“When I finish a book I applaud,”Donna Neal from Missouri “No one’s in the room, but I applaud.”Neal’s enthusiasm is not only for the book but also for the chance to read the book. Neal is blind.
Blind and physically impaired readers will not be able to grab the latest bestsellers from the nearest bookstore shelves. Books must be accessible.
The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, part of the Library of Congress, is at the forefront of providing braille and audiobooks for readers such as Neal.
“Our primary goal is to ensure that our patrons have the reading materials that they need to increase their quality of life. This is what we’re all about,”Karen Keninger (NLS director) was the first blind person to assume this position.
NLS introduced an audio and braille reading program recently. The NLS has provided free audio and braille reading material to all ages for more 80 years. digital talking-bookThe system includes an audiobook player as well as cartridges. The system provides high-quality sound, navigation between book chapters, and a sleep button.
Each cartridge can hold a complete copy of the book. This is in contrast to cassettes that require multiple units for long books. Access to the Internet allows people with internet access to download magazines and audiobooks using the Braille and Acoustic Reading Download (BARD), an online delivery system from the NLS.
NLS patrons are eager to embrace the new technology.
“I think it’s a service that entertains you, it educates you and it delights you,”Neal said. “It will change everything you ever thought about a book in print.”
To delight the most discerning readers, the NLS collection contains bestsellers, biographies and romance novels, as well magazines and newspapers. Residents of the United States, its territories, and American citizens who are blind or visually impaired can access this library free of charge. To learn more, please call 888-2-NLS-READ. www.loc.gov/nls.
