ashgroveaudiobook.com - Member Services

You own the audiobooks you receive from us. You can keep them forever if you want. There are never deadlines or late fees. However, just like when renting through the mail, the audiobooks you receive from us will come to you in reusable shipping boxes preprinted with our address and our postage free permit for return. If or when you decide to trade in audiobooks (either those you received from us or those you got elsewhere), you can simply place them in the shipping box along with your name and customer number and return them for full point value based on the original list price.

Are the audiobooks I get from you new or used?

The answer is maybe! Many of our titles are purchased directly from publishers and have never been played. Others have been used sparingly and others still have been used many times. However, unlike music cassettes, the quality drop-off from regular use of voice recordings is not very apparent and not nearly as important. We are very, very pleased with the low incidence of tape failures due to use. Our customers have been quite forthcoming about problems with tapes. In fact, we have had about as much trouble with brand new, never used tapes fresh from the publishers as we have experienced from our customers' trade-ins! All of our audiobooks are in great condition and 100% guaranteed.

Are Ash Grove audiobooks guaranteed?

Absolutely! We guarantee that our tapes will arrive in high-quality, playable condition or we will replace the bad tape, the whole audiobook, or credit your points and costs back to your account.

We cannot, of course, vouch for the content or quality of narration. We simply do not have the time or staff to listen to every audiobook. We do, though, have a customer forum where you can share your listening experiences, post reviews of audiobooks, and read the impressions of other users of our circle of sharing.

What should I do when I move, marry, get a new phone number, or change email providers? Do I need to register again?

If you've once registered, you needn't ever register again. To inform us of changes in your personal information, go to Member Services: Personal Info.

Should I inform you when there is a change in my email address?

Definitely! We rely on email to provide you the quickest notification of changes in account information due to receipt of trade-ins or the shipment of an order. We also send by email, upon request, weekly inventory updates of recently received titles.

To inform us of changes in your personal information, go to Member Services: Personal Info. You can also email us. Be sure to include your name, and if possible, your customer number. We do not need the old email address, but, of course, we do need the new one. This may seem obvious, but more than once we have received a message like "I have changed my email address," period, and the "From" field is blank!

I love the Ash Grove Audiobook Exchange service. How can I refer a friend?

We get many of our customers through referrals from existing users of our service. Our paper order forms have space to refer family members or friends. Or email us or phone us at 360-692-8167 or 800-697-6797 with this information. (We need the name, address and phone number of the person you are referring, and an email address, if you have it. We also need your name and customer number so that we can give you credit for the referral.)

You can also register your friends from our web site, or direct them to come here and register themselves. In the How you found us field, be sure to give us your name and customer number as the referring customer so that we can give you credit for the referral.

When the person you referred places a first order with us, you will receive 10 points on your account with your next order as a small token of our appreciation. Your friend will also appreciate knowing about our great service and the concept of the circle of sharing.

How can I give an audiobook or Ash Grove gift certificate?

You can give a gift certificate (minimum $20) to a friend or family member by going to The Exchange and clicking the gift certificates tab. We will send the recipient a new customer package (unless the recipient is already a customer) plus a lovely greeting card from you, personalized as you wish. Or you may chose to have us send the package and card to you so that you may give them directly.

You can also request that we send an audiobook to anyone you choose, paying for the service from your account. You can do this by using the special instructions space on our order forms, or by emailing us with your request.

How can I tell which audiobooks are the ones that require balance control for listening?

Brilliance Corporation BookCassettes are unabridged recordings of popular titles made quite affordable because they put twice as much on each tape. You must use balance control or a headphone BookCassette Adapter to listen to these recordings. (We sell these with accessories.) To spot BookCassette audiobooks requiring balance control for listening, look for Brilliance listed as the publisher. Learn more about the Brilliance Corporation and BookCassette recordings here at The Grove.

You used to send out several printed publications and a big catalog every year. How come I'm not receiving those any more?

Most of our customers prefer placing their orders on our web site and are indicating that they enjoy the ability to get weekly updates to their accounts and our audiobook collection through the web site. Through the web, we can provide a catalogue that is updated regularly to include the new audiobooks we get in every week. We can also include complete descriptions of every title, powerful search and browse capabilities, and a wide variety of content to satisfy Ash Grove users' desire for information, articles, fun and games.

Printed catalogues have grown extremely time-consuming and expensive to prepare, print and mail. To continue to produce printed publications regularly, we would have to raise the costs of our service considerably. We concluded that we could best answer our customers' needs by instead keeping our rates low, concentrating our limited time and financial resources on developing a great web site, and continuing to provide excellent personal service. We are very sorry if you miss the printed catalogues. (We do, too!) But please phone or email us with any questions the web site does not answer.

Points

What are points and how do they work?

The Ash Grove concept employs an innovative, yet simple, point system to offer you the greatest value and flexibility. Points are just an easy way to adjust for the different values of audiobooks and provide a basis for trading.

To determine a title's point value, take the publisher's list price and round to the nearest whole dollar. An audiobook that lists (new) for $17.95 is worth 18 points; one with a list price of $34.99 = 35 points. The publisher's price is usually printed on the packaging. (If it isn't we rely on Bowker's Words on Cassette, the definitive annual bibliography for recorded books.)

You are credited points for audiobooks you trade in. Then, you may use your points to select exchanges from the thousands of titles in our inventory, trading point-for-point. If your selections require more points than your account balance, you may purchase points at 25� each. (That's a 75% savings off the publisher's list price!!)

Example: You trade in Cold Mountain (list price $18.00 = 18 points) for Mark Twain Short Stories (also 18 points). Or, you send in The Poisonwood Bible (45 points) and order Daughter of Fortune (40 points) leaving 5 points on account to use on your next order. If you send in Daughter of Fortune (40 points) and order The Poisonwood Bible (45 points), you would pay just $1.25 for the extra 5 points.

Why are points sometimes different for the same audiobook title?

Publishers sometimes reissue audiobooks with different barcodes and with updated prices (usually higher, but sometimes lower). Publishers' properties are sometimes sold to other publishers or repackagers who might then issue the same recordings at different prices. In order to be as accurate as possible, we credit and charge for points as printed on the audiobook version you trade in or receive as an exchange. When we have the same item at varying list prices in our inventory, our publications and web site list the highest of those prices.

Can I convert points to cash?

You must elect to allocate your trade-ins to points, cash on account, or check receipt when you trade them in. We are sorry, but we cannot convert points to dollars on account or a check, nor can we convert dollars on account for a check. The way value is allocated for your trade-ins must be determined at the point the audiobooks enter our inventory.

How can I get points if I don't have audiobooks to trade in?

When you place an order, any points you need that are not provided by your point account can be purchased for just 25� each. This is, essentially, half the publisher's list price.

Trading In Audiobooks

What audiobooks will you take in trade?

We accept books recorded on tape or compact disc, fiction or nonfiction, that meet these criteria:

The title appears in our online catalog with the icon, or does not currently appear in our catalog at all.
Recorded in English on two or more cassettes or CDs, or on one or more CDs for a title recorded in MP3 format.
In original publisher's packaging, free of added marks or stickers.
Complete with all tapes or CDs in good, playable condition.
Clean tapes or CDs and packaging, cassettes rewound and in proper order, as they were before use.

Can I trade in audiobooks I didn't get from you?

Yes! As long as your audiobooks meet our criteria for exchange we will take audiobooks from any source. See the Guidelines for Audiobook Trade-ins.

Can I send trade-ins without placing an order?

Absolutely! Send us batches of audiobooks for credit to your account as soon as you've finished with them. That way they will be available for others to hear. Also the delivery time will be minimized when you are ready for more listening material, especially when you use the web, fax, email, or phone to place your order. We credit your account as soon as we receive your trade-ins so your points will be waiting for you when you are ready to order. If we have a current email address for you, you will receive notification of your new point balance the day we receive your trade-ins. We always snail-mail a receipt as well.

Always be sure to identify yourself when returning your audiobooks for credit. Put your name and/or customer number inside the shipping box with your trade-ins.

What should I know about shipping my audiobooks to you safely?

The two crucial elements are the choice of shipping boxes and the adequacy of the cushioning materials. Use a sturdy cardboard box (envelopes are simply not adequate) and be sure all openings are securely taped shut using packing (not ordinary scotch) tape. The box should be large enough to allow for cushioning materials like packing peanuts or bubble-wrap to be placed around at least five of the six surfaces. Damage due to inadequate packaging can result in unexpected repackaging charges. If you receive a shipment from us where the box has been so mishandled during shipping that damage has occurred to the audiobooks, themselves, please be sure to bring this to our attention so that you won't have to pay for resulting repackaging.

Also, always remember to enclose your name or customer number in and on the box with you trade-ins and enclose any special instructions.

You are under no obligation to hurry your trade-ins since you actually own the titles you get from us. However, whenever you have collected several audiobooks you wish to trade, send them in, even if you are not ready to place an order. Your points will be credited to your account and your audiobooks will become available to others in our "circle of sharing." Simply be sure to include your name and customer number with your shipment; we will credit your account so that your points will be waiting for you when you place your next order, whether by mail, web sit, phone or fax.

What if my shipping box is too small for my trade-ins?

There are a couple of options here. We provide self-sticking postage-paid shipping labels with our original welcoming package. If you have already used or cannot find this label, however, you can print labels from this web site by going to the home page, Member Services and selecting the Mailing Label button. You can also request that we fax you a sheet of labels. We can also mail you additional self-sticking labels, but it takes a few days for them to get to you. Finally, you can cut the label from the lid of another Ash Grove shipping box.

Be sure to choose a box large enough for your audiobooks and ample protective cushioning materials, and include your identifying information (customer number, name and any changes in address, phone number, etc.). Firmly affix the label you obtain from one of the methods mentioned here and drop the box off at any mailbox or at your local post office. You needn't wait in line at the post office, either! Just drop the box at a convenient clerk's station. The postage is paid and all the information needed is on the label.

I have some good tapes, but the packaging is damaged. Can I still trade these?

The cassettes or CDs, of course, have to be playable and in reasonably presentable condition. The packaging is usually the weak link in the publishers' retail presentation. We have repackaging services available to recondition audiobook packaging so that you can share your titles with other Ash Grove participants while still receiving their point value. For a nominal charge to cover materials' cost, we replace your trade-ins' worn, torn, chewed, water-logged, dog-eared, crushed or missing packaging with durable library-style cases. You get full credit for your audiobooks' point value and Ash Grove users get hours of listening pleasure that might not otherwise be available. We repackage audiobooks, if needed, upon receipt, maintaining our inventory in the same quality condition you have come to expect.

See Repackaging and Cassette Services for details.

I sent you a box of trade-ins without identification. What should I do now?

Kiss them goodbye! No, not really. This happens from time to time and we realize our busy customers might occasionally slip up. We usually put your customer number on the outside of the shipping boxes we send to you, so even if you forget, we may be able to identify who the trade-ins have come from. If your box lacks this identification (or if it has been obliterated), we make an effort to determine your identity by researching the combination of titles traded in against orders filled to determine the most likely owner and then make an inquiry. We eventually are able to identify the owners in 99% of these situations.

It would be a lot easier, however, to make sure you get proper credit, and it would save us a great deal of time and energy, if you would to notify us, listing as many of the titles as you can remember, so that we can recognize your shipment and credit you for the trade-ins.

How will I know you received my trade-ins?

We will mail a receipt that details the credits for each title you sent in. If we have a current email address for you we will also email you the day we receive your trade-ins, telling you your new account balances.

If you sent in a box of trade-ins some time ago and did not receive notification, it's possible that you forgot to include your name and customer number with your shipment so that we were not able to identify who sent it. Please contact us.

There were some unexpected charges on my last receipt for trade-ins? What were these?

Charges for damaged tapes, cleaning, sticker removal, deodorizing, packaging and/or artwork replacement are levied at our discretion. Our policy is to keep exchange charges at a minimum for all of our customers by directly charging individual customers for preparing traded-in audiobooks for exchange. Some individuals are very careful with their audiobooks and others are prone to returning titles in less than satisfactory condition. We would like to reward individuals for protecting their investment and thereby help keep costs down, from which we all benefit. These charges are not penalties; they pay just the direct cost of preparing audiobooks for exchange without profit to us. In fact, we contribute much of our employees' time to the labor-intensive task of repackaging audiobooks.

There are many reasons for the demise of audiobook packaging including dog- or baby-chewing, careless friends or relatives and other conditions outside the control of our valued customers. Sooner or later, high-volume customers will inevitably encounter some form of packaging-related charges. Sharing these costs helps keep our inventory in the kind of condition you like to see in the audiobooks you receive from us.

We provide self-sticking postage-paid shipping labels with our original welcoming package. If you have already used or cannot find this label, however, you can print labels from this web site by going to the home page, Member Services and selecting the Mailing Label button. If you wish to print labels now, click.

You can also request that we fax or mail you labels. (Phone us at 360-692-8271 or 800-697-6797 or email.) Finally, you can cut the label from the lid of another Ash Grove shipping box.

Can I ship my audiobooks to you via Priority or Express service or use Insured, Registered and other enhanced mail services?

You certainly may, but you will have to label the package and pay for the postage yourself. Our postage-paid mailing labels and shipping boxes provide free standard USPS book rate service. US postal regulations require that the sender pay for any other class of service or for special enhancements like insured, registered or Priority mail.

Can I get cash for my audiobooks?

Yes, in some cases. Exchanging for points, dollar-for-dollar, is of course your best value; but we do sometimes give cash or cash credit on account (to put toward service charges and the like), of up to 25% of list price, for high-demand audiobooks in good condition. Cash or cash credit are awarded only at our discretion, so it is best to call or write to us in advance of trading in audiobooks for which you want to receive cash. If you wish to receive cash for trade-ins, you must let us know at the time you send them in. If you don't state otherwise, we will credit you points for your exchanges. Points on account cannot be converted to cash.

Exchanging

What are service charges and why do they vary?

Service charges cover the costs of providing you the Ash Grove service. The charges vary, based on the number of cassettes or CDs and the publication date. Large audiobooks weigh more and consequently we must pay more for their return postage. In order to provide a good selection of unabridged titles and new releases, many are purchased directly from the publisher and are more expensive for us to obtain. Our exchange charge pricing takes all of these factors into account. We also have "bargain" and "discount" exchange charges that are substantially below the usual charges for comparable titles.

Can I get audiobooks from you even if I have none to trade in?

You bet! And you'll get those audiobooks at a substantial savings from bookstore prices! If you have no audiobooks you wish to trade in, or if you want to get titles totaling more points than you have accumulated, you can purchase points for only 25� each.

With your points plus a service charge, which is usually less than what you'd pay to rent the title, you may order from thousands of listed on this web site. The audiobooks you get from us are YOURS. Keep them forever if you wish. But should you decide to trade them in when you are finished listening, you will receive full point value for their original list prices.

Here's an example: You have no audiobooks to trade in now, but you would like to order The Wind in the Willows (CH-96, 14 points) for your daughter. You can purchase the points you need for just $3.50. Or suppose you have "N" is for Noose (list price $24.00 = 24 points) and would like to get "O" is for Outlaw (26 points). You need to buy 2 points. At 25� a point that's 50�. Once you purchase points and trade in the audiobooks obtained, you can "recycle" the points over and over again for different titles.

What is the Special Information field for on your order forms?

You can use this area on our printed and web site order forms to convey any special information such as a temporary address for "this order only," a special offer you might wish to participate in or to remind us of some special need or delivery instructions.

What are the Preference boxes on your order forms?

This is where you have a chance to indicate the priority you wish us to use when filling your order. We encourage you to list more titles than you desire for a given order, because it is likely that one out of four or five titles (depending on demand) will not be in inventory at a given time. For example, you want four audiobooks so you indicate this in the space provided on your order form. Then list six titles in case some are not in stock. After listing your choices, you can review them one last time and place a preference number next to each, and when we fill your order we will start with number one and fill your order until four titles are selected.

What is the Waiting system?

If a particular audiobook is not in stock when we receive your order, you can request to have it put in our waiting system. Then when we receive a copy of the title, we immediately ship it to you. Waiting instructions can be canceled at any time.

Shipping

How long will it take to get my order?

We process orders the day we receive them and they go out in the following day's mail. The length of time it takes you to get an order, then, is dependent on how long it spends within the mail system, and that time is dependent on where your live. Standard media rate delivery ranges from 2 to 4 days in the West and from 3 to 10 days for the East Coast. Local postal processing habits and seasonal delays can greatly affect delivery times.

Please remember that when mailing an order with trade-ins, the parcels must travel a round trip which will, effectively, double the delivery time. We turn orders around in one business day. Many of our customers prefer to build up enough points to always have some available for email, phone, fax or web ordering to speed delivery. We also offer expedited shipping (see below).

To be assured of never being without a fresh audiobook title, some of our clever customers have come up with a system. They keep two or more sets of audiobooks in circulation so, while one set is in the mails for exchange, they are enjoying another.

What will I pay for shipping?

Ash Grove's standard shipping method within the US is United States Postal Service Media Mail. Rates for shipments of audiobooks start at $6.95; our highest shipping charge (for orders of more than 20 cassettes or CDs) is $11.95. We also offer two types of expedited service: USPS Priority Mail (usually 3 to 5 day delivery) or United Parcel Service 2 day service.

For a complete breakdown of our shipping rates, consult our Shipping Chart.

How can I save on shipping costs?

Our shipping and handling fees are very low, but you can save further by ordering multiple titles and planning ahead. We make certain you pay the smallest amount possible for shipping by basing the fee on the total number of individual cassette tapes or CDs (and therefore the approximate weight and size of the order), rather than charging flat fees. Since the base postal fee and shipping box are the major costs, you can save even more if you order several audiobooks at a time.

If you order well in advance of the time you will be needing your audiobooks, you can choose to use standard USPS mail, the least expensive shipping method. Many of our customers keep two sets of titles in circulation -- one on hand for listening while the other in making its way through the mails. This way they are never left without listening material while waiting for the mail to come.

Do you offer expedited shipping?

Yes. We offer USPS Priority service for an additional fee (beginning at $3.00) and 2-day UPS Express service starting at an additional $12.00. Many customers have told us that the upgrade to Priority service makes an especially great difference in delivery time around the holidays and for coast-to-coast shipping.

Audiobook Care

What can I do to protect my audiobook investment?

The first thing you need to do is to be aware of what causes damage to the cassettes, CDs and their packaging. Never leave audiobooks in direct sunlight, particularly in your car or on a windowsill where the sunlight can become focused and create even higher than normal temperatures. Avoid exposing your audiobooks to moisture, dust, spillage and any other foreign matter. Keep the tapes tightly wound on their spools; use a straightened paper clip or similar tool to wind the spools tightly all the way to their leaders. Keep you tape and CD players clean by using cleaning kits and demagnetizers often.

The publishers' tag board packaging is the weakest part of the audiobook and the most likely source of additional charges for maintaining your audiobooks in exchangeable condition. Treat the packaging with care. Do not add stickers, tape, or markings to the packaging. If you are going to travel and move the tapes from place to place, you might consider investing in some of our inexpensive vinyl travel cases, which you will find on the accessories page of The Exchange, and tuck the tag board away until you are ready for trade-in.

For further information on the care and feeding of audiobooks, check out the articles on tape & player care, found in the news & info section of The Grove, most especially Proper Care and Feeding of Cassettes or what to do when a tape won't play.

I have a tape that won't play correctly. What should I do?

The first thing you should do is look for obvious physical abnormalities. Is the felt pressure pad in place? Is the tape looped or twisted (sometimes evidenced by a lump or gap in the reel of tape)? What does the tape do? Is it garbled, distorted or does the volume fade in and out? Does the tape lock up or does it trip the player's stop function? One of the most common problems when a tape is played several times is that it can become "ridged." This is when the tape is wound in such a way as to bind with the inside of the shell until it slows way down or stops. You can cure a ridged tape by placing it in the palm of your hand and "slapping" it firmly onto a semi-hard surface like a magazine. Do this to both sides and then see if the tape plays normally.

If the tape is obviously mangled beyond the point where using a straightened paper clip to wind and unwind the tape can't fix it, send us an email or call us and describe the problem. If we can't suggest a further attempt to fix the problem from your end, we will provide you with a satisfactory remedy.

What if I get an audiobook from you that has something wrong with it?

Let us know immediately. We'll make it right. Guaranteed!

General Web Site Issues

How can I find out about the newest audiobook titles?

One way to find our latest acquisitions is to browse our inventory. This is done by going to The Exchange from the home page and choosing Browse the Audiobook Shelves from the pale green box at the right. You can choose to find titles received in the past month, two months and so forth. You can narrow resultant browsed titles by genre if you wish and from the same genre drop down box, you can choose to browse our CD collection by choosing compact discs.

Another way of being informed automatically about newly acquired titles is to request to receive our weekly email announcing new titles received. You can request to receive this notification through Personal Info under Member Services. You can also simply email us with the request.

We often include, in the weekly customer email, a section listing scarce titles that have recently been returned to inventory. Please remember, our most recent acquisitions are often received just one or a few at a time and may go quickly. Popular titles do tend to accumulate over a period of time, however, so you might consider being placed on our Waiting System or checking on a title from time to time for availability.

Being a smaller, family-based business, we do not yet have full, real-time updates of our databases on line, so information about the availability of titles might not be up-to-date the day you check. We update our web site and complete online catalogue every weekend.

I'm interested in audiobooks recorded on CD. How can I find them?

If you'd like to browse a listing of all audiobooks recorded on CD currently available from the Ash Grove, go to The Exchange -- the shopping page of our web site -- and choose to compact discs from the lower pull-down list. (It's the last item on the list). From the top pull-down menu you choose in entire inventory.

Any time you are using the web site or our printed catalogs, look for item numbers that begin with the letters CD. Listings on our web site for audiobooks recorded on CD are identified with a CD graphic as well.

Why aren't there more audiobooks available on CD?

There are several reasons why CD audiobook availability is so limited. CD audiobooks are relatively expensive and publishers almost always format audiobooks on CD as abridgements. Cassettes, though no less expensive to produce, are less costly because of their relative advantages and popularity, so therefore, their prices are lower due to "economies of scale."

A CD cannot hold more audio information than a cassette, and the enhanced sound quality CDs offer is not an issue for audiobooks. Cassettes have advantages over CDs for audiobook use; when you must stop your story or replay a short section that you missed, it is easier to find your place again with recordings on cassette tape. Most audiobook publishers are producing only the very popular titles on CD and are waiting for the next generation of sound recording before switching from cassette tape.

The biggest problem for audiobook users comes when buying newer automobiles. New cars often come with CD players only unless the purchaser requests a cassette player instead.

When I look at my Account Balances on the web site it doesn't reflect the points or money for trade-ins you just got from me. Neither does the Order Calculator. How come?

The information on our web site is updated once a week, usually on the weekend. The information that displays when you look at your Account Balances and also on the Order Calculator, and in Personal Info, is what was in our Ash Grove databases at the time we last updated the web site. If any of that information has changed since that date, it won't be reflected online until the next website update. If we have emailed or snail-mailed you with new account balances, though, trust those.

We are a small company and do not yet run our own server and have real-time web updating. We're working toward it, though!

Shopping on the Web Site

Is shopping on your web site secure?

Yes! One-hundred percent.

Are there any advantages to shopping on the web site over sending in my order by mail or fax?

Web orders reach us faster. Our on-line catalogue has advantages over printed catalogues in that the complete description from the back of each audiobook is available. Also, you have a powerful search engine at your disposal, enabling you to look up audiobooks by narrator, publisher, translator, keyword or subject, as well as by author and title. You can also easily list newest acquisitions or recently published audiobooks, filter your lists to exclude particular narrator accents, or to include only unabridged recordings or only those on CDs.

Can I submit a web order and have you wait to process the order until you receive the trade-ins I'm sending?

Yes. Just like or paper order forms, the on-line ordering system has a form field called Special Instructions. Orders you place on the web site are processed by hand by real people, just like the ones we receive by mail, phone, or fax. We really read what you write to us! If you want us to hold your web order until we can credit you points for trade-ins you have just sent, simply tell us so in the Special Instructions section on your order.

What is the difference between searching and browsing?

To search is to look for a specific title, author, narrator, publisher, translator, or subject. To browse is to look over a whole list of titles within a particular category, like mystery, recent acquisitions, or audiobooks published in the last year.

If you were at the library, searching would be like going to the card catalog or computer catalog system to look for a book, say "P" is for Peril by Sue Grafton. Browsing would mean going to the section where the mysteries are kept (or maybe the new book shelves) and seeing what looks interesting. You can search or browse here at the Ash Grove Exchange. You can also look up audiobooks by their catalog item numbers.

First choose whether you would like to search, browse, or look up a title by item number. There are separate pages here for doing each of those things in The Exchange. You can easily tell what page you currently have up because the green heading bar beneath the audiobook tab will identify it. You can pick one of the other options by clicking on it within the lower half of the pale green section to the right of your screen. Further help is available on each of these options. Simply click on the help button next to each.

How do I use search and browse to find the audiobooks I want?

You have powerful search and browse capabilities at The Exchange to look for audiobooks within the extensive Ash Grove inventory.

If you are doing a search, enter words or phrases separated by spaces only; don't use punctuation marks as separators. Use double quotes to surround a phrase you want to find only in that particular form. For example, if you want to search for the title Three Men in a Boat, enter "three men in a boat" (letter case is ignored) and make sure Title is checked below. If you enter the same string of words without the quotation marks, the search will return a list of all titles with the words three, men, and/or boat somewhere in the title. (Prepositions, articles, and other common one- and two-letter words are ignored unless they're within quotations.)

The items checked below the search box limit the areas that are searched. Be sure you've checked appropriate ones. If you are looking for titles by Mary Higgins Clark, you'll want to check the Author box, for example.

To browse, first choose from the top pull-down menu whether you wish to view new titles -- recent acquisitions at the Ash Grove (within the last month, 2 months, 3 months, or 6 months) or audiobooks published within the past year or two years -- or titles from our entire inventory. From the second pull-down you can select a particular genre -- say classics. This is also where you can select to look for audiobooks recorded on >compact discs.

you can narrow and order your searches and browses by using the OPTIONS in the pale green panel on the right side of the screen.

I'm pretty new to this. Do you have any tips to help me do more effective searches?

Yes! Check out Tips for Effective Searching and Tips for Effective Browsing. You will also find buttons scattered throughout pages of The Exchange. Click them to reveal further help on many issues.

Can I use the Ash Grove web site to look for subjects or do keyword searches?

Yes! An unusual and useful feature of the Ash Grove catalogue is that we include complete descriptions from the audiobook packaging. This makes it possible to do very complete subject or "key word" searches.

If you are looking for titles about the Civil War, for instance, you can check both Title and Description to generate a list of all audiobooks in which the Civil War is mentioned in either the title or the descriptive information.

I'm interested in a title I saw in one of your printed catalogues. Since I know the item number, is there any fast way to find it in the online catalogue?

You'll find item numbers in our online and printed catalogues and other Ash Grove publications. Audiobook item numbers begin with a two-letter genre code (FC for Fiction, BI for people, etc.) followed by the numerical code for that title (the hyphen is optional). If you already know the item number for a title, go to the The Exchange. Get there by clicking on those words within the pale green panel to the right of the screen.

The on-line catalog indicates that a title is available, but I still couldn't get it. Why?

Ours is still a small company. We are constantly growing, but we are not yet able to provide real-time updates to our on-line catalog. We update title availability and customer information at least once a week (usually on Sunday), so if a title becomes depleted during this period, the web site would not show that it is out-of-stock. It is important for you to list extra titles and prioritize them using the preference fields so that you can receive the overall number of titles you desire (indicate the number you wish shipped in the field provided). A good rule of thumb is to provide four titles for every three you wished to have shipped. Use the Waiting System to your advantage, too.

May 14, 2008

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