Playaway Policies
Several school libraries have started purchasing Playaway audio books for their students. There has been some discussion as to whether or not Playaways should have a special circulating policy. For example, one suggestion was to have a permission slip go home and be signed by a parent before a student borrows one, with the agreement that it will be returned in good condition or a replacement fee will be charged.If you have added or considered adding Playaways to your collection please share your ideas regarding policies to circulate them.
For additional information on Playaways go to http://store.playawaydigital.com/How-to-Play/Getting-Started
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Tags: Collection Development, playaways
Collection Development, Technology | 
School Library System | April 11, 2008
By Beth Green, April 22, 2008 @ 5:20 pm
I have considered purchasing some Playaways for my Reading Specialist teachers, and thought about having the teachers check them out for specific students who might need additional guidance while reading, but I honestly don’t like the idea of having them in the general collection for students to check out and take home.
Since the Playaways that I have seen advertised within the Follett realm have chapter information displayed on an LCD screen, I would feel most comfortable having my general student population use them while in my library, and reserving a special section for the students to note just where they ended off with the Playaway.
Perhaps the folks at Follett have some more ideas with the use of the Playaways?
By Pauline Herr, April 23, 2008 @ 6:33 am
I’m in a middle school and do allow students to check out Playaways as they do books. However, we put empty cases on the shelf for display. If a student wants to check it out, we retrieve the playaway from the library office. We also take the opportunity to ask if they need earbuds and to remind them that they are as responsible for the Playaway as they are for any other library materials.
By Bonnie Fulmer, April 23, 2008 @ 8:19 am
I’m in a high school, and I decided to let Playaways circulate to students just like regular books. I have plenty of nonfiction books in my collection that cost a lot more than Playaways, and I let them circulate. I do, however, warn patrons of the replacement cost (as I do for books costing more than $50, too). Like Pauline, I put only the boxes out in the library, and I get the Playaway from the workroom when someone wants to borrow it. I bought magnetic clips at Target that I attached to a file cabinet, and the Playaways hang on their lanyards from the clips (as do the flashdrives that I also circulate to students). Students use their own earbuds for the Playaways, or they can purchase a set of headphones they can keep for $3. I don’t want to deal with hygiene issues. I have also just gotten an MP3 player from a PTA grant that I plan to download audiobooks on and circulate to students, as soon as I figure out how to do it. If the idea takes off, I plan to purchase a few more.
By Kathy Adin, April 23, 2008 @ 8:28 am
We are a high school and follow Pauline and Bonnie’s method of storing the Playaway in the library office with the empty box on the shelf. We do give out earbuds if they don’t have them. We bought 50 sets and also bought extra batteries. They circulate the same as books. So far, the circulation has not been great. We just got them this school year, however, and have about 25 now.
By Barbara Carr, April 23, 2008 @ 9:01 am
I asked Rebecca’s opinion on how to circulate Playaways. I ordered 9 well-known titles as a “trial balloon.” I’d like to put them on the fiction shelves with the print copies of the same title, but have some cost-related reservations. Although I could limit borrowing to teachers & let them determine which students “need” the audio format, I know that I have good readers who would enjoy listening to audio books, too. I like the idea of shelving just the case, so that the student needs to come to me, to get the item, but still wonder if I should send a permission slip home to parents, to let them know replacement cost, if the item is lost or damaged. Lost/damaged items are fairly common in my district. Thanks for your input!
By Kristine Chen, April 23, 2008 @ 9:13 am
I purchased a number of Playaways recently. I will be circulating them just like books, but you made me reconsider putting them out in the stacks. We did have all our Harry Potter CDs disappear last summer so why not these?
By Pamela Woodward, April 23, 2008 @ 10:49 am
I will be getting some Playaways for next year and think I will put the cases on the shelf to begin with and just see how it goes. Thanks for the ideas.
By Pat Mayo, April 23, 2008 @ 11:26 am
Red Hook HS still has an uncrossable divide between what used to be called “AV” and the library, so I haven’t dabbled into Playaways yet. The “cases only” in the stacks seems a good way to go. I’d keep them in an especially secure place over long vacations unless your library is kept locked up better than mine is.
By Joan Porter, April 23, 2008 @ 11:46 am
I have about a dozen playaway titles that I ordered to be used with my Special Ed. students. I pair them with the book and they read and follow. Thus far I have not circulated them, but will open them for in-school use. We have periods of SSR and many students benefit from the pairing of book and audio. I am in a K-5 school, so I feel in-school use is appropriate, but as the collection grows ( I am ordering more for next year,) I may follow the lead of the middle and high schools and circulate them - I would probably pair them with the book for elementary students