Features
Talking Books: A Specialized Service
Feature: The Talking Book Program is a library service for the blind and physically handicapped in the United States.
LSTA
LSTA Grant funds Assistive Technology at Pickerington Schools
Preble County
Preble County Library provides programs and resources for hearing impaired patrons and schools
Perkins Panda
Perkins Panda Kit for young patrons with special needs
CONGRATULATIONS!
Worthington Public Library awarded 2007 Library of the Year
Library Services to Patrons with Disabilities
June 2007
Talking Books – A Specialized Service
Head, Patron & Catalog Services
Most of us take for granted the ability to sit down, open a book, and begin reading. However, for the estimated 1.3 million people in the United States who are legally blind*, picking up a book to read is not an option.
The Talking Book Program is a library service for the blind and physically handicapped in the United States that is delivered through a network of libraries and agencies coordinated by the Library of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS).
The State Library of Ohio coordinates Ohio’s Talking Book Program and serves as the machine lending agency for the state, providing playback equipment to over 16,000 Ohio residents. In addition, the State Library partners with over 60 local libraries or social service agencies who serve as machine sub-lending agencies and can provide personalized, local service to users. The Regional Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (RLBPH), located in Cleveland and Cincinnati, supply books and magazines on cassette tapes or in Braille. Read more...
* Estimate from the 2005 National Federation of the Blind Annual Report
State Librarian’s Report
State Librarian
We recently had a visiting librarian from Nigeria tour the State Library. At the end of his visit, I asked Professor Gabriel Bunmi Alegbeleye if Nigeria had a service like the Library of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) which specifically provides reading machines and material to the blind and physically handicapped. His reaction was emphatic: “No, oh, no. We do not.” It was clear to me from his reaction that this saddened him. He went on to tell me that there are a great many people in Nigeria who have visual disabilities who would benefit from a program like our NLS. 
This exchange reminded me how lucky we are to have programs which allow us to bring library services to all segments of the community. It is one of the strengths of our library system and something that librarians can all support: equity of access and service.
In our public libraries we serve customers from cradle to grave. This means that we are providing print books, books on tape, books on CD, and ebooks. In addition we offer videos in a variety of formats. As I visit libraries across the state, many librarians tell me that they are reluctant to abandon VHS for DVDs because members of their communities cannot afford DVD players. These librarians feel that to best serve their communities’ needs they must retain and attempt to continue to add videos in VHS format to their collections.
Meanwhile, these same librarians indicate to me that they are working hard to keep the young adults and teens engaged in the library (including introducing social networking into their websites and creating special areas of the building to appeal to them) while they also help prepare our youngest residents to read (see Ohio Ready to Read Initiative).
Libraries deal with diversity in many forms. The diversity of our customers’ abilities, disabilities, interests, and “technology comfort level” impacts the services our libraries offer. Herein lies the challenge. The visit with Professor Alegbeleye made me realize how fortunate we are to have the resources and support to meet this challenge.
Photograph: Professor Gabriel Bunmi Alegbeleye and Jo Budler
