Publications Report no. 09-01
Date: September 18. 2009
Subject: Digital Talking Books in _Talking Book Topics_
_Talking Book Topics,_ November December 2009, will announce the first digital
talking books that have shipped to libraries for circulation. Beginning with that issue,
the cover of the large-print version of_ Talking Book Topics_ will display a line-art
image of a digital talking-book cartridge. Audiobooks that are available in both
cartridge (DB) and recorded cassette (RC) formats will be announced with a slash
between their prefixes, followed by their book numbers and the length of reading time.
Example:
Book Title A
DB/RC 12345 1 hour 10 minutes
In the future _Talking Book Topics_ will no longer list the number of cassettes per
audiobook, but will instead state only the reading-time length, so please keep in mind
that a single cassette holds up to six hours of play and that most books fit on a single
cartridge. Books available in only one medium will only have one prefix before the
book number. (See Attachment B.)
Patron order forms will have separate columns for the DB and RC formats, but will
list the book number only once. If the prefix is not listed under the heading "Media
Type," then the book is not available in that format.
Example:
Number Media Type
12345 __DB __RC
12346 __RC
In the example above, the book number 12346 is available only in recorded cassette
format.
In the index, titles available in both media will display the prefix DB/RC before their
book numbers. Titles available in only one medium will display the appropriate prefix.
(See Attachment C.)
Also beginning with the November December issue, the large-print versions of the
patron order forms for both_ Talking Book Topics and Braille Book Review_ will no
longer print the OCR codes for book numbers, allowing more room for book
information on the order form. (See Attachment D.) Changes to the cover and layout
of _Talking Book Topics_ will be replicated in the NLS annual catalog of
audiobooks, _Digital Talking Books Plus,_ formerly_ Cassette Books._
[Attachments: Sample pages displaying the new layout of _Talking Book Topics_
with simulated data.]
For further information please contact:
Jane R. Caulton
Head, Publications and Media Section
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(202) 707 0521
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