Rights holders, a term used to describe the person or publishing company with the rights to an audiobook, may choose one distributor over another for various reasons. It may be that the distributor offers the full production and distribution package, that their royalty rates are higher than those of their competitors, or that their audiobooks are accessible on different platforms than their competitors.
A galley is an unfinalized advanced reader copy of a book that, unlike the final product, typically uses the manuscript prior to the final proofread. Before the galley is produced, the manuscript goes through developmental edits and copyedits to the point of practically perfect. Occasionally, the galley is made using the final draft but never by using any draft before the second to last. Galleys can be in hard copy or electronic form, which may make you wonder: Why even make a galley?