Digital Talking Books

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As I explained in my last post, the audiobook program run by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically’ Handicapped (NLS) is called the Talking Book program.

Lindsey Dunn broke the news about how the Digital Talking Books and System is moving forward — in a nutshell, switching from cassette books and players to digital books available on cartridge or via download and listened to on digital players.

I’m happy to share with you the Press Release from NLS which provides more details on the program, available at NLS Flash. It includes a photo of a NLS customer using the new digital player. Once more information becomes available, I’ll post that, also. In the meanwhile, if you have questions about the program or the new player or the download program, let me know!

Also, as a reminder,’ Talking Books is a free library service that is open to all people whose low vision, blindness, or physical handicap makes it difficult to read a standard printed page.’ The service includes the loan of the player.

More Thoughts about Services to the Blind: A Report from the NFB Convention

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A man waits patiently for his daughter to finish finding books at the Braille Book Fair

I read with great interest the articles posted here on the YALSA blog by Liz Burns and Joseph Wilk about accessibility to the blind and physically handicapped. I recently had an opportunity of a lifetime. I attended the National Federation for the Blind (NFB) Convention in July: an annual convention that is the largest gathering of the blind and visually impaired people all over the world. This year’s convention was in Dallas, Texas. I was there to assist a blind couple that set up a table in the exhibit hall to promote their organization, the International Christian Braille mission (ICBM). ICBM is an organization that distributes free Christian reading materials in Braille and other accessible formats through the mail to the blind.

It was an amazing experience being around this group of passionate folks. I wasn’t prepared for how committed they would be, how passionate they were, about learning and education. A couple of things I observed proved this. Read More →