Technology replaces shelf space
By Bob Bumcrot

Borrowing audio books from the Norfolk library and playing them on a computer, i-
phone, MP3 player or even a cell phone is about to become easier and more convenient
than ever.  With a gift from the Norfolk Library Associates to cover installation and
annual fees, the library has signed up for OverDrive, a global distributor of audio books
and other materials, working through Bibliomation, a consortium of seventy-five
Connecticut libraries that holds the license for distribution. "The more libraries that
participate, the lower the annual fee," said library co-director Robin Yuran.
Once a borrower sets up an account it will not be necessary to go to the library to
download any item from the ever-growing list of over 800 fiction and nonfiction titles for
adults, teens and children. Setting up the account requires entering the fourteen-digit bar
code on the user's library card and installing some free software. For help in setting up,
see a library staff member or visit bibliomation.lib.overdrive.com.
Users with the capacity to burn compact disks (CDs) are welcome to make their own
permanent copy of any title. "In the future this should free up a lot of shelf space," said
Yuran, "but the current stock of audio cassettes and CDs will be retained for some time."
"We always design the overall collection around what people want and what equipment
and level of technological comfort they have," said Rich Dann, library co-director. "No
member of our community will be left behind."