I Can Finally Get Audio Books

Good News, I can finally get audio books. I was in my office talking to my boss about not being able to get audio books and it has been forever. Every time I go in the library I'm told that they are having problems with the computers. I've been waiting very patiently for about three months to get audio books. My boss is on the library board.

It just happened that one of the librarians was in the court house and she stopped in my office to visit. I was telling her how disappointed I was in not being able to get audio books. She looked at me like I was crazy, what was I talking about.

She showed me how I can check out audio books right from my home. I used my work computer with the ok from the boss. Went through all the steps accordingly. Now I have a problem with the work computer, keep getting an error notice about the digital rights management component. I tried downloading the program every which way I can think of, read all the instructions and I followed the steps to a t. Even my boss was having problems.

She called the head librarian and told him about our problem. The librarian told us that we can check out audio books from our own home, just can't use the library's computers. Those aren't working. Apparently if you are a state computer you can't get the program to work. The only thing we can figure is that the state has a block so that employees can't download copyrighted material.

I downloaded the program from home and guess what, it works. All I have to do is log in, chose my local library and then type in my card number and I'm ready to go. The system is pretty screwy though. Seems like there is only one book available to download. If I find a book that I want to listen to and it says to add it to my list, that means that someone else in the state has already checked it out. If I put the book on my list, then I will get an e-mail notice letting me know that it is available and I can then download it onto my computer. If the book says add to my cart, then I can get that book right now. Now that I can get the audio books from home, I don't need it at work.

You get the books for two weeks and then they get checked back in, the funny part is that I can't check the book in early, I get it for two weeks no matter what.

I don't have my new MP3 player yet, I've been waiting for the library to get in gear. I'm so happy, now I can go get my new player. I know what kind of files that are used and I just have to get a player that is compatible.

Right now I am downloading the books onto my computer and listening while on the computer. It works for now. I can also burn the books onto cd's besides my player. Here is the funny part. Everything I have read says that after two weeks the books will just disappear. Will have to see on my computer, but if you have the book on your player or copied to a cd, they are hoping that you are honest and will get rid of them.

Not all the books are downloadable to the players. Some you can only download onto your computer. Some won't let you burn onto a cd, you have to read the digital management information. It all depends on what the publisher is allowing the reader to do.

It is going to be convenient not having to go to the library all the time. Their hours not really user friendly. The hours are Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. There are times when this just doesn't work.

I will still go to the library and actually check out books that you have to actually read, but it is nice to know that I can now get the audio books for when I go on trips. Now I just have to get my new player and that in itself will be a new venture.