Collection Development "Audiobooks": Listen For Success!

It is hard to think of a group of nonfiction readers who can benefit more from audiobooks than those with an interest and need for adding to their knowledge of the business world. With multiple formats and access options available, including downloads for iPod, MP3, or PC users, there is always a time and place to get a little advice on leadership, team-building, and successful innovations. With American workers commuting an average of 1.5 hours a day to and from their jobs, that time in the car, bus, train, or plane can be spent wisely listening to an audiobook.

Currently, the major business audiobook players are HarperAudio, Hachette Audio, Simon & Schuster, and Random House, but there are scores of other producers that merit attention, such as Penton Overseas, which also distributes Wiley Audio's business titles; McGraw-Hill Audio; Oasis Audio; and Penguin Audio.

Audible.com, which requires the library to load titles onto a library-owned MP3 device, is not terribly convenient for either the patron or the library. However, it offers more business titles (some 3200) than major vendors NetLibrary/Recorded Books and OverDrive, both of which operate on subscription models for downloadable audiobooks. In comparison, OverDrive has fewer then 500 titles. What these vendors lack in collection breadth, they make up for in instant gratification by being able to deliver an audiobook directly to the patron's PC, where it can be stored or downloaded to a device of the patron's choosing. But keep your scorecard handy, because the device wars are just getting interesting, and more publishers are looking at multiple licensing schemes both to protect and promote their content.

Circulation of downloadable business audiobooks is a bit of a chicken and egg thing—because there are fewer titles available from the more library-friendly vendors, patrons don't look to the format for that particular subject content. MyMediaMall, a consortium of 24 members representing over 200 public and school libraries, found only one business title, Jay Conrad Levin's Guerrilla Marketing, in its top 50 circulator list from the first half of 2006. Another Midwest consortium, ListenIllinois, lists just 150 business titles in its entire collection of 4300 audiobooks. Unabridged, a downloadable digital audiobook collection that serves blind and print-impaired users in nine states, found that its 11 business titles had an average of 3.47 circs per copy, just under the 3.59 circs per copy averaged by the whole collection. So while Unabridged's administrator Tom Peters laments the lack of choice, he still feels that business is a solid component of the overall collection. It is worth noting that all of the above collections combine services offered by NetLibrary, OverDrive, and Audible.com, a model that is becoming the norm among medium and large-sized public libraries.

Librarians seeking to build their audiobook collection can find reviews, narrator profiles, and general information on audiobooks in AudioFile Magazine; AudioBook News Service offers semiannual reviews. To find downloadable audio titles, librarians can search eBooklocator.com as well as consult with audiobook vendors. To see how other libraries manage downloadable audiobooks, librarians can check out the aforementioned MyMediaMall, ListenIllinois, and Unabridged, as well as the audio ebook collections of the Denver Public Library and King County Library System, WA.

While the availability of downloadable media has changed the concept of weeding, libraries owning CDs and cassettes need to weed damaged titles and replace lost or stolen components. Many audiobook publishers still offer lifetime replacement for damaged discs and cassettes, which is keeping some older classic business titles on the shelf and actively ­circulating.

The following list includes audio titles that tap into the most popular business areas: leadership, teamwork, and case studies. All available audio formats have been included in each citation. Pricing for NetLibrary and OverDrive titles is dependent on library size, range of desired collection, and other factors, so please contact those vendors directly for more information. Starred [] titles are essential for all collections.

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Follow the leader

While the era of the super-CEO may be over, there is still a lot to learn from these pundits and consultants.

 Covey, Stephen R. Principle-Centered Leadership. 6 CDs. unabridged. Hachette Audio. 2005. ISBN 1-59659-008-4 [ISBN 978-1-59659-008-3]. $19.98. available from Audible.com: $20.97 (abridged).
Though this title was first published in 1991, Covey's advice remains pertinent. Recently repackaged by Hachette as part of its “Your Coach in a Box” series, the program features Covey's narration, which helps listeners sense key points in his discussions on the seven habits and natural law.

 Drucker, Peter F. Managing in the Next Society. 2 cassettes. abridged. 3 hrs. Audio Renaissance. 2002. ISBN 1-55927-729-7 [ISBN 978-1-55927-729-7]. $17.95; 3 CDs. ISBN 1-55927-730-0 [ISBN 978-1-55927-730-3]. $20. available from Audible.com, OverDrive: $12.57.
Managers are leaders, too! This compilation of Drucker's writings describes the new organizational identity as a complex weave of international partnerships that require more flexible forms of management. Essential for all libraries.

Goleman, Daniel & others. Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence. 6 cassettes. unabridged. 9 hrs. Audio Renaissance. 2002. ISBN 1-55927-745-9 [ISBN 978-1-55927-745-7]. $35.95; 7 CDs. ISBN 1-59397-929-0 [ISBN 978-1-59397-929-4]. $29.95. available from Audible.com: $25.17.
The authors draw on their expertise in organizational behavior, education, and business to identify the characteristics of high emotional intelligence (EI) and provide many real-life leadership examples incorporating EI competencies. Narrator Arthur Morey's sraight reading works well with this somewhat academic examination of leadership qualities.

 Welch, Jack with Suzy Welch. Winning. 7 CDs. unabridged. 11½ hours. HarperAudio. 2005. ISBN 0-06-078568-3 [ISBN 978-0-06-078568-0]. $39.95. available from Audible.com, NetLibrary, OverDrive: $27.97.
Former GE CEO Welch dispenses advice on the strategic, organizational, and personal challenges of every stage of a career, illustrating his theories about getting promoted, writing budgets, and establishing work-life balance. With Welch's narration, listeners sense his small-town Massachusetts roots, adding to his “everyman” sensibility. Make sure you have his earlier title as well, Jack: Straight from the Gut (LJ 3/15/02; 4 CDs. abridged. 6 hrs. Hachette Audio. 2001. ISBN 1-58621-173-0 [ISBN 978-1-58621-173-8]. $29.98. available from Audible.com: $18.19.) (LJ 5/15/06)

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Many roads to enlightenment

While business success can't be chalked up to simply following a few maxims, the following can help increase productivity, improve morale, and refocus an organization.

Anderson, Chris. The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More. 7 CDs. unabridged. 8 hrs. Hachette Audio. 2006. ISBN 1-4013-8414-5 [ISBN 978-1-4013-8414-2]. $39.98. available from OverDrive.
First introduced in an October 2004 article, Wired editor-in-chief Anderson's thought-provoking premise argues that as the cost of reaching consumers drops dramatically, our markets are shifting from a one-size-fits-all model of mass appeal to one of unlimited variety for unique tastes.

Charan, Ram. Profitable Growth Is Everyone's Business: 10 Tools You Can Use Monday Morning. 4 cassettes. unabridged. 6 hrs. Random Audio. 2004. ISBN 0-7393-0942-0 [ISBN 978-0-7393-0942-1]. $25. available from Audible.com, OverDrive: $17.50.
Having personally seen what works in a variety of industries, noted international business consultant Charan outlines his nine-step program for creating sustainable revenue growth. The narration is steady and measured, and listeners get a taste of Charan, who reads the introduction.

 Collins, Jim & Jerry I. Porras. Built To Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. 2 cassettes. abridged. 2 hrs. HarperAudio. 2004. ISBN 0-694-51479-9 [ISBN 978-0-694-51479-3]. $18.95; 4 CDs. ISBN 0-06-058905-1 [ISBN 978-0-06-058905-9]. $29.95.
On the “must read” list in industries as diverse as long-term care and veterinary science, this title should not be missed by marketers. The shared narration, with the coauthors alternating chapters, can be initially distracting. Pair this with Collins's Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap, and Others Don't (LJ 4/1/06; 9 CDs. unabridged. 9 hrs. HarperAudio. 2005. ISBN 0-06-079441-0 [ISBN 978-0-06-079441-5]. $39.95.), read entirely by the author. (LJ 1/95)

 Kofman, Fred. Conscious Business: How To Build Value Through Values. 6 cassettes. unabridged. 9 hrs. Sounds True. 2005. ISBN 1-56455-931-9 [ISBN 978-1-56455-931-9]. $59.95; 7 CDs. ISBN 1-59179-325-4 [ISBN 978-1-59179-325-0]. $69.95. available from Audible.com: $41.97.
Consultant Kofman has worked with over 20,000 executives to create “learning communities” at such leading companies as Xerox, Google, and Shell. Here is his complete training manual on conscious business and its five crucial breakthrough skills. The central lesson—the importance of being fully engaged emotionally with oneself, fellow employees, and customers when doing business—is delivered thoughtfully and articulately.

Krames, Jeffrey A. What the Best CEOs Know: 7 Exceptional Leaders and Their Lessons for Transforming Any Business. 3 cassettes. abridged. 4½ hrs. McGraw-Hill Audio. 2004. ISBN 1-932378-28-6 [ISBN 978-1-932378-28-3]. $24; 4 CDs. ISBN 1-932378-28-6 [ISBN 978-1-932378-28-3]. $28. available from Audible.com, NetLibrary, OverDrive: $19.60.
By analyzing the traits, tactics, and strategies of seven successful CEOs—Jack Welch, Bill Gates, Michael Dell, Lou Gerstner, Andy Grove, Herb Kelleher, and Sam Walton—Krames draws a blueprint model for up-and-coming executives to follow.

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Teamwork

No matter how many superstars there may be in an organization, it would all fall apart without the rest of the team. These titles speak to the power of teamwork, under the tutelage of caring and fair management.

Lencioni, Patrick. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. 3 CDs. unabridged. 3½ hrs. Random Audio. 2006. ISBN 0-7393-3257-0 [ISBN 978-0-7393-3257-3]. $29.95. available from Audible.com: $16.21.
Lencioni's workplace fable centers on a new CEO who must turn around a failing Silicon Valley corporation. By identifying the five blockages, or dysfunctions, that affect her team's ability to work together, the boss is able to stimulate new drive and energy across the company. Excellent for those responsible for team-building and group leadership within their organizations.

 Singer, Blair. The ABC's of Building a Business Team That Wins: The Invisible Code of Honor That Takes Ordinary People and Turns Them into a Championship Team. 3 CDs. abridged. 3 hrs. Hachette Audio. 2006. ISBN 1-59483-075-4 [ISBN 978-1-59483-075-4]. $24.98. available from Audible.com: $17.49.
This title from the “Rich Dad's Advisors” series offers practical, heartfelt tips on establishing and maintaining trust with employees, customers, and business partners. When a “code of honor” is in place, an institution can keep its priorities in order—the mission, the members, and then the individual. A good choice for a new boss, a new team, or for institutions undergoing a reorganization.

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How they did it

Case studies are popular in business circles because of their ability to demonstrate the application of management, marketing, and/or economic principles and processes.

 Liker, Jeffrey K. The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer. 4 CDs. abridged. 4½ hrs. McGraw-Hill Audio. 2005. ISBN 1-932378-70-7 [ISBN 978-1-932378-70-2]. $28. available from Audible.com: $19.60.
Toyota's management principles of “lean production” are examined here, along with profiles of other organizations that have successfully adopted such concepts as fully adhering to long-term principles at the expense of short-term benefits, respecting local communities, and supporting worker empowerment as part of a commitment to quality and value.

 Lundin, Stephen & others. Fish!: A Remarkable Way To Boost Morale and Improve Results. 2 CDs. abridged. 2 hrs. Random Audio. 2001. ISBN 0-553-52873-4 [ISBN 978-0-553-52873-2]. $21.95. available from Audible.com: $15.37.
A manager from “corporate America” decides to apply the practices of Seattle's highly successful Pike Place fishmongers to her own organization, with delightful and fun results. For a lesson from the inside, pair this with John Yokoyama and Joseph Michelli's When Fish Fly: Lessons for Creating a Vital and Energized Workplace from the World Famous Pike Place Fish Market (2 CDs. abridged. 2 hrs. Random Audio. 2004. ISBN 0-7393-1156-5 [ISBN 978-0-7393-1156-1]. $19.95. available from Audible.com: $13.97). Yokoyama rescued the famous market from the brink of bankruptcy. By establishing mutual respect, setting goals for the highest level of customer service, and encouraging employee empowerment, he created a work environment that serves as a model for institutions striving for excellence.

Underwood, Jim. More Than a Pink Cadillac: Mary Kay Inc.'s 9 Leadership Keys to Success. 3 cassettes. abridged. 4½ hrs. McGraw-Hill Audio. 2004. ISBN 1-932378-14-6 [ISBN 978-1-932378-14-6]. $24; 4 CDs. ISBN 1-932378-15-4 [ISBN 978-1-932378-15-3]. $28. available from Audible.com: $19.60.
Management expert and business professor Underwood delves into the guiding principles of Mary Kay, Inc.'s daily operation, which remain true to Mary Kay Ash's founding vision. These are highlighted by inspirational anecdotes and accounts from Mary Kay sales force stars, customers, and business leaders.