NCSU Libraries Focus Online
Volume 27 number 1 - Fall 2006
Audio to go: NCSU Libraries New Digital Audio Resousrces
By Keith Morgan, Digital Library Initiatives
In addition to the diverse assortment of books, journals, databases,
movies, and other electronic resources that the NCSU Libraries
provides to the NC State community, a full array of digital devices
are available to help students and faculty create and use digital
media. Laptops, digital cameras, digital camcorders, and portable
hard drives have been available for loan for several years. As
new technologies appear, the Libraries strives to expand this menu.
In early 2006 the library initiated a program to loan digital audio
players to the NC State community and introduced two new devices
into the lending service to enhance the learning experience.
First, the Libraries purchased fifty Zen Micro digital audio devices.
These small devices are similar to Apple's popular iPods but with
the added benefit that they will play the library's new collection
of netLibrary audio books. Online audio books became available
last January when the NC LIVE statewide electronic-resource collection
added the netLibrary eAudiobook collection. There are currently
more than 1,300 titles available with additions being made all
the time. These titles range from classic literature to history,
science, and medicine. There are also over 140 titles in the well-regarded
Pimsleur foreign language series, as well as many current fiction
and nonfiction best sellers. These titles can be played easily
on a home computer. Those who wish to take audio books for a walk,
to the beach, or for a drive can transfer netLibrary titles to
many portable audio devices such as the Zen Micro. Once copied
to a digital audio device, they may be listened to anywhere.
Second, the Libraries also purchased twenty Apple iPod Shuffles.
Although the netLibrary format does not at this time support Apple
computers or any iPods, there is an ever-expanding collection of
digital audio available through the new phenomenon of "podcasting." Prestigious
journals such as Nature, Science, and Scientific
American are providing weekly podcasts, and news organizations
such as National Public Radio, the BBC, ESPN, and ABC are providing
news updates through podcasts. Business and financial information
is available through podcasts at the Wall Street Journal and Business
Week Web sites. Educational lectures and foreign language
instruction can be heard on regular podcasts. Many instructors
at NC State are making podcasts of their lectures available to
students. Professional organizations such as EDUCAUSE deliver conference
presentations via podcast. NC State's Wolfcast@NC State, a new
service, is testing podcasts as a method of delivering multimedia
content across campus.
Zen Micro players and iPod Shuffles are available for loan to
NC State University students, faculty, and staff for a period of
thirty days. The devices are available in the Digital Media Lab
at the D. H. Hill Library and at the circulation desks in the branch
libraries.
More information is available on the following Web pages (links
to the URLs for three Web pages follow):
http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/guides/audio/
http://wolfcast.ncsu.edu/
http://connect.educause.edu/folksonomy/educational_podcasts
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