Forget the CDs stuck to the inside covers of books, there is a new audio book in town. We just received an mp3 access card with our USMLE Step 3 book. The card looks like a gift card where you scratch of the silver coating to reveal a code. That codes enables you login to the site and download an MP3 file.

Perhaps public or academic libraries are more familiar with this, but this was a first for us. We had to look at the issue of copyright and practical issues like access, storage, and overall feasibility. There was a general consensus that it looks like more and more publishers will be using this for audio books. Although we haven’t seen it yet, we discussed this could be another means to distribute multimedia (movies, images, lectures, etc.) supplements to books useing video mp3 files. It is probably cheaper for the publishers than sticking CDs inside the book.

USMLE Step 3 Recall is the little gem that started our discussions and further investigations. The librarian who first discovered the mp3 option contacted LWW and was told that our library was allowed to download the MP3 file and distribute it within our institution to our users. With copyright covered, (for now, and for this item) now how do we make it available to our patrons? What would be the easiest most efficient way?

We have an Innovative ILS and our Innovative librarian found that Media Manager would allow us to provide access to digital material via the catalog. However, like many Innovative products it is pricey. It is too pricey for us given that there isn’t a huge demand for this media, yet. So, I am looking at other low cost alternatives. 1. Due to various reasons we cannot save it to our current non-ILS server. 2. We need to control access so it isn’t free to every Tom, Dick, and Harry. 3. It needs to be easy for patrons and librarians.

Anybody have any thoughts?