Not Your Father's Books on Tape

Although a survey conducted at last year's ALA found librarians giving Random House's Books on Tape audiobooks division good grades for quality and reliability, it also revealed that the company, founded in 1974 and acquired by RH in 2001, needed to update its image. So beginning this month, Books on Tape is rolling out a new logo that emphasizes the company's initials and is redesigning its packaging to permit the cover art and genre to be listed on the spine. Cheryl Herman, marketing director for BOT, said that while Books on Tape is a well-known brand in the library world, the overwhelming use of CDs in the market made it necessary to give the division a new look. The new design “reflects the transition away from tape,” Herman said.

Along with a fresher look, the company is also putting a $100 price cap on individual BOT products and is offering a deeper discount, a combination Herman believes will lead to more sales. In addition, BOT has reclassified its adult CD titles into categories to meet the needs of librarians: Essentials, African American, Christian Interest, History & Biography and Women's Fiction & Romance. “These are the areas where librarians said they need more titles,” Herman said. And because so many accounts buy direct, BOT is unveiling a more user-friendly site, booksontape.com, today.