#JIAM Audiobook Websites!

June is Audiobook Month!
It's the weekend again and today to celebrate audio book month I want to talk a little bit about the websites that I have used to listen to audiobooks.

Library:
When first deciding if I wanted to listen to books on audio. I checked them out from my local library. This is what got me started with my love for audiobooks. But I came to find out very soon that I didn't like listening to the audiobooks at the pace that the narrators usually lend to a book.
Online Library (aka Overdrive) I started downloading books from the library instead and when working with the overdrive program I soon learned that I can speed up the pace of the narrator. This made for a better experience for me because I am also an above average reader as well. I do not read super-fast or try to challenge myself, but I also do not usually read at slow pace.
Overdrive: this program also allows me to download the book to my ipod/phone to take on the go. This is the most beneficial part to me because I can listen in my car, bus, walking, shopping, working. Pretty much anytime and anywhere.

For awhile I messed around with a website called projectgutenburg.com This website has a variety of narrators from computer narrated to a person at home reading and recording it. It is a free website and the people narrating are donating their time, or recordings to the site. I personally had a love/hate relationship listening to books this way because of the variety of the quality of the recordings that it provides.

When I found that there were books that I really wanted to own that I enjoyed a lot I then started looking for good deals to Buy Books
For the majority of my listening needs I use overdrive(through my library lending site). I always have 5 books "on hold" with the library and have a handful checked out as well, but sometimes for the titles you are dying for and cannot wait for..

Audible.com This has been my go-to site for audiobook purchases for the last 5 years for me. They have several different levels of membership but I have always been a
Membership Plan Description:
AudibleListener® Platinum Membership - Monthly: $22.95 a month.
Receive 2 credits each month.
Save 30% on all audiobooks purchased without credits.
Roll over up to 12 credits.
Get a free audio subscription to The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal.
Enjoy complimentary titles and samples on our Free for Members page.


This works for me because I listen to 2-4 audiobooks a month. Between the library and my audible account I am able to fulfill my listening interests.

I have tried to shop around a little bit, most recently I tried audiobooks.com

They offer UNLIMITED STREAMING of audiobooks and this really excited me, but I found their collection lacking in the Teen/YA/MG books that I really wanted to listen too. I have talked to them and they are trying to get more books added to their collection but some publishers are questioning the "unlimited" streaming that they offer. I really hope that more join up for this program, but for now with the limited catalog they had, it was better to wait for the copy to become available at the library (my own opinion of course) audiobooks.com is about $2 more expensive than audible.com and you don't get to keep the book (but neither does the library, but at least that's free)

Finally if you are just testing out audbiobooks yourself I would suggest your local library or online library for a download.
Also for the next couple of weeks audiobooksync.com is offering free downloads until August 22 check out the titles! AMAZING

Websites that I know of but have not tried out yet:
Simply Audiobooks
http://librivox.org/

*I am not an associate or partner with audible.com these are my own thoughts and am not getting paid for my opinion*

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