"If you know you have two more minutes of audio, you might stay on the treadmill two more minutes," said Hughes. "Or you might have time for that second piece of pizza."
Commuters have found Playaway helps pass time in traffic. It is an ideal tool for the elderly, those with vision impairments and for children learning to read. Parents often borrow a Playaway and the companion book to allow the child to read along with the audio version. The reader can control the volume and speed of the speaker, too.
Patrons are often initially skeptical about the simplicity of the device, Cahill said, but most figure out the built-in controls within minutes.
"People are nervous but intrigued," Cahill said. "But they take to it. They bring one Playaway back and take out three, which is the max."
Each Playaway comes with pre-loaded content. "No other device is needed, not an iPod or CD player," Cahill said. "The user does not have to load in anything."
And the library does not have to deal with scratched or missing CDs or tangled tapes.
All that is required to listen are a AAA battery and headphones for its universal jack. The reader can plug into external speakers or the car adapter. Cahill first tested Playaway at a library conference a few years ago and was immediately taken with its possibilities.
Although Playaway is only available at Perry Hall, Baltimore County library patrons can reserve a title from other branches and have the audiobook sent to them there. The initial investment in Baltimore County was about $3,500, Hughes said. If the popularity continues, library officials will likely add Playaways to other branches, Hughes said.
"We are in a pilot program at Perry Hall, gathering information to make a decision on whether to introduce this at other branches," said Hughes.
The audiobooks will only increase circulation at the county's libraries, which should reach a record 10 million by the end of the fiscal year on June 30, the highest rate in the metropolitan area, he said.
