diff --git a/ox/srt.py b/ox/srt.py
index 5191a55..c29ae8b 100644
--- a/ox/srt.py
+++ b/ox/srt.py
@@ -63,10 +63,6 @@ def load(filename, offset=0):
     Returns list with dicts that have in, out, value and id
     '''
     srt = []
-
-    def parse_time(t):
-        return offset + ox.time2ms(t.replace(',', '.')) / 1000
-
     with open(filename, 'rb') as f:
         encoding = _detect_encoding(f)
         data = f.read()
@@ -77,7 +73,21 @@ def load(filename, offset=0):
             data = data.decode('latin-1')
         except:
             print("failed to detect encoding, giving up")
-            return srt
+            return []
+    return loads(data, offset)
+
+def loads(data, offset=0):
+    '''Parses an srt file
+
+    filename: path to an srt file
+    offset (float, seconds): shift all in/out points by offset
+
+    Returns list with dicts that have in, out, value and id
+    '''
+    srt = []
+
+    def parse_time(t):
+        return offset + ox.time2ms(t.replace(',', '.')) / 1000
 
     data = data.replace('\r\n', '\n')
     if not data.endswith('\n\n'):