Signal Spring 2019 Newsletter

www.alliancecom.net 7 Let’s Hear It for Audiobooks According to the Pew Research Center, nearly one in five Americans listen to audiobooks. That number represents a four percent increase since 2016. 1 Many other sources have also noted this quickly growing market. Why are audiobooks so popular? Some of it has to do with the devices that makes audiobooks so easily accessible, including smart speakers and smartphones. Audiobooks also enable multi-tasking, since you can listen to books as you do chores, exercise, or commute to work. In addition to the book content, lovers of this format like certain narrators (some of whom are famous actors) and get audiobooks for that reason alone. Some authors, like humorist David Sedaris, perfectly narrate their own works. Want to try audiobooks? The most popular sources for them are: • Audible (audible.com ) Try it free for 30 days. • iTunes (itunes.apple.com ) This is for iOS users. • Google Play Store (play.google.com/store ) This is for Android users. We encourage you to give your eyes a rest and your ears a treat with audiobooks. What Do You DoWith Books You No Longer Want? W hen you’re finished reading books and don’t want to keep them, you have a number of options. You can give them to friends or family members, sell them, or donate them to your favorite charity. You can also try using these book swapping sites, which offer fun ways to trade books and build community. PaperBack Swap ( paperbackswap.com ) Join this service to be matched with people who have the books you want or want the books you have. Paper- backs, hardcovers, audio books, and textbooks are all welcome. You pay for shipping books out, but those you receive are postage-paid packages. Keep the books you get or put them on the site to swap again. BookMooch (bookmooch.com ) Similar to PaperBack Swap, this site allows you to request books from others and send your books to people who want those you have. You can find anything from thrillers to romance to young adult (YA) fiction. To get even more out of the service, participate in the forums. BookCrossing (bookcrossing.com ) This innovative service creates special labels to put on books you’re ready to part with. After you’ve labeled a book, leave it in a public place. The finder can enter information from the label, enabling you to “follow” your book anywhere it goes. Freecycle ( freecycle.org) Freecycle isn’t strictly a book swapping site, but here you can post items that you have to give away or want. Once you create your post, communicate with others to arrange a pickup or drop-off. It’s a great choice if you agree with the service’s mission statement of “building a worldwide sharing movement.” QUICK TIP: In the mood for a free physical book but want to skip the regular library? Visit littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap to find the nearest Little Free Library. 1 http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/03/08/ nearly-one-in-five-americans-now-listen-to-audiobooks/