#22-- Audiobooks and ebooks

I wanted to access the following quite badly... how fantastic does it sound-- and what beautiful covers that are available for viewing... it would have been a delight to see the illustrations inside as well... i do enjoy those old school Edwardian and Victorian designs. This website for e-books (http://worldebookfair.com/Childrens_eBooks.htm) had a bit like---

Alice and Other Fairy Plays for Children

Author: Freiligrath-Kroeker, Kate, 1845-1904
Language: English
Keywords: Carroll, Lewis, 1832-1898; Children's plays
Alice -- Snowdrop -- The bear prince -- Jack and the princess who never laughed
Publisher London : George Bell and Sons, York Street, Covent Garden
Date 1881

i'll have to listen to the talking book options some other time when i have proper audio and an audio player (there is the story of Rumpelstiltskin which could have been a flash to the past with a touch of nostalgia and a hint of reminiscence of a childhood spent hanging out in the local library back in Virginia and my mother reading to us.

I think this sort of open-source material which allows anyone anywhere (as long as there is access to the technology supporting such initiatives (which is a whole nother kettle of fish regarding the issue of providing technology to third world countries but not having literacy and educational programs to support the technological-educational process behind how to use a computer and the wonderful benefits information access to the world can provide... there must be grass-roots work to support it all-- another digression)) to hear the stories or download for flights, road trips, etc which allows for more room than having a whole box worth or bag's worth of talking book kits, this sort of downloadable audio-text can be quite useful... it's a great idea.

i am really interested in the idea of having talking books available for loan through the library website where one can borrow the 'item' and then it disappears from their mp3 players... great concept...hopefully we'll see such technology in practice sooner rather than later at MLS... imagine the ease of tram ride 'reading!'