It’s 2019, and there is so much technology! This is even true for the library world – access to books has never been easier. This is especially great for people with different learning styles. As a Librarian who has worked with mostly children for several years, I can say that audiobooks have been especially helpful in getting more and more children of all ages to read, but they are still discredited as “not really books.” This is simply not true! I often suggest audiobooks to patrons whose children suffer from dyslexia or for kiddos who are behind where they should be in reading. So when I’m working in the children or teen department and hear a child really excited about checking out an audiobook, only to hear a parent tell them that it “isn’t really a book” and they have to put it back, my Librarian heart breaks.
Last month, there was a great article on rewire.org by Gretchen Brown called “Audiobooks Aren’t ‘Cheating.’ Here’s Why” that described all of the great benefits of audiobooks for students. In her article, she highlighted new studies that reveal that they are just as mentally engaging as books, both reading and listening brings you to the same level of comprehension, and again, listening can be a good alternative for people with learning and speech disorders. These are just some of the benefits of audiobooks listed in the article. I can’t speak for all of my fellow librarians and library staff, but if they feel like I do, we just want to bring our patrons closer to books that they are happy to read – no matter what they are or what format they are in. Don’t forget, in addition to audiobooks and playaways here at the library, you can also stream through services like Hoopla, Overdrive and Libby! With colder temperatures here, it is definitely a good idea to check out a good book (or two) from the library!
