Audiobooks have been around in the US since 1930. Their original purpose was to provide the blind with access to books that weren’t printed in Braille. In fact, we recently collaborated with the Jewish Braille Institute to produce an audio version of the JPS Tanakh.

Over time, audiobooks have become an important media of their own. Many audio books enlist actors and add soundtracks to make the listening experience as engaging as possible. Now, audiobooks represent an industry worth almost 900 million dollars. From long car trips to preschool classrooms, audiobooks have become an entertainment staple. They even have their own award!

The Audies are awarded every spring by the Audio Publishers Association to recognize distinction in spoken-word entertainment. A frequent winner (and now a Hall of Fame member) is the Harry Potter series, narrated by the iconic Jim Dale. His brilliant narration and voice acting has brought the books to life for children all over the world. His work is an excellent example of how the audiobook has evolved: far from simply reading the text, Dale has created 146 unique character voices for his recordings. This year’s Audiobook of the Year went to Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales, which featured the voices of Samuel L. Jackson, Helen Mirren, Don Cheadle, and Alan Rickman.

To learn more about audiobooks and the Audio Publishers Association, check out http://www.audiopub.org.

Also, check out Associated Content’s article on the positive impact audiobooks have made around the country.

Happy listening!