* Audio Books *

More and more books are being published in audio format. You can download them online in MP3, WMA, or proprietary formats. Big online booksellers like Amazon sell audio productions on CD - but there is a plethora of free resources as well! Try internet searches such as:

-free audio books

-free books on CD

-free book recordings

You will locate thousands of websites! Some websites provide public domain classics, complete from cover-to-cover. Try searches similar to the following to locate thousands of hours of free material:

-free audio robinson crusoe

-free audio tale of two cities

* What? You Don't Have Time to LISTEN to Books Either? *

EVERYONE has time. If you own a small MP3 or WMA player with earbuds, you can listen while performing activities such as:

-Commuting to work via car, bus, or subway

-Housecleaning

-During bathroom breaks

-Standing in line at the bank or grocery store

-Waiting for long downloads on your computer

-Weeding the garden

-Shoveling snow

-Exercising and jogging

Anytime you are performing repetitive tasks, you can plug in and listen. If you usually fall asleep to a TV in the bedroom at night, consider switching to audio recordings instead.

* Safety First *

There are some important steps you must take to safeguard your hearing and to avoid accidents.

1. Be very careful when setting the volume level. It should be only one or two notches above the spot where you must strain to hear what is being said.

2. If using noise-cancelling earphones or earbuds, or the type with memory-foam noise reduction, be very sure that you can hear things like the telephone and smoke alarm (while indoors) or ambulance sirens and car horns (while driving).

3. Never listen when navigating city traffic or performing activities that require your full concentration.

* Create Your Own Recordings *

Your computer operating system probably has a built-in function to rip audio from CDs and convert everything to MP3 or WMA. WMA is more compact than MP3, and there are many audio players that support both formats. You can also find freeware and shareware which will convert to/from WAV, MP3, WMA and other proprietary formats. Try a search like:

-convert MP3 WMA

* This Recording is Too Loud but I Can Hardly Hear The Rest! *

You will probably experience wide fluctuations in volume when downloading off the internet and even when creating your own recordings. However, there is software that will quickly equalize the volume of all your MP3s to a predetermined level. MP3Gain is freeware for Windows that works very efficiently. There are other programs as well, including MacMP3Gain. Try searching for:

-MP3 Gain

-MacMP3Gain

-equalize volume MP3

* Audio Books Make Great Gifts *

Audio books are excellent gifts for just about any occasion. Why? You can find audio recordings for almost any subject - including language lessons, alphabet rhymes for children, management programs for business people, 'how to' titles, and sound tracks for movies.

* Are Books Dead? *

I firmly believe that there will always be a place for books - whether in print form, on the internet, or in ebook readers. Let's not lose touch with one of the greatest art forms - literature. Take a few minutes now and then to experience and enjoy the thoughts put into words by the great literary artists of today and yesterday.

?Copyright Kathy Steinemann: This article is free to publish only if this copyright notice, the byline, and the author's note below (with active links) are included.