Hi All:

For my second post to the PLA Blog, I wanted to discuss yet another very good session I went to this morning.   It was on Audiobooks.  It was a panelist format where three knowledgable librarians did a Q&A where either the host of the session asked the questions or audience members  posed the questions and that is what the presenters encouraged mostly — audience participation.  I like these kinds of sessions because instead of someone lecturing to  you, you are now engaged and obtaining the information and questions you have.  Basically, the take home messgae for me was that audio books are no less important than regular books.  So many of us librarians may focus on the act of reading so much that we forget listening is also a very important skill we need to help our children and adults with.  Not only is reading vital, but so is learning to be a good listener and listening to audio books is a great way to enhance it.   Also, when you read a book and then listen to the same book in an audio book format, you get two completely different feelings as you come away from that book.  Your perspectives on the book will be different depending on the format in which you read/listen to the book.    For instance, a narrator in an audio book will give the child or adult visual imaginery that you may not get when reading it for yourself. 

So, another great session…..

Stephanie Hill, Arizona