Sisson Library News

Sisson Library News

Because of the popularity of electronic reading options, Tessa Michaelson Schmidt, adult service librarian, has compiled two binders showing the thousands of eAudiobooks available at the Sisson Library to adults, teens and children via NetLibrary, the online downloadable audio books service. 

Photo courtesy Carole Howard

Rapid rise in popularity of eBooks and eAudiobooks

 By Carole Howard and the Library Staff

             Amazon has just announced that over the past three months it sold more electronic books than hardcover versions – and the online retailer says even it is surprised by how fast things have changed.

            Amazon has been selling hardcover books for 15 years.  It began selling the Kindle reader and the e-books to go with it less than three years ago.  Yet this spring and early summer, Amazon sold 143 e-books for every 100 hardcover books, a gap that is widening quickly.

            Here at your Sisson Library we too are seeing a surge in the popularity of electronic reading options.  That’s why Tessa Michaelson Schmidt, adult service librarian, has compiled two binders showing the thousands of eAudiobooks we have available to adults, teens and children via NetLibrary, our online downloadable audio books service. 

You can browse through those binders in the library to see if NetLibrary has the titles and authors you are looking for.  Titles are available in both the MP3 and WMA file format, compatible with virtually all MP3 players including Apple’s iPod and iPhone, Sony Walkman, and many other portable audio devices from Creative Labs, Samsung, Toshiba and other manufacturers.  With titles from Recorded Books, the world’s largest producer of unabridged audio books, you receive exceptional recordings performed by talented actors with years of stage and screen experience.  Accessing NetLibrary on our Sisson Library web site, you can download your favorite audio books at home and listen to them on your computer or your portable media player. 

In addition to the listening-reading experience, NetLibrary also offers many eBooks for reading directly on your computer or downloading to a portable reading device like the Nook,  from Barnes & Noble.  The NetLibrary eBooks selection is growing, so stay tuned for more titles you can access.  The library is also considering other electronic reader options, so if you read with a Kindle or other e-reader, please share your preferences with Jackie Welch, library director. 

            To access NetLibrary, click on the new “NetLibrary” button on the Sisson Library homepage.  Through NetLibrary, you can “check out” up to 10 items simultaneously for three weeks.  You will need your library barcode and PIN to access NetLibrary. 

            If you find this new technology exciting but also a bit intimidating, do not despair. One of your library’s most popular programs is Technology Tuesdays with Tessa.  Her free two-hour drop-in sessions take place every Tuesday at the library, alternating between a morning time (10 a.m. to noon) and an afternoon time (3-5 p.m.) every other week to better meet your scheduling needs.  If those times don’t work for you, call the library at 264-2208 to schedule an appointment with Tessa.

Online services shut for upgrade

            Beginning yesterday (Thursday, August 19) and lasting two to four days, the State Library’s data bases will be unavailable to you and all other libraries’ patrons in Colorado so that the state’s data center/server cluster can be moved to a new physical location.  This planned outage means no access to SWIFT, Plinkit-hosted web sites, AskColorado / AskAcademic, Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection, Library Jobline, Colorado Virtual Library, and various hosted web sites, email addresses, and email listservs.  We apologize for any inconvenience, and are happy to tell you that after the move you should see improved access and response time for these online services.

Orchid class

            Next Thursday evening, August 26, from 5-7 p.m. Lake McCullough will present a free orchid care and maintenance class at the library.  She will focus on the basics of orchid botany as it relates to how these unique plants grow and protect themselves from disease.  She also will address how to provide an optimal growing environment for several commons orchid species.  The latter portion of the class will be an orchid clinic where you can bring in your own orchids for specific care suggestions.  Lake is an enthusiastic local orchid grower and owner of Earthsense Herbals and Gift Gallery here in Pagosa.

Adult learning reference

            “New Beginnings/fourth edition” by Linda Simon is a reference guide for adult learners.  It provides guidance to  the adult college experience, focusing on adjusting to student life, juggling responsibilities, maximizing resources, and brushing up on basic grammar and math skills.  It also offers advice on making successful oral presentations, managing collaborative work projects, conducting research on the Internet, and financing your adult education.   

Quotable quote

            “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”  — St. Augustine, Roman philosopher and theologian, whose works were instrumental in the development of Christianity.

Thanks to our donors

            For books and materials this week we thank Carolyn Beach, Carole Bode, Carol Gunson and Jim Miner.

Web site                                            

For more information on library books, services and programs – and to reserve books from the comfort of your home – please visit our web site at http://pagosa.colibraries.org/.

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Posted by normvance on Aug 20 2010. Filed under Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.