titles immediately, from anywhere, using only their library barcode. The patron can then download the title to his or her own player. The library does not provide the players. Overdrive also provides MARC records for titles purchased. If these are loaded into the local automated system, patrons can access the titles through the local catalog and also through a separate site of available audiobooks titles, maintained by Overdrive. Other than the MARC records, they host the entire service on their servers. Their system is not cheap ($28,000 for the initial purchase plus $1,000 per month maintenance).

Recommendations
Despite the problems outlined in the report, we would like to continue this test project. We still have $674.50 left to spend with audible.com, and the devices and titles are being used. Some of the things we would like to do with this additional time are:

• Give Waukesha Public Library the opportunity to have more time. They only recently got their players into circulation.
  
• Experiment with an alternate player that may help resolve some of the issues that patrons had with the size of the buttons on the OTIS players.
  
• Find an SCLS library to replace DeForest in the project, and give them some time to try the device in their community.
  
• Encourage more survey responses from patrons, possibly by emailing the survey to them after they have returned the device.

We would like to suggest that we continue with the project and report back to the group in December.

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