The world of audio and video gear is frequently foreign to many librarians, and what libraries need in terms of equipment is often different from the needs of both the individual audiophile and the professional sound archivist. Moreover, today's changing audio landscape--including audio/video streaming via the internet and the emergence of the iPod culture--have called into question the need for valuable library space to be occupied by listening/viewing carrels.This manual presents all the information librarians need to know to make intelligent decisions about providing listening and viewing facilities in libraries. Everything from what to look for when buying new equipment, to how it works, to what to think about when designing a new listening facility or retrofitting an existing space is considered