The LBPH is steadily moving along with the transition to the new multiple-book cartridge distribution system and is expected to begin circulating these books in July. The primary difference between the old way of circulation and the new is that there will be multiple titles on one cartridge, as few as one book up to as many as ten complete books. Otherwise the system remains the same. The following is a description of multiple-book cartridges and the effects on you, the patron.
What It Is
In essence, a multiple-book cartridge is simply a digital cartridge of the same type currently used in digital books that is custom-loaded by the LBPH with one or more books specific to each individual patron. These cartridges will be mailed to the patron and then, upon return from the patron, erased and re-loaded for another patron. There will not be any standing stock of digital books on the shelf as there is now. The cartridge itself will not have a book number, but each book contained on the cartridge will be identified with its book number. Eventually, all circulation will be with these custom-loaded cartridges. There are significant advantages to the patron with this new system:
a. All audio books in the NLS collection are available to every patron including BARD-only books. This provides access to the entire NLS collection for patrons who do not have personal computer equipment and cannot use BARD. Unlike BARD however, multiple-book cartridges cannot be downloaded or be available 24/7 as the custom-loaded cartridges must still be physically produced at the LBPH and mailed to the patron through the U.S. Postal Service.
b. New audio books are available as soon as they are issued by NLS, including books that will not be issued in cartridge format. There is no delay due to cartridge production and distribution, which with the current system can take up to a few months.
c. A multiple-book cartridge can be loaded with books by the same author, or all books in a series, or any way the patron would like limited only by the number of books involved and the size of the cartridge. The largest capacity cartridge can hold up to ten individual audio books on average.
d. You, the patron, will receive just one cartridge instead of a separate cartridge for each book. This greatly eases the burden of keeping track of cartridges and ensuring their timely return. It also removes the difficulty of piling up individual books somewhere in the house and then finding the next book to read.
e. Multiple-book cartridges eliminate the common errors of single book distribution, such as mismatched titles and containers or empty containers.
How It Works
1.Ordering Books: Stays the same as it is now. You can request books with your reader advisor by telephone, email, fax, online catalog, TBT request forms, handwritten notes, in person, or any way you can get the request to us.
2. Receiving Books: Multiple-book cartridges are mailed through the U.S. Postal Service inside plastic containers, the same as audio books are mailed now. But there will be a new folded address card in the container slot which will have your address on one side and a list of the book titles contained in the cartridge on the other side. You can remove the folded address card to review the book titles as it is no longer needed to return the container to the LBPH.
3. Playing Books: To play the multiple-book cartridge, you will need to use the audio player’s bookshelf or sequential play modes, as described in a separate section below. These modes are on both the standard DS1 player and the advanced DA1 player. You’ll be able to read each book in any order you wish or you can select to have the next book played in sequence automatically. Each cartridge will have complete audio instructions on how to use bookshelf and sequential play modes, which will be the first thing you’ll hear when you insert the cartridge.
4. Returning Books: To return the multiple-book cartridge, place the cartridge in the container it came in, or, and this is a new feature, in any container that has the LBPH address on it. These containers will not have a book number on them, just our address. Be sure to remove the folded address card that came with the book and toss it away — this will make the LBPH address on the container visible to the mail carrier. Mail the container back to us via the U.S. Postal Service.
5. Getting your next Book: This process remains the same as before and is determined by the type of service you have, be it turnaround or request only. The library software program drives this book selection process including any reserves or requests you may have.
What You Need to Do
The most important feature to learn is the Bookshelf and Sequential Play modes but instructions are given on every multiple-book cartridge and are also presented below. This should become routine after the first couple of multiple-book cartridges. Also, be mindful of the new address cards and to remove them before mailing back a book. Otherwise, the audio book program remains as it was.
Please don’t hesitate to call your reader advisor with any questions you may have or for procedure clarifications. Their phone numbers are given at the end of this newsletter.
Bookshelf and Sequential Play Modes
Bookshelf: Bookshelf is a feature of the audio book player which allows you to play multiple-book cartridges. Bookshelf will become a necessity in the not too distant future as the LBPH transitions to all custom-made multiple-book cartridges. All multiple-book cartridges will have audio instructions on how to use bookshelf and sequential play which will automatically play each time a cartridge is inserted into the player. Instructions will also be available in Spanish. Please note that bookshelf allows the patron to play books on the cartridge in any order that they wish. Bookshelf is available on both the DS1 and DA1 players.
Bookshelf procedure: The Bookshelf feature allows you to play any book on the cartridge in any order that you wish.
a. Enter Bookshelf mode by inserting a multiple-book cartridge into the player and then press and hold the Play/Stop button for two seconds. The player will then announce the number of books on the cartridge and the title of the book currently selected.
b. You can also have the player announce the titles of the other books on the cartridge by pressing the Rewind or Fast Forward buttons. When the title of the book you want to read is announced, press the play/stop button once to begin playing it.
c. After selecting the book, exit the Bookshelf mode by pressing the Play/Stop button. The player will remember which book was selected even if the cartridge is removed from the player.
d. On the standard DS1 player, the User Guide will always be the first book listed on the cartridge.
Sequential Play: Sequential play allows patrons to play multiple-book cartridges without having to enter Bookshelf mode. Use the Play/Stop button to activate this feature. When the player announces the “end of book”, press the play/stop button and the player will automatically go to the next book on the cartridge and begin reading it. While sequential play is much simpler than bookshelf, it does not allow patrons to read the books in any order they wish. However, it does allow patrons to go quickly and easily to the next title.