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Frequently Asked Questions about our Service TOP

  1. What is BOOKS ON TAPE®?
  2. Do you produce the BOOKS ON TAPE® audiobooks?
  3. Who listens to BOOKS ON TAPE® audiobooks?
  4. Are BOOKS ON TAPE® audiobooks available in any other formats?
  5. How do you select which book to record?
  6. What else do you offer besides bestsellers?
  7. How are your titles produced?
  8. Who are your narrators?
  9. How is my order shipped?
  10. What kind of warrranty do you offer?
  11. Where can find information about your school discount program?
  12. Why do you carry titles produced by other companies?
  13. What are the advantages of using audiobooks in the classroom?
  14. Are there other reasons to buy BOOKS ON TAPE® audiobooks?
  15. What organizations do you support?

What is BOOKS ON TAPE®?

BOOKS ON TAPE®is the registered trademark of our company, BOOKS ON TAPE, INC., and distinguishes our brand of audiobook from those of other companies. Since creating the audiobook industry over 25 years ago, we have become the world's number on audiobook producer. Today we have more than 6,000 titles and we add more than 30 titles every month.

Do you produce BOOKS ON TAPE® audiobooks?

BOOKS ON TAPE, INC. does produce all BOOKS ON TAPE®, BOOKS ON CD® and BOOKS ON MP3-CD™ audiobooks. All of our audiobooks are created in professionally equipped studios across the country.

Who listens to BOOKS ON TAPE® audiobooks?

Over 25% of American households borrowed or purchased audiobooks last year. Over 100,000 people participate in our rental program. Public libraries across the country take advantage of our special discounts and standing order plans to meet the needs of their patrons. And our Educational Sales Division brings the best fiction and nonfiction curriculum connections into your classroom.

Are BOOKS ON TAPE® audiobooks available in any other formats?

Yes, we also produce audiobooks in CD format that have chapter breaks and three-minute tracking.

How do you select which book to record?

We gather input regularly and often to determine selections based on strong literary integrity. These titles prove themselves through bestseller lists, academic review, and time. Top sellers are given consideration, but we also pride ourselves in being able to look beyond the obvious and select titles based on our knowledge of what our customer are interested in.

We also try to offer an author's complete work, not just one or two titles. Often we find that if you like one book by an author, you will want to read more by that person. Librarians charged with collection development appreciate the thoroughness of our selections. With a backlist of over 6,000 titles, we're pretty proud of our track record in choosing winners. We also welcome nominations from our friends and customers.

What else do you offer besides bestsellers?

Avid and emergent readers alike have embraced our Book-And-Tape Kits, which come with lesson plans. Our Classics and Young Readers sections include reading list requirements for various grade levels.

We are constantly expanding our selection of nonfiction through relationships with will-respected publishing companies, such as Lerner Publishing Group and Heinemann Library, to offer the best in curriculum connections.

We feel especially proud to be distributing Greathall Productions, featuring Jim Weiss, whose work has won 50 national awards.

And if you haven't been exposed to the Hank the Cowdog series, you're in for a treat.

By popular demand, we have increased our selection of Spanish titles to include individual titles as well as the popular Spanish Kit.

Accelerated Reader®? We have a matching titles list to supplement your current Accelerated Reader® program. We also offer Core Collections and personalized collection development.

In other words, if you need it, chances are, we have it.

How are your titles produced?

Our primary studio is based in Los Angeles, convenient to professional narrators who are in Southern California, the entertainment industry's capital. Recognizing that not all talented readers are in L.A., however, we also have studios across the country, including New York and Washington, D.C. All of our studios have state-of-the-art equipment to ensure the highest quality digital recording possible. We stay on top of developments in the recording industry and use the highest quality tapes available - BASF.

Who are your narrators?

All our narrators are professionally trained and accomplished performers. Many have received national recognition for their work, such as Golden Voice, Earphone Awards, and Library Journal best book listings. Not only that, they have our listeners' stamp of approval. We continually survey our customer to assure that we are selecting their favorite narrators for forthcoming books.

How is my order shipped?

All school orders are shipping via UPS ground. We will process your order and have it shipped within 30 days. UPS will take 7 to 10 days to deliver your order. Federal Express Overnight and 2-day services are available upon request. All replacements are sent out within two business days and will be shipped by Priority 1st class mail. All replacements are free within the warranty period.

What is your return policy?

We will replace any damaged product for free as long as it is within the warranty period. After that time, we charge a nominal $6 per tape or CD while it remains in stock. The good news is that we hold master tapes for all our proprietary titles, so BOOKS ON TAPE® and BOOKS ON CD® audiobooks are almost always in stock! Call tags can be issued by calling our customer service department at 1-800-733-3000.

What kind of warranty do you offer?

Our warranty period covers lifetime replacements of any tape or CD as long as the book is still being published. After that time, we may charge a nominal $6 per tape or CD while it remains in stock. The good news is that we hold master tapes for all our proprietary titles, BOOKS ON TAPE® and BOOKS ON CD® audiobooks are almost never out of stock.

Where can find information about your school discount program?

All the information regarding our school discounts can be found on the Discount Information page.

Why do you carry titles produced by other companies?

We offer a limited number of quality titles produced by other companies whose standards we respect. We seek award-winning and bestselling titles to make your selections and acquisitions of audiobooks more convenient and affordable. We are very pleased to offer the entire line of Listening Library® audiobooks as well as the entire line of Live Oak® Media Book-And-Tape Kits for younger students. Because storytelling can add a valuable dimension to your classroom experience, we also carry the entire line of Greathall Productions.

What are the advantages of using audiobooks in the classroom?

Audiobooks are a valuable tool for teachers of reluctant, emergent, or ESL students who proficient readers. Audiobooks level the playing field for struggling readers, allowing them to participate in class and keep up with their homework. Audiobooks bridge the connection between home and school by encouraging family listening. Kids love audiobooks, regardless of their reading ability. Teachers and librarians love audiobooks because they nurture a love of literature and increase language skills.

Are there other reasons to buy BOOKS ON TAPE® audiobooks?

Today and always, BOOKS ON TAPE, INC. is dedicated to offering the world's largest selection, the greatest variety, the highest quality, the lowest prices, and the best service. That's why we're the number one audiobook producer.

What organizations do you support?

We support the following professional organizations:

  • Corporate Member and Patron, the American Library Association
  • Bronze Partner, the Public Library Association
  • Member, the American Association of School Libraries
  • Supporter, Literacy Volunteers of America
  • Member, the Audio Publishers Association


Frequently Asked Questions about our Website TOP

  1. How do I find the book I want?
  2. Can I search by ISBN or Book number?
  3. How do I order?
  4. Is it safe to order on school.booksontape.com?
  5. How do I know I am on the secure server?
  6. I am having trouble ordering. What should I do?

How do I find the book I want?

There are multiple methods for searching for a book on our website:

  1. On the search page you can search by title, author, reader, genre, and keyword (which can include an ISBN or book number). On our More Ways to Shop page you can also browse by title, author, or reader. Furthermore, you can do a Quick Search on the top of every page which is the same as a keyword search.
  2. If you already have a book on your screen you can also browse by copyright year, production year, series, or length of listening time.
  3. Award Winners and our most popular books can be found from the We Recommend section of our home page.
  4. Our most current books can be found on our New Titles page.

Can I search by ISBN or Book number?

Absolutely! To search by ISBN or book number, enter the appropriate number of the book you are looking for in the Quick Search box or the keywords field on our search page.

How do I order?

There are two ways to order:

  1. If you know the book you want to order you can navigate directly to our order form/shopping cart and place your order. NOTE: you must have the book number or ISBN available for each title you would like to order.

  2. Otherwise, browse or search our website for the title(s) you want to order, adding each title to your shopping basket by clicking on the button. You have the option to delete any or all of the titles you have stored in your basket at any time.

Is it safe to order on school.booksontape.com?

Yes! Not only do we automatically place you on the B-O-T secure server, we use the latest and greatest secure software technology provided by Verisign. All Internet transactions and personal information are secured so that it cannot be read as it travels over the Internet (this includes name, phone number, etc. . .). If you still feel unsure about ordering on our website, please contact us.

How do I know I am on the secure server?

You know you're on the booksontape.com secure server (or any secure server for that matter) when the URL for booksontape.com changes from http://school.booksontape.com to https://school.booksontape.com. http = our regular server, https = the secure server. Another way to make sure your connection is secure is to check that the pad lock on the bottom right corner of your browser (Microsoft) or the bottom left hand corner of your browser (Netscape) is LOCKED. If it is not locked or you do not see the pad lock at all, then the page is NOT secure. If it is locked, then your information is guaranteed to be safe. Its that simple.

I am having trouble ordering. What should I do?

If you are having trouble ordering, the website doesn't remember your books, or things look weird please try one or all of the following:

  • Refresh/Reload the page depending if you are using Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator.
  • Make sure you have the latest version of your browser.
  • Make sure that you are accepting cookies. Our site uses cookie technology, which helps us remember the books you want to order, personal information, and other ordering decisions you make when you order. Once your cookie is set, it will not expire until you logout.
  • Restart your computer.
  • If you still have difficulty, please contact us ASAP so we can help fix the problem.



    General Questions About: TOP

    Purchase Editions:

    Library Edition

    All BOOKS ON TAPE ® audiobooks are available in Library Editions. These are the highest quality new tapes packaged in library circulation-quality vinyl albums. Each album and each tape can be property stamped with the library's name for $1.00 per book, or free to standing order customers. All tapes, jackets and albums are guaranteed for 465 days, after which time replacement tapes are still available for a nominal fee.

    Abridged Edition

    Our abridged titles are audiobooks that we stock and distribute from other publishers. All abridgements come in Library edition packaging.

    Book-And-Tape Kits

    Each Kit contains:

    • One classic children's title in a paperback edition.
    • One audio tape recording of the book.
    • One lesson plan using the book as an educational experience.
    • One durable, attractive custom B-O-T® vinyl bag to hold that various components

    Listening Center Kits

    This kits includes the exact same contents as a Book-And-Tape kit with one exception: Listening Center kits include four copies of one classic children's title in paperback edition.

    MP3-CD Edition

    After recording a title in MP3 format, all MP3 content is transfered to a CD. In most cases, an entire audiobook can be recorded on one MP3-CD. For more information about MP3-CDs, please visit our MP3 Help page.




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    BOOKS ON TAPE®, B-O-T® and BOOKS ON CD® are registered trademarks and service marks of Books on Tape, A Division of Random House, Inc.
    "Audiobooks" is the generic term for recordings of best-sellers on cassette.
    contact us | more trademark information