[Classweb-users] Subject heading query: Talking books vs. Audiobooks?

[Judith Hopkins]

On Mon, 18 Apr 2005, Benedetti, Susannah wrote:

> I have a question regarding the difference between the following
> subject headings:
> 
> 650#0 Talking books.
> and 
> 650#0 Audiobooks.
> 
> My question is whether both headings are appropriate for use with
> commercially produced books on tape/books on CD sold to the general
> public.
> 
> The heading Audiobooks is used for Books on tape, Recorded books,
> etc., while the scope note for Talking books reads:"Here are entered
> works on spoken texts recorded specifically for use by the blind or
> people with visual disabilities." I am unfamiliar with spoken texts
> recorded specifically for the blind or people with visual
> disabilities, but the implication is that they are different than
> commercially produced books on tape/books on CD. Is this the case, and
> if so, are the two headings mutually exclusive? Any assistance or
> guidance is greatly appreciated.
> 

I would say that the heading AUDIOBOOKS would be appropriate to
apply as a form/genre heading (655 field) to commercially-produced
books on tape or CD sold to the general public.

The term TALKING BOOKS, as the scope note states, applies   
to materials recorded specifically for the blind and handicapped
under various programs.  Here is how the LC web site describes
its talking books program

"A free national library program of braille and recorded materials for
blind and physically handicapped persons is administered by the National
Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of
Congress. Under a special provision of the U.S. copyright law and with the
permission of authors and publishers of works not covered by the
provision, NLS selects and produces full-length books and magazines in
braille and recorded formats. Reading materials are distributed to a
cooperating network of regional and subregional (local) libraries where
they are circulated to eligible borrowers. Reading materials and playback
machines are sent to borrowers and returned to libraries by postage-free
mail. Braille books, magazines, and music materials are also available on
the Internet through Web-Braille. Established by an act of Congress in
1931 to serve blind adults, the program was expanded in 1952 to include
children, in 1962 to provide music materials, and again in 1966 to include
individuals with other physical impairments that prevent the reading of
standard print."

  Back in the 1960s I served as a reader for this service.

  For more on this National Library Service see http://www.loc.gov/nls/

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