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Books for Blind and Physically Handicapped Individuals, 2007
A free national library program of braille and recorded materials for blind and physically handicapped persons is administered by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress. Under a special provision of the U.S. copyright law and with the permission of authors and publishers of works not covered by the provision, NLS selects and produces full-length books and magazines in braille and recorded formats. Reading materials are distributed to a cooperating network of regional and subregional (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. Braille books, magazines, and music materials are also made available on the Internet through Web-Braille. 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.
The NLS program is funded annually by Congress. The fiscal year 2007 continuing appropriation is $53,904,510. Regional and subregional libraries receive funding from state, local, and federal sources. Through an additional appropriation to the U.S. Postal Service, books and materials are mailed as "Free Matter for the Blind or Handicapped." The combined annual expenditure for the program is approximately $166 million.
Any resident of the United States or American citizen living abroad 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.
Books are selected on the basis of their appeal to people with a wide range of interests. Bestsellers, biographies, fiction, and how-to books are in great demand. A limited number of titles are produced in Spanish. Registered borrowers learn of new books added to the collection through two bimonthly publications, Braille Book Review and Talking Book Topics. Through an International Union Catalog available on the Internet, every network library has access to the entire NLS book collection and to the resources of cooperating agencies.
More than seventy magazines on audiocassette and in braille are offered. Readers may request free subscriptions to U.S. News and World Report, National Geographic, Consumer Reports, Good Housekeeping, Sports Illustrated for Kids, 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.
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; textbooks and books about music in braille and large print; music appreciation cassettes, including interviews and opera lectures; and self-instructional cassettes for voice, piano, organ, electronic keyboard, guitar, recorder, accordion, banjo, harmonica, and other instruments. Braille scores and books are also available on the Internet.
Playback equipment is loaned free to readers for as long as they borrow recorded materials provided by NLS and its cooperating libraries. Cassette machines are designed for books and magazines 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.
NLS serves as the certifying authority for braille transcribing (literary, music, and mathematics braille) and braille proofreading in the United States. Individuals may contact NLS staff for referrals to training courses leading to certification. Training in audiobook production is also available on request to local recording groups. A directory of agencies and volunteer groups that produce books for libraries and individuals is published periodically.
NLS and network libraries respond to questions on various aspects of blindness and physical disabilities. This service is available without charge to individuals, organizations, and libraries. Publications of interest to people with disabilities and to service providers are free on request.
The consumer relations officer maintains regular contact with consumer groups and individual users of the program to identify and resolve service 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.
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 are focused primarily
on digital audio materials and include (1) the design of playback devices,
(2) the design of a distribution medium, and (3) the design of a new distribution
system.
Ask your local public librarian for more information about the program and how to apply for service. Information is also available on computer diskette or recorded cassette upon request or on the Internet www.loc.gov/nls.
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Posted on 2007-07-16