reading options for different learning styles and needs

written word, book in hand…
* library
* borrow
* purchase used
* purchase new

written word on a screen…
* library
* kindle
* scribd

spoken word…
* library
* audible
* scribd

main ideas (cliff notes) written on a screen…
* scribd

main ideas (cliff notes) spoken…
* scribd snapshots
* blinkist

Do you prefer reading books with paper pages but cannot get one into your hands fast enough? If you are in a pinch and need to read a book for work or a book club, my recommendation is scribd. For $10 a month you can get digital books, audiobooks, and cliff notes in both digital and audio formats… instantly.

Need/want to read a book but don’t have 6+ hours to spare? Blinkist will give you the main points in fifteen minutes. If you want a little more info and can spare an hour, scribd has digital text and audio cliff notes called snapshots.

Cannot sit still to read, don’t have time to sit and read, have dyslexia, read slowly, or fall asleep reading? Audiobooks are a godsend! Audible pretty much has all titles but at $15 a month for one book credit it can add up if you “read” a lot. Scribd is only $10 a month for unlimited audiobooks but they don’t have every book in audio format. My solution? A subscription to both. I first check scribd and if they don’t have the audiobook title I use my Audible credit. If you are a library lover, most libraries now also have audiobooks available. *I listen to all my books at about 1.4x speed. It sounds normal and is fast enough that I don’t start mind-wandering.