SusanDunman

Audiobook reviews by Murray native Susan Dunman, a 1976 and 1988 graduate of Murray State University , can now be heard online at www.audiofilemagazine.com

Dunman, a regional librarian with the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives and former MSU assistant professor of libraries, travels throughout the region to collaborate with public libraries. While she travels, Dunman listens to audiobooks – books recorded on tapes, CD’s or downloaded on mp3 players, then based on her extensive knowledge of libraries and readers, she evaluates whether or not they will appeal to listeners.

As a volunteer for MSU’s radio station WKMS, Dunman has experience in radio production through producing and hosting the program “Planet Waves” for several years. Susan’s husband Jeff, a 1976 MSU alumnus who is also a WKMS volunteer, currently hosts and produces “Rockin’ Saturday Night” for the station.

Audiobooks have become increasingly popular in the past five years through greater online availability. Susan’s process of creating an audiobook review takes several hours of listening, commenting and scripting, followed by voicing her script and incorporating sound segments to be used in her broadcast. For Susan’s convenience, Jeff has turned the basement of their home into a studio.

AudioFile magazine publisher Robin Whitten says that Susan “has a wonderful sense of what sounds good, what is going to appeal to listeners.” Whitten says for years she has been in search of reviews that gave particular attention to sound performances.

The Dunmans traveled to Portland , Maine , this summer to meet with Whitten and discuss plans for Susan’s book reviews. Susan’s reviews are also available by subscribing to the Audiopolis podcast on iTunes , and soon her reviews will be broadcasted via the XM Satellite Radio program, “This is Audible.”