Week 11: Podcasts and Audio

This week we look at podcasts and audio files. A 'podcast' is a non-music audio or video recording that is distributed over the internet. The distribution is what makes a podcast unique. It's also what makes a podcast powerful - interested listeners or watchers can receive updates through RSS when new content is posted. Watch this Commoncraft video on podcasting for a simple introduction.

Variety
Podcasts come in many shapes and sizes. They can be brief (just a few minutes) or considerably longer (interviews, panel discussions, radio shows, etc). They can be slickly produced radio broadcasts or home-grown recordings. They can be audio only or they can be video. You can listen to them on your computer (don’t forget to use headphones in your work area) or play them on an MP3 player. Despite the name, you don't need an iPod or a MP3 player to listen or watch - all you need is a computer with headphones or speakers.

You can listen to Orange Country Library Service podcasts via OCLS Podcasts. You can access all of their archives. LibVibe and Denver Public Library also podcast.

Discover: Listen to a podcast from the British Library and one from the ABC. [Hint use the subject option to see what is available].

Explore: Listen to some of the podcasts linked on the Library Success wiki. Blog about how your library could use podcasts for your clients and staff.

Adventure: Listen to one of the podcasts on the Online Education Database. To search for other podcasts use ‘podcast’ as a keyword in your search engine or you can use Yahoo podcasts search.