1. Enjoy listening online
Music ~ Spoken Word
Radio ~ Downloads ~ Podcasts
www.lancashire.gov.uk

2. More than any other art
or media
Music has moved online

3. • CD sales continue to decline
• Internet speeds have improved
• New services are available
It has become so much easier to
download or listen online
(if you have access to the
internet…)

4. You can listen or play music
on computers and lots of
devices

5. The internet is the
World Wide Web
of information and
entertainment
Which means that,
whatever your tastes or interests,
you should be able to find something
you’ll like

6. We’d like to offer
just a few tips and suggestions
on how you can access this
world of listening –
easily, cheaply and safely

7. We will show some examples of
the services available online
Many other similar services are available

8. Radio
Rather than having to buy and download
songs and albums,
you can listen to a lot of radio broadcasts
online…and for free

9. The BBC, for example, now has all
their channels/stations and
programmes online
Available via their Radio iPlayer

10. • You can listen live to the current programmes as
they are broadcast
• Or ‘listen again’ to most programmes for up to 7
days
• And many programmes are also available as
‘podcasts’ (more on these later)

11. If you go to the websites of many other
local, national or international radio
stations, you’ll also find you can listen live
there too
Or from some, download a podcast

12. There are also dedicated internet radio
stations that are only available online

13. There are also other online ‘radio’ services
which will let you listen to a continuous
selection of music based on the artists or
genres you tell them you like

14. On most of these, it’s free to listen
But you may need to register (using a valid email
address) and login to listen.
Registration is usually free and will enable you to
save your preferences or share your interests with
others

15. Most of these websites make their money
from advertising
So the music will be regularly interrupted by adverts
(like normal commercial radio) or show a lot of
adverts or chances to click and buy the music you
like on the screen.

16. Stay Safe Online
When online, if you are asked to give financial details
(e.g. a credit card number):
• Only do so with a website/company you know is
reputable
• Don’t give any details unless you intend to buy
from them
• Beware of trial membership offers, because unless
you cancel before the trial period finishes you will
be immediately and automatically charged.

17. Downloading music
A lot of people no longer buy music they like on CD
It’s often cheaper and easier to buy online and
download the music you like to your computer
In fact it’s so easy that ‘shopaholics’ should
beware

18. You can then play on a music
system, mobile device or player
Or copy onto a CD if you’ve still got a CD player

19. The main sites where you find and buy the
music you like are now ‘household names’
like Amazon, iTunes and Play.com

20. But there are also specialist music sellers
and even some artists or bands that will sell
their music direct to you from their website.

21. Stay Safe Online
• Only buy from a website/company you know is
reputable
• Don’t enter any personal or financial details unless
you know the site you’re visiting and the computer
you’re using are secure
• Use a credit card (rather than debit card), if you’ve
got one (this offers some protection)
• When possible, use a service like Paypal, so you
can shop without sharing your financial details

22. There are also sites offering free music
downloads, copying or ‘file sharing’

23. BUT most sites offering free music
downloads and ‘file sharing’ are illegal
They are stealing the music and if you
download from them
you are stealing too
Under UK law, your illegal downloads can
be tracked.
Some people have been prosecuted for
illegally downloading.
And you can have your internet access cut
off if you’re caught.

24. But, apart from the illegality, sites offering to
give any music you like for free are
dangerous to visit
There is a very high risk of the free files offered
being infected with viruses or ‘spyware’ that will try to
steal your private information from you computer

25. Stay Safe Online
• So, take care even searching for or visiting sites
offering ‘free music downloads’
• Make sure your computer is properly protected
with security software and everything is up to date
• Use a service that will tell if a site is reliable, like
the free Site Advisor

26. This will show a site’s reputation in your
search results
And warn you is you try to visit a known
dodgy site

27. If you want to buy music online
Choose a reputable company and create
an account.
You can then browse, buy and download
your music easily and safely.

28. You’ve bought the music
so, if something goes wrong on your computer,
you can go back and download it again
Some services, like Amazon Cloud Player, also
enable you to listen to any of the music you’ve
bought online anytime by just logging in.

29. Podcasts
• A podcast is either an audio file that you can listen
to on the internet or download to a portable player
such as an iPod
• They are usually episodic and regularly
available, e.g. once a week
• Some are actually broadcast radio programmes
• Some are created especially for the internet
• Most are available for free

30. The BBC, for example, releases a lot of it’s
programmes as podcasts
But, for copyright reasons, will remove all but
excerpts of any music. News, weather and other such
‘live’ information is usually also edited out

31. Another example, is the Guardian
newspaper
whose journalists put together a lot of ‘magazine
programmes

32. Podcasts are easy to listen to online
Or download to listen to later on your computer or
music player

33. You can also get free software that will let
you ‘subscribe’ to your favourite podcasts
tell you when the latest one is available or even
download them automatically for you

34. If you enjoy listening to spoken word
You can also borrow and download audio books free
from our Digital Download Library

35. We can help you
Enjoy listening online
www.lancashire.gov.uk

36. You can listen online or download your
podcasts on our People’s Network
computers
Our Library computers are available for free for up to
two hours a day
(But don’t forget your headphones!)

37. Even if you can’t
Use a computer
or don’t feel confident going online

38. Your Library
has regular free courses and sessions to
help people get the online skills they need

39. We start with the basics
including that all important email account
that you’ll need to register for online
services

40. You learn at your own pace
completing a short series of online practical
bitesize courses

41. When you’ve mastered the basics
there are more advanced courses available
to suit your needs or interests

42. We have staff and volunteers
available
to help you at any stage

43. We start with the basics
• How to use a keyboard and mouse
• How to search and explore the internet
• How to keep in touch with email
• How to stay safe online
and you can go on to learn things like
• Shopping and managing your money online
• Understanding public services online
• Job hunting online
• Socialising online
• Photos online

44. Find a course near you…
lancashire.gov.uk/events

45. Through our Digital Library
you can gain access to the best
online resources

46. You can find out more about music
from subscription sources that we’ve paid
so you don’t have

47. our Good Web Guide
lists the best websites
and online help

48. You can contact us
library.online@lancashire.gov.uk
www.lancashire.gov.uk/digitallibrary
www.lancashire.gov.uk