Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library
No Macintosh Support for DownloadableAudiobooks
Librarians are in favor of broad access generally. So, dealing with licensing restrictions with digital media is not only a logistical challenge, it's an ethical challenge as well.
-- Jessamyn West, Librarian and Blogger
The obstacle that prevents the use of this technology on Macintosh computers is Digital Rights Management (DRM). Digital Rights Management was designed to protect the work of an artist or author from digital copyright infringement.
Microsoft developed a standard in this area. Apple has a different approach.
Neither vendor seems interested in coming together on this issue.
Nor has Apple presented the library community with a product that scales well to libraries for lending digital audiobooks.
Microsoft's Windows Media Player, versions 9, 10, and 11, supports Digital Rights Management.
Download an audiobook using Windows Media Player and then the software obtains the license. That license expires after the loan period is over. This renders the audiobook unplayable, unless the loan is renewed.
Newer Intel-based Macintosh computers can run Windows software. In theory, this should make downloadable audiobooks available to Mac users. The same system requirements apply. This has not been tested by the Library. Wired writes How to run Windows Xp on a Mac.
To learn more about downloadable audiobooks visit the FAQ pages at NetLibrary.com or view the demo.
If you are at home, set up your account and start downloading!
When this service was introduced, The Record newspaper's story noted the lack of compatibility with the iPod and the Macintosh computer.
Photo Credits: Girl listening through headphones, "PC240449," photo by Brentonw at flickr.com - some rights reserved; "Glasses" photo by PartsnPieces at flickr.com - some rights reserved; "All They Need is Ears" photo by metrodad? at flickr.com - some rights reserved; "S(lugbug2)" photo by farlane at flickr.com - some rights reserved.