Children, being natural learners, easily connect with audiobooks due to their innate curiosity and openness to sounds. A survey conducted by the Library Journal / School Library Journal also corroborates the same. The engaging storytelling through sound captures their imagination, creating a delightful and effective learning experience. The immersive nature of storytelling through sound engages their imaginative minds, making the learning experience both enjoyable and effective.
A survey of nearly 500 public librarians reveals that almost all public libraries now stock audiobooks for teens and children, School Library Journal reported. Currently, 93 percent of these libraries offer children’s titles, with 83 percent carrying YA titles. The preference among young listeners leans heavily toward fiction, and the narrator’s identity isn’t a major concern. However, there is a growing concern among librarians about AI potentially replacing human narrators.
Despite the robust demand for audio content, digital formats and devices like preloaded Playaways and Playaway Wonderbooks are gradually replacing physical audio, such as CD formats. Digital listening has become so popular that 13 percent of libraries plan to cease purchasing physical audio titles for youth in the coming years. Surprisingly, around 12 percent of children borrowing children’s and YA audiobooks do so exclusively, without checking out other library materials.
When it comes to their listening preferences, 89 percent of the children and young adults harbor an affinity towards fiction audio, while 11 percent prefer nonfiction. In alignment with these preferences, libraries allocate 90 percent of their audio budget to fiction and 10 percent to nonfiction. In the broader context, audiobooks constitute 9.2 percent of the total youth circulation.
Audiobooks find particular favor among striving readers, reluctant readers, and emerging readers, according to respondents. They also enjoy popularity among English-language learners. While 66 percent of libraries offer children’s and YA audio in languages beyond English, these non-English titles typically make up only about 2.5 percent of the total audio collections for young readers in libraries.
Respondents also highlighted a preference for digital formats among children and families, citing the decline in CD player ownership. Kate Blakely, Head of Children’s Services at Bremen (IN) Public Library, notes that traditional audiobooks on CDs see lower checkout rates due to the decreasing prevalence of CD players in cars and homes. This shift has prompted a move towards the all-in-one format of Playaways. the pandemic is also another reason that contributed to the growth of e-audio.
“Our families love our Playaways and Wonderbooks,” said Caitlin Augusta, head of children’s services at Stratford (CT) Library. “They are used as reading tools for younger readers and an enjoyable activity by all children. Parents trust them, as they are not ‘screen time,’ and we heavily hand-sell them as well as our Hoopla offerings,” which include ebooks and audiobooks.
“We have a lot of families who listen to audiobooks on road trips or together as a family,” noted Sarah Bean Thompson, youth services manager at Springfield-Greene County (MO) Library. “Playaway audiobooks, Wonderbooks/VOX, and digital audio [have] all grown in popularity as patrons want something they can listen to together or something that can appeal to multiple kids, like a Playaway for each child.”
That said, it isn’t the end of the road for physical audiobooks given that not everyone has access to quality internet connection.
“Don’t assume everyone has internet access. Many of my patrons don’t have a computer, tablet, or smartphone; or don’t know how to use them—and don’t want to,” wrote Paula Gregory of New Florence (PA) Community Library. “Other patrons live in dead zones without reliable cell service or cable access. Also, the dial-up internet available is garbage and unusable for downloading.”
Youths also seem to have a preference for physical audiobooks compared to adults. They like holding physical audiobooks because it is easier for their smaller hands to handle compared to adults. It makes them feel more comfortable with the audiobook experience. Most libraries plan to continue purchasing physical children’s and YA audiobooks despite the digital trend.
In the digital realm, the “one copy/one user” licensing model dominates, comprising 60 percent of audio titles. Librarians prefer this model at 41 percent, closely followed by the simultaneous-use model at 40 percent. While over half of librarians reported an increase in digital circulation, physical audio saw a decrease of 56 percent and an increase of 23 percent.
Despite audiobooks’ appeal to younger patrons, only eight percent of libraries offered audio-specific programming for children or teens in the past year, with activities like listening to book clubs or combining listening with crafts being featured.
Audio titles play a notable role in library budgets, constituting 8.2 percent of the total spending on children’s and YA materials, according to respondents. In recent years, about one-third of librarians have seen an increase in spending, while another third, especially in smaller libraries, has witnessed a decline.
Macy Davis, a children’s librarian in Brookline, MA, notes a rise in overall audio spending, driven by investments in VOX and Wonderbooks. Libraries allocate 41 percent of their budget to physical audio formats and 59 percent to digital.
When it comes to purchasing decisions, Kelly Povero emphasizes aligning audio titles with available book versions to boost circulation, especially since families, particularly homeschooling ones, tend to borrow items with corresponding book versions. Some libraries are shifting towards physical picture books with built-in players while reducing or eliminating traditional children and teen audiobooks on CD or with book-CD kits.
However, challenges arise with physical audio, as a California adult services librarian notes quality control issues like skips and freezes. Additionally, rising prices have led to a significant drop in purchasing levels. The librarian acknowledges potential problems in the digital audiobook arena as well.
Librarians employ various research sources, such as professional reviews, colleague recommendations, and publisher/vendor newsletters, to assess audio titles before making purchases. In selecting children’s/YA audiobooks, patron requests take the lead at 85 percent, followed closely by the popularity of the print book at 80 percent. Additional factors include age appropriateness and award recognition.
While adult listeners often prioritize narrators, younger readers primarily base their choices on title popularity and immediate availability. Approximately 66 percent of kids and teens consider the narrator, but only 6 percent deem it the top deciding factor, according to librarian estimates.
Observations from Whitney Jones at Northville District Library suggest that kids browsing Playaways typically explore available options without a specific title in mind. Differences in selection criteria between children/YA and adult audiobooks are noted by Davis of the Public Library of Brookline, citing family choices based on length rather than genre for children. Narrators can significantly impact the listening experience, influencing genre exploration for audiobook enthusiasts.
While some librarians emphasize the negative impact of a bad narrator, concerns arise when the narrator is non-human or AI-generated. Thirty percent of librarians would not choose a title with such a narrator, and 41 percent would only consider it if no other narrator option exists. Strong opinions against AI narrators are expressed, with one librarian describing them as an “abomination” lacking the warmth and nuance of real humans.
Susan Barnum of Sergio Troncoso Library in El Paso raises broader concerns about AI taking over creative works, questioning its impact on the arts. Despite uncertainties about AI, the shift in audio format at libraries continues, with VOX Books and Wonderbooks gaining popularity, prompting adjustments in spending, as noted by Jamie Stroble at Forsyth County Public Library.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.