Borrowing Books

Library books are offered in alternative formats other than standard print.

Books available for Borrowing: Braille, Large Print, Digital Talking

 

Some titles are available in only one medium, while others are offered in two or more. For example, a book may be in large print only. Another title may be in Braille and a Digital Talking Book, but not large print.

The Library also contains a special collection on blindness in standard print.

Sources of Books

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), a division of the Library of Congress, oversees the production and distribution of books in audio and Braille. The majority of our leisure-reading books are provided by NLS.

The Library also coordinates the efforts of volunteer narrators and Braillists who fulfill patron requests, producing job materials, textbooks, magazines, and collection items. Our volunteers contribute thousands of hours each year to transcribe materials for our patrons.

Digital Formats

Our audio books are recorded in a digital format that requires the use of Library-provided Digital Talking Book Machines (DTBM) for playback. They are compact, easy to use, and feature superior sound quality.

Ordering Books

You may choose the books you want to read, using the On-line Public Access Catalog (OPAC), or have the Library choose for you based on the reader profile you help us create. Our goal is to provide you with reading material on a steady basis.