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A free national library program of Braille and recorded materials for blind (including low vision) and
physically handicapped persons is administered by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) Library of Congress. With the cooperation of authors and
publishers who grant permission to use copyrighted works, NLS selects and produces full-length books and magazines in Braille and on recorded disc and cassette. Reading materials are
distributed to a cooperating net-work of regional and sub-regional (local) libraries where they are circulated to eligible borrowers. Reading materials and playback machines are sent
to borrowers and returned to libraries by postage-free mail. Established by an act of Congress in 1931 to serve blind adults, the program was expanded in 1952 to include children, in
1962 to provide music materials, and again in 1966 to include individuals with other physical impairments that prevent the reading of standard print. From a beginning of 19 libraries,
the network has expanded to 56 regional and 87 sub-regional libraries through out the US Funding.
The NLS program is funded annually by Congress. The fiscal year 1993
appropriation was $45,316,582. Regional and sub-regional libraries receive funding from state, local, and federal sources. Through an additional appropriation to the US Postal
Service, books and materials are mailed as 'Free Matter for the Blind and Handicapped. The combined expenditure for the program is approximately $120 million. About 74 percent of the
NLS annual appropriation is budgeted for books, equipment and related materials and 26 percent for support services.
Eligibility
Anyone who is unable to read or use standard printed materials as
a result of temporary or permanent visual or physical limitations may receive service. A survey sponsored by NLS found that two million persons with some type of visual Impairment may
be eligible and another million with physical conditions such as paralysis, missing arms or hands, lack of muscle coordination, or prolonged weakness could benefit from the use
of reading materials in recorded form.
Book Collection
Books are selected on the basis of their appeal to a wide range of interests. Bestsellers, biographies, fictions, and how-to books are in great
demand. Titles expected to be extremely popular are produced on flexible audio disc in several thousand copies and circulated to borrowers within several months of their publication
in print form. A limited number of titles are produced in Spanish and other languages for readers whose primary language is not English. Registered borrowers learn of new books added
to the collection through two BI-monthly publications, Braille Book Review and Talking Books Topics. Through a union catalog, available on microfiche and in computerized form, every
network library has access to the entire NLS book collection and to the resources of several cooperating agencies. More than 21 million recorded and Braille books and magazines were
circulated to a readership of 765,000 in 1993.
Magazines
Almost seventy magazines on audio disc and in Braille are offered through the program. Readers may request free subscriptions to US News and
World Reports, National Geographic, Consumer Reports, Good Housekeeping, Sports Illustrated. Jack and Jill and many other popular magazines. Current issues are mailed to readers at
the same time the print issues appear, or shortly thereafter. Magazines are selected for the program in response to demonstrated reader interest.
The International Union
Catalog currently contains 210,156 titles (23 million copies) The average reader borrows 30 recorded books and magazines a year. Braille readers average 26 books and magazines a year.
Equipment and Accessories
Playback
equipment is loaned free to readers for as long as recorded materials provided by NLS and its cooperating libraries are being borrowed. Talking-book machines are designed to play disc
books and magazines recorded at 8 rpm and 16 rpm; cassette machines are designed for cassettes recorded at 15/16 ips and the standard speed of 1--7/8 ips on 2 and 4 tracks. Readers
with very limited mobility may request a remote-control unit; hearing impaired readers may be eligible for an auxiliary amplifier for use with headphones. A cassette machine designed
primarily for persons with limited manual dexterity is also available.
A 4-track cassette recorded to play at 15/16 ips provides up to six hours of playing time. The average
book consists of two cassettes. Music Services. Persons interested in music materials may receive them directly from the Music Section of NLS. The collection consists of scores in
Braille and large print; and books about music in Braille and large print and elementary instruction for voice, piano, organ, guitar, recorder, accordion, banjo, and harmonica in
recorded form. The national music collection, the largest of its kind in the world, contains more than 30,000 items
Volunteer Services
Free correspondence courses leading to certification in
Braille transcribing (literary, music, and mathematics Braille) and Braille proofreading are offered. Voice auditions and informal training are given to volunteer tape narrators
affiliated with local recording groups. A directory of volunteer groups that produce books for libraries and individuals is published frequently. Volunteers may call on NLS
staff for their expertise in transcription and recording techniques Telephone Pioneers and other volunteers repaired 137,300 talking-books and cassette machines in 1993. Information
Services .
Questions on various aspects of blindness and physical disabilities may be sent to NLS or to any network library. This service is available without charge to
individuals, organizations and libraries. Publications of interest to people with disabilities and service providers are free on request.
Consumer Relations
The consumer relations officer maintains regular contact
with consumer groups and individual users of the program to identify and resolve serious problems and to assure that users' needs are being met. Participating in surveys, evaluating
new equipment, and serving on advisory committees are some of the ways in which consumers contribute to program development.
Research and Development
The NLS research program is directed toward
improving the quality of reading materials and playback equipment, controlling program costs, and reducing the time required to deliver services to users. Current research activities
include (I) the study of the centralization of storage and delivery of Braille books and NLS audio playback equipment, (2) the development of new mailing containers for Braille books,
(3) the application of digital techniques to NLS recorded material, and (4) the thorough investigation of recent and potential audio technologies for possible use in the program.
Production costs average six dollars for a cassette book and three dollars for a book on flexible disk.
For further information ask your local public librarian (or call
1-800-BRAILLE [272 4553]) for more information about the program and how to apply for service. |
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