[ebooktalk] LIBRARY SERVICES

From: "Steven Bingham" <steven.bingham1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ebooktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 11:50:22 -0000

Hi all 

 

I know this wont impact many of us on this list but an interesting side
effect of the growth in the number of audio books available is that the
choice of books from libraries catering specifically for the VI community is
getting smaller. I say this because I have just been looking through the
latest list of additions to Calibre and while they are probably adding more
books than they used to each quarter something like 80% of them are already
available through the RNIB Talking Book Library. There has always been an
overlap between the two services but it has got greater in recent time. 

 

The increase in the number of books added to both libraries is due entirely
to the fact that they are both buying in more books. All of these books are
already available through audible or one of the other book download sites.
So if you are prepared to pay for your books the choice from specialised
services is even smaller. 

 

The costings also make interesting comparisons. The Talking Book library is
£50 (£80 if you rent a Daisy player). Calibre is free but you come under
pressure to make donations (around £50 per annum is what they ask for).
Audible subscriptions work out at £95.88 per year (178.88 for a two books
per month subscription) but with special offers and other deals you can
probably end up with about 30 books for £150. 

 

For the RNIB service you need a daisy player  the cheapest of these new
works out at around the same as 8 years rental, although you can pick them
up second hand for a lot less. Calibre and Audible do not require a special
player so any MP3 player will do  the cheapest would cost around £20.

 

Steve

[ebooktalk] LIBRARY SERVICES

Other related posts: