Long Island’s South Huntington Public LIbrary is now lending iPod shuffles loaded with audio books. From Wired News:

(Library assistant director Joe) Latini said that most titles on CDs cost the library around $75, whereas in MP3 format, they range from $15 to $25.

‘In the end, obviously, we’re literally saving money,’ he said. ‘The units are paying for themselves.’

The library even throws in a cassette adapter and an FM transmitter for use in a car. Patrons do, however, have to provide their own headphones for sanitary reasons.

Link
(Via BoingBoing.)

Very nice. No moving parts to break, and no CDs returned with smudges or dirt on them that render them unplayable for the next borrower…