Audio On Demand

Ever heard of radio?  How about Shaw On Demand or Netflix?  Podcasting uses elements from both of these technologies.  Podcasts are online audio files ranging from a few minutes to a few hours.  But instead of waiting until your favourite program, lecture, book review or radio segment happens, you can listen to it any time (the "On Demand" part) once it's been posted on the web.  Generally, music is relegated to sites like iTunes and not really part of the podcasting world.  Podcasting is more for spoken word and since the vast majority of the world speaks some sort of word the potential for broadcasting topics is only limited by technological constraints.  The real question is the listeners; who listens?  why do they listen?  what draws them in?  what might turn them away?  With these questions answered, libraries will have a better idea whether or not podcasting can work for them.

   Who listens?
People who are somewhat technologically savvy.  People who want to learn.  People who are required to.
   Why do they listen?
To learn.  To stay current.  To be entertained. 
   What draws them in?
Interesting content.  Captivating speakers. Valuable knowledge.
   What might turn them away?
Poor quality recordings.  Poor speakers.  Irrelevant content.

The ways libraries currently respond to the first three questions are to incorporate podcasts that address different people groups.  A number of libraries have book readings for children.  I don't find these particularly useful and generally, the quality of the recording is very poor.   Most young children are very visual and tactile.  They are primarily drawn to a book by it's big bright illustrations and like to actually hold the book and turn the pages.  I just can't see an audio-only book reading holding the attention of anyone under the age of 8 or 9 unless they have nothing else to distract them.  There may be a niche for these types of podcasts for visually impaired kids or long road trips, but it's a pretty small niche.

Many libraries have also started book club, book review or author interview podcasts.  These hold a little more relevancy in my mind.  Adults generally (but not always!) have a slightly longer attention span than children. They are much more likely to multi-task and therefore podcasts are a great way to cram a little more into their day.  Just think; listening to a podcast while driving, jogging, surfing (the web, that is), cooking, playing their ukulele (no, scrap that one, might be kind of difficult).  A broad and loyal following could be gained with regular, entertaining podcasts in this category.

Then there are informative podcasts.  Some may be educational, while others just give out info on a popular topic.  These could be very popular for a public or high school library.  An example might be an interview with a local expert on a particular topic. 
  * An interview with a botanist about caring for Zone 5 (warmer climate) roses in a Zone 3 climate (like Winnipeg). 
  * Or tips and tricks for tracing your family's history in southern Manitoba from a local archivist. 

An academic library might have discussions or interviews revolving around the content of particular courses or informational that would help a student navigate their way around the campus library.
  * Discussion with a local historian regarding the 1919 General Strike in Winnipeg for a course on Civil Rights.
  * How to request an article through the Inter Library Loan program.

To answer the last question; what might turn them away?  A number of the podcasts that I reviewed had poor sound quality.  The listener was distracted by background noise or a muffled voice.  This could be remedied with the purchase of better quality recording equipment.  Another problem were speech issues such as accents, lisps or regional slang.  Depending on the targeted audience accents and slang may not be a problem, but if the audience is broad the speaker needs to be someone who is easily understandable.  Being someone who took many years of speech therapy (picture a little blonde charging a fee, usually candy or fruit rollups, to say "Gwaham Cwacketh" - Graham Crackers) I hate to exclude someone who suffers from a speech impediment, but there is no point in recording a podcast if the general populace can't understand it.  But the biggest problem would most likely be irrelevant information.  If the information is irrelevant or common knowledge then the time and energy put into the podcast would be a big waste of time! 

Overall I think that podcasts would be useful if the audience is targeted effectively and accurately.  Libraries must know their audience and keep their podcasts current, informative and interesting.
Know who the audience might be (people with the means and the time to listen), what topics are popular and current, and be consistent.  A library that posts once or twice a year is not likely to gain a large following.    With all this in mind, I think that most libraries could utilise this media if it is carefully managed and advertised.