NLS Factsheets

Music Services for Blind and Physically Handicapped Individuals Issued 2003

Overview

In 1962 a special music collection for blind persons was authorized by Congress as part of its free national library program of braille and recorded books and magazines. In 1966 this program was expanded by law to include physically handicapped individuals. The Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), administers the music program through the NLS Music Section. Music services are provided directly to readers from NLS in Washington, D.C., in contrast to literary braille and recorded materials and playback machines that are distributed by the national network of cooperating libraries. The program of music services includes a circulating collection of braille, large print, and recorded instructional materials and a subscription program of magazines produced in braille, on cassette, and in large print. Musical recordings intended solely for listening are not part of the music collection, as these materials are readily available from stores and local public libraries.

Eligibility and Application for service

To be eligible for music services, an individual must:

Reside in the United States or its territories or be a U.S. citizen living abroad. Blind and physically handicapped persons in foreign countries may also be able to receive some NLS music services via international interlibrary loan.
Be unable to read standard print due to temporary or permanent visual or physical disability.

Anyone currently registered with a library in the NLS network of cooperating regional and sub-regional libraries qualifies automatically to receive music services and should contact the NLS Music Section directly for music materials. Others wishing to sign up for service must complete and return the "Application for Library Service: Individuals" to their cooperating library or directly to the NLS Music Section. This application must include written certification from a "competent authority" that the applicant is unable to read standard print due to temporary or permanent visual or physical disability. The application provides the definition and types of "competent authority." Free cassette players needed for instructional music material in specialized formats must be obtained from the cooperating regional library.

The Collection

The special music collection consists of more than 30,000 braille and large-print music scores, texts, and instructional recordings about music and musicians on cassette. Some items are purchased from national and international commercial sources. Other materials are selected and produced in braille and audio formats by NLS, with permission of composers, authors, and publishers. Also, some titles are originally developed for the NLS program. The collection includes materials from elementary to advanced levels. Holdings are searchable online at nlscatalog.loc.gov. Persons registered for NLS music services may borrow items on three-month loan, with three-month renewals. Additional books about music and musicians are found in the general NLS collection circulated by the network of cooperating libraries.

Braille.

Braille titles make up the largest portion of the collection. These include braille music transcriptions of the standard eighteenth and nineteenth century repertoire for most instruments, with emphasis on piano, vocal and choral music. The braille collection also contains earlier and later classical music, popular music, textbooks, librettos, and instructional method books.

Web-Braille.

A growing number of braille music scores is available in an electronic format via the Internet. To access these music files, eligible program users must first receive a username and password from either their cooperating network library or the NLS Music Section. When these are received, the music files can be browsed online or downloaded for later reading or embossing. A list of available titles is on the web www.loc.gov/nls/braille/musiclst.html, and there is a link to each music file from its record in the online catalog <nlscatalog.loc.gov>.

Other Web-Braille: Musical Mainstream for registered Web-Braille readers

Large Print.

Large-print music with a minimum of 14-point type size and a staff size of one inch is available for piano, voice, and other instruments. The large-print collection also includes books about music, librettos, biographies of popular and classical musicians, general music histories, and some music reference works.

Recordings.

The NLS music collection contains a variety of instructional recordings on cassette. These include music theory, appreciation, interviews and master classes, opera lectures, history, and biographical sketches of pop, jazz, and classical musicians with examples of their art. A number of recorded titles are devoted to instruction in playing various instruments (e.g., guitar, piano, organ, recorder).

Magazines

Six music magazines are available by direct-mail subscription to registered users of the program. Subscriptions may be obtained through the local cooperating network library or the NLS Music Section. The magazines are:

Musical Mainstream: published quarterly in large print, braille, Web-Braille, and recorded cassettes, is an NLS-compiled sampler from national magazines, containing current articles on classical music and music education.; Musical Mainstream for registered Web-Braille readers; Frequently Asked Questions About Web-Braille
Contemporary Soundtrack: A Review of Pop, Jazz, Rock and Country: is a bimonthly NLS-compiled sampler containing articles from national magazines. It is published on cassettes.
Popular Music Lead Sheets: published four times a year in braille, is an NLS-compiled collection of melodies, lyrics and chords to popular songs ranging from "golden oldies" to recent hits. All issues are also available on web-braille.; PMLS List of Songs; PMLS Songs in Web-Braille; Frequently Asked Questions About Web-Braille
Sound and Vision: is a monthly publication, on cassette, containing reviews of audio recordings and equipment.
Quarterly Music Magazine: on cassette, consists, in each issue, of a single issue of a different, complete music magazine chosen from known commercial publications.
Braille Music Magazine: is a monthly British publication containing articles and criticism from British classical music magazines.

Music Section on the Web

Please check the Music Section's page on the NLS website www.loc.gov/nls/music for news of the Section, The Metropolitan Opera broadcast schedule, and music circulars and catalogs available on the web.

Catalogs and Circulars Available from the Music Section

Use the Music Section online orderform to request publications and sample issues of magazines.

For further information, contact:

Music Section
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
The Library of Congress
Washington, D.C. 20542
800-424-8567
nlsm@loc.gov

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Posted on 2007-06-14