Michael Stevens’ blog pointed me to this report from the Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center in which the author, Thomas A. Peters, states:
“The fact that netLibrary’s digital audio books are in the protected WMA file format, coupled with the fact that Apple iPods and most accessible devices (for example, the Book Port and the Book Courier) will not play the WMA file format, is unfortunate. One can only hope that soon both Apple and the manufacturers of accessible playback devices realize that supporting the playback of WMA content is in everyoneÂs best interest. “
Come on. This is never going to happen. You might as well try to convince Windows Media Player to play Apple’s DRM-encrusted, proprietary AAC format. Here’s a suggestion that might actually get some results. Get the vendors, netLibrary in this case, to offer downloads in both WMA and AAC. Give the users choice. Then everyone’s happy.
Michael Sauers is the Director of Logan Library in Logan, UT. Prior to this he was one of the founding staff and Technology Manager for Do Space in Omaha, NE. After earning his MLS in 1995 from the University at Albany's School of Information Science and Policy Michael spent his first 20 years as a librarian training other librarians in technology along with time as a public library trustee, a bookstore manager for a library friends group, a reference librarian, a technology consultant, and a bookseller. He has written dozens of articles for various journals and magazines and has published 14 books ranging from library technology, blogging, Web design, and an index to a popular horror magazine. In his spare time, he blogs at TravelinLibrarian.info, runs The Collector's Guide to Dean Koontz website at CollectingKoontz.com, takes many, many photos, and typically reads more than 100 books a year.
Unless otherwise stated, all opinions are my own and are not to be considered those of the City of Logan, UT.
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