Are audiobooks valid in the reading community?
Amidst the chaos and demands of everyday life, it can be hard to find time for the things that nourish us.
Between working full-time, dropping the kids off at school, and cooking and cleaning, our hobbies tend to fall to the wayside. Reading is often one of the first things to get left behind in the hustle and bustle.
Over the years, more and more bookworms have turned to audiobooks to help satisfy the itch of reading in a different way.
Despite their growing popularity, audiobooks still face skepticism, as some readers insist that listening isn’t “real reading.”
Why is that?
What the Critics Say
No visuals: for some, the issue is black and white; without a physical page, listeners can’t track the progress of the text to know when a chapter will end. This is thought to disrupt the true reading experience.
Passive consumption: critics also argue that listening puts the brain in a less active state than reading, which can leave readers with less cognitive engagement than physical books.
Tradition: for some, literature is meant to be read in print – anything else just doesn’t feel right.
Why Audiobooks Are Valid
Comparable comprehension: studies show that listeners retain information similarly to visual readers.
Imagination: listening encourages mental storytelling, a process that creates vivid images in a listener’s mind.
Oral tradition roots: long before print, stories were spoken. Audiobooks honor that legacy and the storytellers that came before us. They also take us back to a time when we were read to as a child.
Why It’s Harmful to Dismiss Audiobooks
When we say audiobook listeners aren’t real readers, we’re not only leaving them out of the conversation – we are denying inclusivity and accessibility as a necessity. Consider someone who is blind and listens to a book – are they not a reader?
When we dismiss audiobooks, we exclude:
Neurodivergent readers: people with ADHD, dyslexia, or other cognitive differences who find listening more accessible.
Disabled readers: blind and visually impaired folks who rely on audio formats.
The time-strapped: Those who simply lack the luxury of sitting down to read a physical book.
The Benefits of Accessibility
More formats mean more readers. Take this article – you’re reading this on a screen right now – that’s not a classic book. Should this not count as reading?
Audiobooks remind us of the human being behind the words. And they get more people enjoying literature – isn’t that the point?
So next time you’re at book club and Susan says she “listened,” don’t roll your eyes; ask her what she thought of the damn book!
A History of Recorded Books
The history of audio books begins with efforts to make reading possible for the blind.
According to the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled at The Library of Congress, as early as 1868, Boston’s public library created a department for the blind with eight embossed-letter volumes.
From there, the idea of books for the blind spread to other libraries around the country, and in 1896, New York became the first state to create a department for the blind in their state library.
The following year, John Russell Young, the Librarian of Congress, established a reading room for the blind with about 500 titles and music items in raised characters.
1931: The American Foundation for the Blind and the Library of Congress Book for the Blind Project establish the Talking Book Program.
1934: The first recordings are made for the Talking Book Program and include parts of The Bible, The Declaration of Independence, and Shakespeare’s plays.
1948: The Recording for the Blind program is founded (later renamed Learning Ally).
1952: Caedmon Records is formed in New York and is a pioneer in the audiobook industry.
1955: Listening Library is founded and is the first to distribute audiobooks to libraries and schools.
1963: The cassette tape is invented.
1970s: Libraries start carrying audiobooks.
1985: Publishers Weekly identifies 21 audiobook publishers including Caedmon, Recorded Books, Books on Tape, Harper and Row, and Random House.
1980s: Bookstores start to display audiobooks on bookshelves instead of in separate displays.
1986: The Audio Publishers Association is created.
1986: The Book of the Month Club and The Literary Guild start offering its members audiobooks.
1987: Publishers Weekly starts a regular column to cover the audiobook industry.
1992: AudioFile Magazine is launched.
1994: The APA establishes the term “audiobook” as the industry standard.
1995: The first Audio Publishers Association Conference (APAC) takes place at the Chicago Marriott Hotel.
1996: The first Audie Awards ceremony for audiobooks takes place at the Chicago Hyatt Regency.
1997: Audible debuts the first digital audio player.
1998: The APA launches the first June Is Audiobook Month month-long celebration of audio.
2003: Audible’s deal with Apple marks an increase in public awareness as audiobooks became available on iTunes.
2004: CDs replace cassettes as the preferred medium for listening to audiobooks.
2005: Preloaded Digital Players, an all-in-one audiobook format, are created.
2009: Digital downloads surpass CDs as the most popular audiobook format.
— From the Audio Publishers Association
Sources: https://www.techlearning.com/news/listen-without-guilt-audiobooks-offer-similar-comprehension-as-reading
https://time.com/5388681/audiobooks-reading-books/
