The Library Patron Prefers Listening
James A. Buczynski · Internet Reference Services Quarterly · 2006
Ray Bradbury's 1950s imaginary view of society in the future, where everyone had audio devices in their ears all the time, listening to an “electronic ocean of sound, of music and talk,” is here today. Although libraries have significant media collections, their growth and accessibility does not meet consumer demand. The absence of powerful and ubiquitous “digital rights management systems” is the biggest chasm between audio content vendors and libraries. Audio content solutions are emerging, despite the DRMS environment, to help libraries bridge the gap between their audio holdings and patron expectations. Solutions include: NetLibrary, OverDrive, iTunes, Naxos Music Library, Naxos Spoken Word Library, Classical Music Library, and various music site licenses: Rukus, Rhapsody, Napster, Cdigix, and Yahoo Music.