News Article # 9

Library book downloads picking upBy Tonya MaxwellTribune staff reporterPublished April 25, 2006, 10:07 PM CDT

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-060425library,1,1074962.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

This article is about a new library resource that are available to the public now from a website called www.chipublib.org. From this website, users with a card and the freely downloadable software can download audio books from a selection of 1,300 downloadable titles. Once the user downloads the audio book, they can put it on their MP3 players, or listen to them on their computer. After 21 days, the encrypted audio book file locks up and the user can no longer listen to it unless they redownload it. They dont need to return things, pay late fees or renew the titles. This has already cought on with many users, and they are demanding more and more titles to be available.

I think this is a great idea. its kind of like the library and its not violating copywrite laws because the file locks up after 3 weeks. however i do think that hackers will be able to override these blockers so that they can perminatly keep the files. that is however if they are pretty desperate.
One realy neat thing about this new resource is that there are no late fees or overdue media. you dont need to wory about remembering to turn in things and on the other side, librarians dont need to track down the audio books, send out reminders, and charge the users.

I cant wait to get onto the website and try this new service out. i often like to listen to books on tape when i make long drives so by using this new service, i can just download them, put them on my ipod and not worry about anything after that.