Audie Award Winners Announced

On May 24^th at The TimesCenter in New York, the Audio Publisher Association hosted the 2011 Audie Awards, the only awards program in the U.S. devoted exclusively to spoken word entertainment. From the best in specific genres to the prestigious Best Audio Book of the Year, the awards honor a wide array of audiobooks, publishers, and talented narrators.

This year Keith Richard’s Life took the highest honor of the night, and narrator Joe Hurley, a New York based pop singer and songwriter, graciously accepted the award:

"‘When I heard they needed me on this project, there were no questions asked,’ said Hurley. ‘I was sound checking Singing Back Home in Paris when I got the call. I went straight to the airport, flew for hours, lost my luggage, and had no sleep, but we recorded it on time and the result is this amazing memoir to music icon, Keith Richards, who I have the privilege of calling a personal friend.’"¹

In addition to Best Audio Book of the Year, Life also won Biography Book of the Year, which Hurley accepted, too. But who else went home with top honors? Here’s the full list of finalists and winners, and our collection of winners is now available on midwesttapes.com.

¹ LIFE Takes Audie Award

The State of CDs: Some Gloom, But Definitely No Doom

In early 2010, Midwest Tape News & Views reported that according to Nielsen SoundScan in 2009 CDs accounted for 78.9% of all albums sold, while digital albums only made up 20.4% of sales.¹ We cited several reasons why consumers—and therefore library patrons—still prefer physical albums over digital, including lyric booklets, significantly higher quality audio, and ability to play in standard car stereos.

During the summer of 2010, we reported on Freegal, discussing its many drawbacks and why it isn’t the right digital music solution for libraries.² Later that summer, we highlighted several musicians not yet available on iTunes and their reason for resisting the digital market.³

All of these articles highlighted the staying power of the physical disc. Now, on the heels of two studies that report DVDs’ continued market dominance, USA Today reports that CDs are here to stay according to Nielsen SoundScan. While the study does show that CDs were down in 2010 and downloads were up, “consumers still spend more on CDs than downloads, and overall music sales are up 1.6% this year” thus far.⁴

More importantly, the study reports that while music fans may download singles, they still purchase physical CDs: "They want the whole package, "says Russ Crupnick, president of research at NPD Entertainment.⁴

Additionally, analysts say that while CD sales aren’t what they once were, the compact disc isn’t going anywhere: "‘CDs are going to be around for a long time,’ says Dave Bakula, a senior vice president of Nielsen… ‘It's the last physical music format, and there's unlikely to be a replacement. For people who want to own the physical version, the CD is it.’" ⁴

Even though consumers are still purchasing physical discs, there are significantly fewer music stores, and big box stores are now carrying mostly top 20 hits rather than classic, indie, or niche titles. That’s where libraries come in. Just as more and more people are turning to libraries for DVDs in the wake of rental store closures, consumers are also turning to libraries for their music needs.

As reported in a recent article about Wicomico Public Library, they’ve “filled a void left by the closure of thousands of independent and chain music stores during the past decade.” Additionally, they’ve found that patrons love being able to experience new music and listen to entire albums they may have never discovered if they hadn’t visited the library. The success of Wicomico’s music collection shows in their circulation stats: “CDs were checked out nearly 23,000 times last year,” according to the article.

What do you think of the recent USA Today article? Is your library sharing experiences similar to that of Wicomico? Do you find more patrons turning to your music collection in the wake of retail closures?

¹ Did You Know?  In 2009, Compact Discs accounted for 78.9% of all albums sold.

² Subsidizing Public Music Purchases: Freegal and Libraries

³ Artists, Studios Say No to iTunes, Digital Content

⁴ CDs may be harder to find, but they're still selling

Hot This Week: May 23

Chelsea Handler dethrones Tina Fey on the nonfiction list, while The Lonely Island, the comedic trio of Saturday Night Live fame, debut strong on the CD chart.

DVD

1. The Green Hornet
2. No Strings Attached
3. The Dilemma
4. Little Fockers
5. Gulliver's Travels
6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
7. The King's Speech
8. Tron: Legacy
9. The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader
10. The Tourist 

CD

1. Adele, 21
2. Now That's What I Call Music 38
3. The Lonely Island, Turtleneck & Chain
4. Christina Perri, lovestrong.
5. Tyler, The Creator,Goblin
6. Beastie Boys, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
7. The Cars, Move Like This
8. Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues 
9. Jennifer Lopez, Love?
10. Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party

Fiction Books

1. Dead Reckoning, Charlaine Harris 
2. Buried Prey, John Sandford
3. 10th Anniversary, James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
4. The Sixth Man, David Baldacci
5. The Land of Painted Caves, Jean M. Auel
6. Sixkill, Robert B. Parker
7. Caleb's Crossing, Geraldine Brooks
8. The Fifth Witness, Michael Connelly
9. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Stieg Larsson
10. The Snowman, Jo Nesbo

Nonfiction Books

1. Lies that Chelsea Handler Told Me, Chelsea Handler
2. Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?, Steven Tyler
3. Bossypants, Tina Fey
4. In the Garden of Beasts, Erik Larson
5. Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand
6. Seal Team Six, Howard E. Wasdin and Stephen Templin
7. Stories I Only Tell My Friends, Rob Lowe 
8. If You Ask Me, Betty White
9. From This Moment On, Shania Twain
10. The Heart and the Fist, Eric Greitens

The Lady Gaga Craze

Lady Gaga has been teasing fans with details of her new album Born This Way (BTW) since last year. And last week, she gave her fans even more to salivate over by releasing the full track list for the deluxe edition of BTW. Of course, it isn’t just her “Little Monsters” that are crazy for the half-motorcycle and half-woman; librarians are gaga for Lady Gaga as well. Just take this music video from University of Washington's Information School students and faculty for example:

While it may have been “Poker Face” that inspired the video above, it was Gaga’s title track “Born This Way” that inspired Weird Al Yankovic. After some purported back-and-forth with Gaga’s manager, Weird Al got the blessing from Lady herself to produce “Perform This Way,” and according to Weird Al, Gaga loves his satirical spin on her chart-burning single and it’ll now be on his new album, slated for June 21^st release.

Glee was also inspired by the self-love and acceptance anthem. A special 90-minute episode, which aired on April 26, 2011, not only used “Born This Way” for the episode’s title, but also as its closing number and overall plot theme. And while I preferred the flash mob scene tuned to Duck Sauce’s “Barbra Streisand,” I definitely agree with Aly Semigran at MTV.com that “Born This Way” seems “almost tailor-made for Glee." Gaga also agrees, praising the show (and slamming those criticizing Glee for promoting a “gay agenda”) via Twitter:

"I really loved Glee's Born This Way episode. I admire the show for being brave + fighting for such modern social messaging. Never back down."¹

Of course, not everyone embraced “Born This Way” immediately. Initially, the song faced immense controversy due to its similarity to Madonna’s “Express Yourself.” And while Gaga denies that she copied one of pop culture’s greatest icons, many have weighed in and now it’s almost impossible to not notice the similarities. (Perhaps the similarities stem from Gaga and Madonna being related.) Ultimately, the song won the world over, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (only the 1000^th song to do so) and serving as Gaga’s seventh Top 10 song in a row.²

Gaga’s fame has only intensified since the drama of BTW’s initial single. She raked in the Most Innovative Artist Award at MTV's first-ever O Music Awards, gave a memorable entrance and performance at the Grammys, served as arguably the most helpful mentor of the season on American Idol, performed at Cannes, and just recently, reached 10 million followers on Twitter, beating out Justin Bieber to become “the first Twitter user to reach 10 million followers.” And finally, circling back to my librarian lead-in, Gaga also recently declared herself a librarian, too—of Glam Culture, that is.

So what’s next for the pop sensation? Besides touring and further promoting BTW, possibly a film career? Of course, that’s part of the allure of Gaga—there’s no telling what she’ll do next.

What do you think of Gaga? Is your library doing anything to celebrate BTW or prepare for the album’s release?

¹ http://entertainment.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474979281918

² http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1662734/glee-lady-gaga-born-this-way.jhtml

Libraries in the News

Recently, archives.com (a genealogical website) posted an infographic detailing American use of and attitudes toward public libraries. The results were encouraging: 59% of the U.S. population uses the public library system, and 81% of people agree that their library deserves more funding. That makes sense in light of a number of studies that show a positive correlation between library spending and student performance.¹ Unfortunately, that same graphic shows that federal funding for libraries has been cut sharply over recent years, and we all know only too well the reality of those budget cuts.

Libraries Hurting
With funds being cut, many libraries are cutting hours, reducing staff and services, and cutting back on purchasing new materials. Others are looking for new revenue sources. For example, the Santa Clara County Public Library in California is instituting an annual fee of $80 for non-residents in an effort to make up for a potential loss of $1.3 million in funding.² However, this policy is just as likely to drive away non-resident patrons as it is to generate revenue—an issue acknowledged by library officials.

Still, that may be better than the alternative. Some library systems are being forced to consider closing branches. Among that group is the Denver Public Library, which is facing a $2.5 million budget reduction for 2012 and has advised the mayor and city council that seven to twelve branches likely need to be closed.³ However, no final decision has been made on the branches’ fate as library staff and concerned citizens look at ways to create sustainable funding for the library system.

In Michigan, the Troy Public Library was saved from closure even after the city council voted to shut it down due to lack of funding.⁴ A large turnout at a public meeting on the library’s fate likely swayed the decision, although it may be just a temporary reprieve. In an effort to remind citizens what the library means to the city, the library staff has posted a number of letters from celebrities and other notable personalities received when the library first opened.

Storms in the South
In another area of the U.S., libraries are facing problems not related to budgetary concerns. The recent spate of tornadoes in the South has taken a major toll on libraries in Alabama, including three that may be unsalvageable.⁵ However, libraries that were still standing became community centers for areas and people affected by the storms, offering Internet access and electricity for charging cell phones as citizens tried to get in touch with loved ones. Anyone wishing to offer support to Alabama libraries should contact state librarian Rebecca Mitchell at rmitchell@apls.state.al.us.

On a Lighter Note
However, not all is doom and gloom in the world of public libraries. There are things worth celebrating as well. The American Institute of Architects recently handed out its Library Design Awards, selecting four libraries in the U.S. and one in Saudi Arabia for their architectural merit.⁶

In Maryland, the Wicomico Public Library is garnering a reputation for its extensive collection of music CDs.⁷ Patrons relish the ability to check out new artists they may (or may not) enjoy for free; librarians enjoy offering the music for its own sake, but also as a means to get people into the library who may not otherwise come. Capitalizing on this opportunity, other libraries (including the New York Public Library system) have begun offering their patrons the ability to download music digitally.

An Interesting Time
With budget reductions and the infusion of digital media in all formats, it’s a time of transition for many library systems, and most librarians must wear many hats. So tell us: what are things like at your library? We want to hear about the challenges you face, but also the rewards you find in facing those challenges and serving your communities. Leave us your thoughts in the comments section below.

¹ http://www.newswise.com/articles/23-studies-find-positive-link-between-library-spending-and-student-learning
² http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_17984585?nclick_check=1
³ http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/890372-264/denver_library_commission_recommends_closing.html.csp
⁴ http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/oakland_county/a-massive-turnout-at-troy-city-hall-monday-in-an-effort-to-save-the-city%27s-library-from-closing
⁵ http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/newslettersnewsletterbucketljxpress/890398-441/alabama_libraries_report_heavy_damage.html.csp
⁶ http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/890375-264/american_institute_of_architects_announces.html.csp
⁷ http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20110501/NEWS01/105010302/Libraries-fill-music-void-left-by-closed-shops?odyssey=nav|head