Free Audio Books
You may think that audio books are expensive. As it appears to be – they are not. In fact, I was listening to audio books for many years and have never paid a dime for it. And I am not talking piracy here, just read on.
The best source of free audio books is your local library. Libraries have a great selection of audio books on tapes and CDs right on their shelves. Any library is usually a part of a big Network or a Consortium of libraries and funds. This Network comprises dozens of local libraries and has combined collections of millions of items. In the online catalog you can find and request most of the audio books ever published. This is great! And I cannot stress enough: libraries have most of the audio books ever published. There is one disadvantage though: it may take days, or even weeks, for your order to arrive to your local library for you to pick it up. So this option is for patient readers. If you finally got the book you so much desired, you may want to make the listening process even more convenient and enjoyable by converting it into the mp3 format.
Another option for more impatient listeners also can be found at your local library. Digital catalogs are relatively new, but they become more and more popular among the libraries. They provide a very convenient means for you to download audio books, and they have a great selection. The download services are provided by OverDrive and NetLibrary nationwide. NetLibrary might not allow burning CDs but Overdrive does. If your local library is not yet participating, you can initiate the process by referring to the digital provider OverDrive. In just a few minutes, even the newest user can be enjoying a downloaded title. Instead of burning a CD, you may want to use your mp3 player for listening.
Bear in mind, however, that not all mp3 players are good for audio books. Also, both OverDrive and NetLibrary provide audio files in the secure DRM wma format designed by Microsoft. iPods, designed by Apple, don’t support wma. So if you decide to use the digital download services provided by you library, make sure your audio player supports this format. You can find more information on mp3 file conversion and mp3players for audio books at http://www.booksalley.com
As you can see now, audio books are not at all expensive. In fact they are free. And they are great fun. So, why not try giving music a break and switch to a great alternative - audio books. Audio books may give you many hours of unforgettable pleasure. Try it out, and who knows, this might just become a new hobby!
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