LM_NET: Library Media Networking
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for your prompt and copious respones! I feel like many of the
respondents felt: that audio tapes should circulate and are very
popular. Most people who responded mentioned that Listening Library
replaced lost tapes for free while Recorded Books replaced tapes for a
small fee. Many said that they packaged the tapes with the book. Since I
received so many replies, I chose the ones that I thought were the most
helpful.
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We have a few audio tapes that are rarely used by students, but our ESL
dept
recently purchased about 50 kits that include a book and tapes that are
recorded at two slower reading speeds besides the normal speed. They are
kept on a special shelf by the circulation desk and the ESL students
have
been very enthusiastic and very careful with them. I do have a sticker
that
is on the front of the kit stating the number of cassettes and that
there is
a book. And we check them when they are returned. (We also check out a
$20
audiocassette player to students who don't have them at home).
If you have ESL or SpEd or Content Mastery teachers at your school, you
might show them the list of audio tapes to see if their students could
benefit from them. Couple the tapes with a paperback of the book so the
students could read along, shelve them in a specific location and have
these
teachers bring their students in to see where they are and to get the
process started.
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We have close to 100 audiobooks that we allow to be taken out both by
teachers and students. They are prominently displayed on a rack next to
our
circulation desk. We tell students when they take one out that if they
lose
or damage even one tape, they will have to pay for an entire new
audiobook.
Students aren't allowed to have out more than one audiotape at a time,
and if
they want to take out an audiotape of a book they're reading in class,
we
tell them they have to get the teacher to give us permission.
They get a lot of circulation, probably a little more from teachers than
students, but our Harry Potter tapes, for example, have been popular
with the
students. Except for one student, who lost a tape for one of the Harry
Potter
books, we haven't had many problems.
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I had a large number of books on tape in my elementary library,
and am working on building up the children's
collection of books on tape in the public library where I work
now. The kids love them, and lost or
damaged tapes are not a HUGE problem, as long as
you're careful where you buy them. All Listening
Library audio books come with an unconditional
lifetime free replacement guarantee. All you have to
do is call them, and they send them right out, no
questions asked! Brilliance Audio does the same, and
their backlist is geared toward adults. At school, I
always packaged the tape set with a paperback copy of
the book in a hang-up bag. The public library doesn't
do it that way, but when "my" kids come in, they
always check out both the book and the tape. Contact
me if I can give you any more information.
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I recently ran into the same situation at my school. The tapes are of
books very popular with our students. I quietly put them into
circulation today. I thought if I announced their presence they would
all be checked out in one day and perhaps lost just as quickly. I know
that some audio book publishers will replace lost or damaged tapes. I
believe Books on Tape does this as well as others. I do not know if
there is a time limit on this or if it is for a prescribed length of
time. I would be very interested in seeing your hits on this topic.
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We bought books on tapes with a grant. We are in an inner city
elementary school. The kids really like them, and most seem to
have a tape player at home. We remind the students to put each tape back
in the case as soon as they have played it.
Recorded books will replace individual tapes if they are lost.
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i have books on tape available for check out to my students. i limit two
audio books and walkmans per class with a written
permission form signed by the teacher. The audio books and walkman
cannot go home but must be left in a designated place in
the classroom. I have had this work successfully for 3 years now and
have not had to replace a single tape, only batteries.
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Audio tapes here are in circulation, have gone around the world, and not
been lost. Sometimes I have to work a bit to get them returned, though
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Well my first thought is - what good are they doing just sitting on the
shelves in the backroom? I am at an elementary school and I have had
audio books for checkout for a number of years. Yes, every so often a
student leaves a tape at home and yes every so often a tape gets "eaten"
but all in all I would say it's a good idea to have audio books for
checkout. I feel that some of the kids are audio learners so that I'm
meeting all their needs.
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"WOW. How ironic."
My principal just forwarded a catalog to me with a note wondering
"should
we look into books on tape?"
Here's my 2 cents worth: We have about 20 that are very seldom checked
out
for listening centers by K and 1st grade. I came to this position just
at
the decline (and non-replacement) of the turn-table and I think there
was a
number of teachers who miss the records (or took them and still use
them)
and we haven't built up a large number of books and cassettes to equal
the
comparatively large selection of records and books that they used to
have.
Because of the way they are used, the teachers request multiple copies
of
the books ( "listening centers" rather than "books on tape") but I
still
don't feel they're used much. ONe time an individual educational plan
indicated that the student would benefit from a recorded book, so I
checked
one out to him and never saw it again.
Maybe that's another thing to consider. Books on tape = listening
centers?
Finally, our school only circulates books to our k-4 students. If I
started circulating books on tapes, would it be assumed that software,
videotapes, music CDs should be included also? Maybe I should be
circulating that, too. I don't know. Just wondering out loud. I'll be
interested in your HIT.
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We've had audiotapes for checkout for several years now, and the demand
just grows and grows.
We've added multiple copies of in-demand titles, usually those that are
class-assigned. At
first we had some resistance from the faculty, but many of them are also
avid book "listeners"
so that isn't a problem any more. We package the tapes with a paperback
copy of the book. We
also make 1 archival set of the tapes in case tapes are "eaten" or lost.
This rarely happens.
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our tapes get lost a lot. usually I ask the child who just returned
them
to double check at home, and 99% of the time, I get them back. They
don't mean to leave them in the cassette player. These books certainly
do take more maintanence, and have a higher lose rate than regular
books,
but they are way worth it!!!!!
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I have a K-6 school. We have about 30 books on tape
for grades 4-6. I put them in bags with the tapes and
the books. We call it the Listening Library. Our
kids love it. If a tape is lost most of the places
where you purchase them, like Listening Library
(vendor) and a few others will replace your tapes free
forever. I have had these out all year though and
have never had to replace a tape. I don't tell the
kids I can replace them however. I put a price of $45
to $50.00 on each and press the point that they WILL
pay for them if they lose them.
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I've had unabridged books on tape in my LMC for about 10 years. They
are for student checkout. In all the time they've been used, I've lost
1
tape. And the student paid the $5 or $6 for the replacement, just like
for
a lost book. (Most of my tapes are from Recorded Books and their policy
is
to sell individual replacement tapes for a nominal fee.)
The BOT collection was developed to help students with difficulty in
reading to be able to complete book report assignments, etc. So to
restrict
the titles to ONLY Faculty would be defeating it's purpose.
Just my 2 cents.
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When I started at this school 5 years ago, there were a lot of great
books on tape reserved only for teachers. I bar coded them,ziploc
bagged ones with the books and moved them in the Library for
students to check out. They are so popular! First graders get so
excited to be able to listen to a book at home. I do request that the
older students check out the book with the tape (I only count it as
one checkout).
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I've had few problems. Clearly mark the box with the
number tapes and instruct the check-in people to look
before they check the item in. The few times a tape
has been missing (usually the last tape), the student
would bring it back the next day.
I feature them for vacation check-outs and weekend
trips.
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I was worried about the same thing a few years ago, when I got those
first
few audiotapes. I made back-up copies and put the back-up copies into
circulation and saved the originals in case there was some "disaster."
Hey--life's too short! So a tape gets damaged?!? Listening Library
replaces for free. Recorded Books charges around $5.95. Both are very
prompt and you would have the replacement by the next week. Just
barcode
them and get them out into circulation. They aren't that much more
expensive than a book. Know that they might not even fly off the
shelves,
but for those that enjoy or need the audio experience, they are
wonderful.
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Last year we began circulating both audio tapes as well as video tapes
in media kits. We allow 2nd grade and up to check them out...after
several hundren circulations, we have to replace one book (cut a
picture out of the book...) and one audio tape. That's all. I have been
very pleasantly surprised.
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I believe you could make a duplicate and keep the original; as an
archive
copy. That way you wouldn't have to worry about lost or damaged tapes.
I
think it would be great. You can get those hanging bags from Demco or
other
library supply vendor.
Books on tape are growing I popularity and might even stimulate reading
of
other works by the same authors, etc.
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We have 'books on tape' for students to check out. We have had some
lost
tapes. If they return the book, bag(with BC on it) and are missing a
tape
we hold it until the tape is returned. Some people have big fines. I
should a lso mention we do not allow students to check out anything if
they
have overdues or owe us money.(fines) I have noticed the 1st tape is
usually played a bit - not to the end. And the others haven't been
touched.
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I've had audio tapes circulating for years. I've circulated with grades
1-4 and grades 9-12.
No particular troubles with either. I believe if you'll call the
publisher of those unabridged
tapes, you'll find that replacement tapes are really cheap or even
free. Some have guarantees.
Of course some will get tangled in machines, but, then, books get
dropped in bathtubs
sometimes. It would be much better to lose a few than to have the whole
set in the back room.
Consider checking videos out to students too. It works great.
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