Listen now! Free mobile streaming music through library databases

Smart phone users, rejoice! Alexander Street Press, publisher of our streaming music databases Classical Music Library, Jazz Music Library, and Smithsonian Global Sound for Libraries, has made their spectacular collections of high-quality streaming music available to the mobile user. By scanning QR codes, such as those in this blog post, you can launch right into specially selected playlists (for instance, the QR code at left links to a playlist for French Bastille Day; QR code below right links to an e-album of music from the movie Pride & Prejudice).

As you browse the database, look for the cell phone icon: . Clicking that icon from your smart phone will bring up the mobile player, while clicking from a computer will automatically generate a textable shortlink and scannable QR code for the album or playlist. Don't forget that these great databases allow you to create your own playlists, too! The only apparent drawback is that (unlike listening on your computer) mobile access only allows you to play one track at a time and can't run a group of songs in continuous playback -- but if you figure out how to do that, please let us know!

The service is currently available from the three above databases for all Android and iPhone devices, including the iPod Touch and iPad. Later in 2010, you can expect more streaming access! The publisher is planning to add its nine video collections, including American History in Video, Dance in Video, and Ethnographic Video Online.

If you want to learn more about QR codes, try watching this short, helpful video from CNet.