Audiobooks
 

Just wanted to share with you all something I just discovered that I really like. I may be a few beats behind the rest of you, as usual for me! Anyway, I've been listening to audio books from the library on my laptop in my sewing room. A free service from the library. I have been getting their ebooks for my Kindle for quite some time, but just recently heard about the audio books. There are so many options available for different devices. I love it. I have a little TV in my room that I use, mainly for background noise because there is so little on that I actually am interested in, but the book thing really works for me. You might want to give it a try!

I've enjoyed that too:)

I think I get more done with audiobooks. There is no "looking up" at the tv screen to stop my progress. I bought a pair of cordless earphones so the I can hear over the noise of the sewing machine and can walk to the iron without having to pick up (locate) my phone to walk over to it. I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would.

Another service you can ask your library about is Overdrive.

I don't know if libraries in other states offer the following, .
but if they do I HIGHLY recommend you do the following.

Apply for/obtain a library card from as MANY local libraries as
you can.

Now before anyone gets their hackles up about having to track
of so many cards let me explain WHY I did this.

When you go to Overdrive.com you can "link" any/all libraries
to your Overdrive account. Not ALL libraries will have all the same
books (for e-readers)/audiobooks.


I really LOVE audiobooks, and I especially love books in a series.
Sometimes the series I am wanting to get does not have all the
books. By having (9 different library cards at this time) I am almost
ALWAYS able to get the full series. So far I have had very FEW books
that I couldn't get all the books, for those I just get the books on
cd, and save them to my iPod Classic (my listening device of choice).

Try it you might find many more books than you thought available to you.

How do you get so many library cards? I can only get one?

Like I said in my previous post, don't know if other states
will let you get more than 1 card.

In Colorado though you can get a card from almost ALL libraries.
I have a Denver Public, and several other county and local cards.

Call around to other near by counties and ask them. Also ask
about the Overdrive.

Wow, I'll have to try that. Thanks!

Also have you heard of hoopla? I think it works kind of like overdrive. My library doesn't work with it so I am not sure.

I love audio books when I am traveling. I either check them out from my library or Overdrive. I especially love Overdrive because I can use it where ever I am.

I used to go to thrift stores for my audio books but now I head to the library. I particularly like James Lee Burke books read by the actor Will Patton. They are gritty books about crime and a policeman in Louisiana. Our library not only has about 500 books, they also are part of a lending library.

Love audio books. Such Freedom. Gardening, house-work, quilting (of course), whatever. No excuse for not getting chores done.:thumbup:

Many out-of-state libraries allow you to purchase a yearly membership for a minimal fee. (I live in NC and I go through these books fast! SC membership fee is $35. per year. Great investment.

what is the fee for? Do they mail you the audio? I have recd hard copy books and cd books from my local library..some have been from other libraries, but I pick up and return to my local....
i will be getting my "first" audio book from library next week- library book club monthly choice-Girl on the Train- I think that's the name....last month listened via CDs Pope Joan---17 discs....would never had time to "read" it. Listening is a great way to multi-task. Listen to book on cd if traveling via car..... Librarian seems to think the audios will be more popular than ebooks.

I knew a friend that would listen to the audio books as she quilted. I couldn't concentrate on both things. I like to have the TV on while I quilt with something that I have already seen before like my favorite movies.

My daughter gave me an MP3 player last year. I "wear" it, in a pocket or around my neck, and listen while I sew. I was having trouble getting books, so was using my daughter's account. Then we got a new librarian and she helped me. (The last one didn't know anything about audio books) New I can get my own.

I got a slew of audiobooks from our library when they were getting new ones or replacing them. They also sell them for 25 cents. I got all my Jennifer Chiaverini books that way and also if you want a terrific set of books (14 of them) you can listen to the whole collection of William Kent Krueger (BUT YOU HAVE TO START WITH THE FIRST BOOK). "Iron Lake". They are mysteries and follow through his life. They take place in Minnesota and Wisconsin. I love the new books by Jennifer Chiaverini - semi-historical. I can sit at my sewing table, look out the window, do my sewing or cutting, watch the birds at the feeders and listen to an on the "edge of your seat" book. And also have a glass of wine or pop or coffee or tea or anything imbibable and then we are in our own little world. I am there right now (well, not exactly at this moment, but as soon as I get the house picked up - the sun is out, the birds are singing, I have a cup of ChaiLatte, the birds (inside) (two parakeets and two finches) and outside are singing up a storm and I am getting ready to cut 80 2-1/2 by 9" sashing pieces and four sashing borders. BIG quilt!!!! Made out of a couple of jelly rolls.

All this joy comes from doing what I love to do in my home, with my critters - oops, forgot Miss Bess - the Avatar - she is 13-1/2 years old today. Might get her a White Castle hamburger with no onions!!!! She is laying on the couch sawing logs, schnusking away!!!!! That's my Bessie. Have a great day today whatever you do - I hope it rains on no one!!!!!! Edie

Our library has been closed since mid-December because we had a huge flood here. A library card is quite expensive here, and is $85.00 out of our city limits, so I don't have cards from anywhere else :)

All that said to say I have all my very favorite books on audio and absolutely love listening to them. We don't have TV.

Yes I have tried hoopla and one-click digital. Don't like either of
them.

I love the audio books I have one in my sewing room and one in the car all the time, no TV any more to expensive and mostly trash on any way.

I have been listening to audio books for several years now, I love them. I have a little iPod that clips on to my clothes and listen all the time when I am sewing, doing laundry and other chores. I download free from the library and transfer into my iPod. The good things about an iPod is you can take it with you and listen versus a laptop where you are kind of stuck in one place

I've been using the free library system for years, but last year they changed ITunes and it affected how I could download onto my Classic (older)IPod from Overdrive. I really don't want to buy a new IPod but may have to. I use my books when I walk and it really helps me get the steps I need.

Luckily, one of our local librarians is very good with the ebooks/audio books. I had to go in for some help when I first got started. We do use Overdrive and she set it up on my Iphone, so once I get comfortable with that application I think I will enjoy it, especially for walking and just around the house, too. Lots of good suggestions!

Sounds like an ideal day! Hope Miss Bess gets to enjoy her hamburger.

Thanks for the recommendation. I wrote it down, I like this type of books.

I got an audiobook in an auction box one time and popped it in the CD player of my car.
I was instantly hooked on them!
I love to read, and so did my Dad.
However, as i got older i found i have less time to read. Also, my eyesight isn't as good
and lots of reading gives me a headache.
My car always has 2 or 3 audiobooks in it at all times now.
I listen when i am driving back and forth to work or wherever.
I really enjoy them on long trips to pass the time.
I check mine at out at the local library and it's free,
so that makes it even better. :)

Check out jennifer chiaverini's Elm Creek quilts series. They are wonderful!

Most places won't let you get a card if you're not a resident, but I "share" with my mom in Florida and a friend who lives in Washington state (they gave me their account info and I gave them mine). Also, Free Library of Philadelphia will let you get one of their cards for an annual fee. The fee is waived for active military and veterans.

I get get the majority of my ebooks and all of my audiobooks from the library.

I have been using audio books for 29 years. Our library is part of a consortium with 35-40 other libraries around the state (ILL) Getting a book is very easy. If you live in the city here, your library card is "free." i.e. you pay for it as part of your taxes. Outside the city limits the card is expensive ($100 for a family). The card price is based on what I pay in taxes. As an alternative, people outside the city, who live in the four county community college district can get a free card, again because their taxes pay for it. The college library is open to any resident in the college district whether they are registered as a student or not. The college library is part of the consortium, therefore, you have access to everything.

I am seldom without an audio book close by. As a single person, I crave "people noise" and I love being read to. So I combine my needs and desires and listen to books daily. The lull me to sleep at night, feed my brain during the day and provide me with a good rhythm when free motion quilting. We are sisters in listening!

I'm baaaack!!!!!! I just thought I would add the names of Jennifer Chiaverini books that are not in the Elm Creek series. "Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker", "The Spymistress", "Mrs. Lincoln's Rival" and "Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule".
They are garnished true stories, but very good. I loved them. I hope she comes out with more Elm Creek and more stories about president's wives.

Looks like a nice day today - The sun is out and I have some brown spots in the yard that have to been itched and seeded. I spray painted my bottle tree yesterday, moved it to a new spot and have some really nice bottle (wine, etc. and four I got a the dollar store. They are red, yellow, clear and blue. I planted some flowers around the tree and it looks really sweet. I have an antique Coke bottle and a Dad's Old Fashioned Rootbeer bottle at the top. Those evil spirits can fly into the bottles and stay there. I cleaned the bottles I had (the tree holds 14) and found some kind of a web in the bottles. Sort of made it and the story very intriguing because I had some evil spirits in my bottles or then again, it could have been garden critters or spiders!!!!!! Plus everything else, I will spray paint an old milk can and put a vine-y type of plant in a flower pot and let it grow. And then I will cut up my sashing - out on the deck and wave hi to the neighbors, dog-walkers and parents with the kids on a trike or whatever they ride around on - Have a great day. Edie

I use OverDrive to download audio books. No mailing involved - no visits to library. Google 'Overdrive' and you will find info there. Or ask your librarian about it. Real simple. You just download the book(s) you want to Overdrive on your computer. You can listen to them on your MP3 player or your PC/laptop. Hope this helps.

Edie, to funny! I just made a bottle run this morning to pick some beautiful cobalt blue wine bottles.
They were free in a local facebook group.
I am saving all blue ones to make a bottle tree.
Can you post a picture of your bottle tree in the chit chat section here please?
I have seen those other titles by Jennifer but haven't listened to them yet.
I will have to do that soon. :)

Oh, this has opened a whole can of worms into my brain! I just asked my dd, who has an iPod, what this is all about....overdrive, iPod, iTunes, etc. so, then I figured, ok, she has an iPod, which btw, she is not "attached" to, so I thought, instead of me buying one too, I could download the overdrive app onto desktop, then trans to her iPod, and I could listen to books from library...ran that by her, and her answer was.....another thing for you to get confused with!!!!, then in next breath, ...or go to iTunes library and get a book from there! Oh, I am sooooooo confusedddddd!!!!!! Then I'd have to buy those ugly large wireless headphones I've seen on commercial for audiobooks on tv? I think I'll just sit in my sewing corner and work on epp! That, I understand!!!!

Geri B. it sounds like your DD is more "attached" to her iPod than she wants to admit! Ha! I recently used some rewards points to get a little Dell Android tablet computer so I could download books to listen to in the new car . My libraries use Overdrive and I have to admit that I had a "learning curve" with the tablet, Overdrive, AND getting it to work in the new car... but it was well worth it! Ask around at your library and there should be someone on staff who can help you. If you're just using it while sitting or driving, you don't need headphones unless you don't want to disturb someone else.

Geri B......I listen to books on my IPod AND use earphones. I pick them up cheap at Big Lots. The little end is a metal plug in that fits in one end of the IPod. I made myself a little pocket to house the IPod and put a cord on the pocket so that I can wear it around my neck....therefore, I can walk or do whatever and listen......I don't use big ugly earphones!

This is so funny. I was cruising the daily digest while waiting for overdrive to download 3 new audiobooks to my ipod. DH and I spend 5 months every summer travelling in our RV and I've found listening to books saves my sanity. I listen to an average of 2 books a week while piecing on my featherweight. I have a bluetooth speaker and earbuds for when hubby has to have the tube on (or for just generally tuning him out :D ). I would highly recommend a bluetooth speaker, I've had a Bose for years but I've seen a lot more brands on the market lately. Makes any book sound great and turns your ipod into a stereo too.

I am definitely checking out Colorado when we get there. I'm having to search real deep in my local (free) library for something fresh to listen to. I had no idea libraries would charge for a card :shock:. I just thought you were a resident and got one or not. Learn something new everyday. Thanks!