Libraries introduce new service as e-books take off

LYNN – IPods and iPhones are not just for music and movies anymore as local public libraries are beginning to offer the “Overdrive” program, allowing members to download and listen to audio books on iPods and other Mp3 devices without ever setting foot in their local branch.The program was launched last week by the North of Boston Library Exchange (NOBLE), and allows anyone with a membership to an area library to access a list of titles online.The release of the Overdrive program, which is already being used at other libraries across the country, including the Boston Public Library, comes at a time when audio and e-books have become more popular than ever.With the click of a mouse, readers can now go online to download either audio or print versions of their favorite books either through their local libraries or through marketplace Web sites such as Amazon.com.The trend has become so huge that publishing companies have begun releasing more and more titles online despite the current financial strain that most consumers are facing.Random House Publishing, one of the largest publishers in the country, announced Monday that it would be releasing thousands of titles in digital form, increasing the size of their digital library to over 15,000.Using Overdrive, titles are available for download to a computer and are compatible with most portable audio devices. Readers can keep the tracks for up to two weeks before the license runs out.Most area libraries, including Lynn, Swampscott, Marblehead, Peabody and Salem along with the libraries at Salem State College and North Shore Community College are linked up to NOBLE and members in those towns or at those schools can begin downloading titles immediately.”A lot of libraries that have this program have been very successful,” said NOBLE Executive Director Ronald Gagnon. “We are not the first to get into it, but we are hoping that we can maybe get a quick start from it.”Audio books and now e-books have always been popular with the niche reader who has trouble seeing the words on the page or prefers to listen to literature rather than talk radio or music on a long drive to work.But the new versions of audio books have increased in popularity along with iPods and Mp3 players as users can access the file more easily and do not have to worry about damaging a compact disc or finding their place on a cassette tape.Gagnon said NOBLE currently has about 300 titles available, many of which are of an educational variety such as language-learning titles, but the company hopes to add to the collection as the program becomes more successful.Employees at the Lynn and Swampscott public libraries say the new program has been added to each institution’s Web site just recently and it is too soon to judge the success of the program.”All of the libraries just started this service from NOBLE,” said Sandy Moltz, head of reference and young adult services at the Swampscott Public Library. “I was actually just adding the link to our Web site today.”Gagnon said that NOBLE and the libraries that are a part of the exchange have recognized the increase in popularity of these digital books, and Overdrive will replace some harder-to use programs the service has tried in the past.”Some of our libraries have tried other services in the past, but they were harder to use,” he said. “Hopefully this will be more convenient to everybody, and it is just another way for the library to reach out to people who need this service.”