Wednesday, June 4, 2014

The top 10 reasons to listen to audiobooks this month

June is a big month around Blue Sky Campus. In addition to the launching of our first OverDrive Challenge as well as kicking off our most recent Big Library Read, June is also Audiobook Month! Audiobooks are enjoyed by millions of people around the world but if you've never listened to one, now is the perfect time to try them. Just like eBooks are a great complement to printed titles, audiobooks are excellent for when you aren't able to physically read a book.

With that in mind, we'd like to offer our top ten reasons to listen to audiobooks this month.

1)      Multitasking- If it were up to us we'd spend just about every waking moment reading. Unfortunately that's not possible. However, there are countless times during the day that you can use audiobooks to keep "reading with your ears." Many jobs come with mindless hours of data entry or filing, so make those hours fly by with an audiobook!

2)      Beating traffic- If I actually thought about the amount of time I used to spend sitting in traffic mindlessly flipping through channels on the radio I might start crying. Thankfully, now I spend all that time enjoying audiobooks through my car's Bluetooth.

3)      Narrators & author readings bring characters to life in ways your mind may not be able. In fact, audiobook lovers will often search out titles based entirely on who is narrating the book. A good narrator can create an entire world with just their emphasis and vocal talents.

4)      Exercising –As a fan of distance running I can tell you that I'm always searching for something to listen to so those miles and hours don't seem so daunting. Insert audiobooks. What better way to enjoy a jog, walk or trip to the gym then 1hearing a new book! Audiobooks help pass the time and they let you work out your mind as well as your body!

5)      SYNC- SYNC is a program that lasts all summer long where you can download two free audiobooks every single week! Just like titles you borrow from your library these audiobooks are free, and they are also yours to keep! Discover new audiobooks all summer long at http://www.audiobooksync.com/.

6)      Better comprehension- A quick Google search will yield countless articles about how audiobooks are a wonderful tool to improve reading comprehension for young readers, students with disabilities and foreign language learners. While audiobooks can indeed help you learn a new language, they can also help you absorb a particularly difficult title in your own tongue as well. Listen to the audiobook version while reading the eBook and you'll better understand the flow of the story and sentence structure than with the book alone.

7)      Bed time stories- One of the best parts of being a kid is having someone read you a story as you drift off to sleep. It puts your mind at ease and is a peaceful way to end the day. With the OverDrive app you can experience that joy once more! Listen to an audiobook in bed and set the sleep timer so you don't miss anything after you doze off and relish the nostalgia of a new age bed time story.

8)      Chores – Whether you're 8 or 80 you likely have some chores you need to accomplish every day. Regardless if its yard work, cleaning or running errands you can pass that time much more quickly by putting an audiobook on w/ your headphones or through Bluetooth devices.

9)      A new perspective- One of the best things about reading is that it enables you to create new worlds in your mind. You're able to travel endless distances without leaving your couch. What's great about audiobooks is that it allows you to do the same but with a narrator emphasizing different details that you may not have. This new perspective can expand your imagination further than you thought possible.

10)   Tackling long titles and TBR lists- It seems like every day there's a new "must read" title released and it's nearly impossible to keep up with all the books you want to read. Let audiobooks help you catch up by allowing you to "read when you can't read." At bedtime, in traffic, and while performing mundane tasks are just a few of the times you can enjoy audiobooks. Not only will it provide you entertainment, but you'll find that you're finishing more books than you ever before.

Here's one more reason to try out an audiobook this month: there is a massive sale in OverDrive Marketplace going on all June long!

*Some titles may have limited regional or platform availability.

Adam Sockel is a Marketing Communications Specialist at OverDrive and a big fan of lists.

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