Recorded Books

Audio Publishers Make More Than Noise
August 22, 2013

Audio publishers are moving way beyond their core audience to capture sales to both libraries and consumers. In June, Random House Audio Group launched an online/radio/print ad campaign that reinforces what librarians already know: you don't have to be a commuter or road-tripper to listen. Working out? Knitting? Ironing? The campaign website, TryAudiobooks.com, even features a "personal audiobook assistant" that can match how long your project will take to titles of similar length. The ad campaign caught the attention of the New York Times.

Penguin expands library ebook lending with Baker & Taylor
November 19, 2012

Less than a year after big-six publisher Penguin stopped making its ebooks and digital audiobooks available to libraries, the company is distributing them again through new partners. Penguin, which is already working with digital library distributor 3M Cloud Library to make some ebooks available to libraries, has now expanded a pilot program with 3M competitor Baker & Taylor Axis360. The Baker & Taylor partnership will include libraries in Los Angeles and Cleveland, the New York Times reports.

Audiobook Publisher Releases Science Fiction Imprint
February 29, 2008

Prince Frederick, Md.-based audiobook publisher Recorded Books LLC has released a new science fiction imprint of audiobooks that will be made available for immediate release to public libraries. Among the imprint’s current releases are “Now and Forever” by Ray Bradbury, “The Accidental Time Machine” by Joe Haldeman and “Blindsight” by Peter Watts. According to the company, with the growing popularity of the science fiction and fantasy genres, fans are demanding more sci-fi literature on audiobook. For more information on the audiobook market, read the article “Technology Once Again Transforms the Audiobook Market” in the March issue of Book Business or online at