The Northeast Georgia Talking Book Center provides free library services for patrons with visual, physical, and reading disabilities. The Center loans books and magazines on cassette tapes or in Braille, as well as the necessary cassette players. Books and players are mailed back and forth at no cost to the patron.

The recorded books, machines, and catalogs are provided by the Library of Congress' National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Operating funds are provided by the State of Georgia, and the Center is housed in and administered by the Athens-Clarke County Library.

We serve 21 counties: Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Franklin, Greene, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hancock, Hart, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Putnam, Rabun, Stephens, Walton, and White.

Eligibility

You are eligible for the Northeast Georgia Talking Book Center if:

• You are legally blind
• Your vision is 20/200 or less with correcting lenses
• Your widest diameter of visual field is no greater than 20 degrees
• You cannot see well enough or focus long enough to read standard print, even with correcting lenses
• You are unable to handle print books or turn pages due to a physical disability (including paralysis, arthritis, extreme weakness, and other causes)
• You are certified by a doctor as having a reading disability due to an organic dysfunction that is severe enough to prevent you from reading standard print

All applications MUST be certified by a certifying authority, who cannot be related to the applicant. Recognized certifying authorities include:

Visual and Physical Impairment:

• Doctors of medicine or osteopathy
• Registered nurses
• Ophthalmologists
• Optometrists
• Therapists
• Professional staff of hospitals, institutions, and public or private welfare agencies (e.g.: social workers, caseworkers, counselors, rehabilitation teachers, and superintendents)

• Doctors of medicine or osteopathy

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Digital Books: The Future of Talking Books

The National Library Service currently operates primarily on cassette tapes. However, the upgrade to digital has begun and the Talking Book Center began giving out digital players to patrons at the end of 2009. The new players are smaller, lighter, more durable, and have improved user functions and sound quality. Books are recorded on plastic cartridges using flash memory technology.

The Talking Book Center currently has two digital players on display. Patrons and the public are invited to come visit the Center and try out the new players.

Veterans have first priority for digital players. All other players are being distributed via a lottery system. If you are a patron of the Talking Book Center and are interested in receiving a digital player, please contact the Center at 1-800-531-2063.

If you would like to host a digital Talking Books presentation, please call us at 1-800-531-2063. Staff members are happy to schedule demonstrations for staff meetings, clubs, organizations, or other interested groups.

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BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download)

NLS has recently opened their download service to all active Talking Books patrons. This is a free service featuring thousands of downloadable Talking Books and magazines.

Patrons can register for BARD by visiting https://nlsbard.loc.gov. You will need an active email address and high-speed internet to register and download books. Once books are downloaded, they can be stored on a flash drive or other memory card. These books will currently only play on the following players:

• NLS-provided digital machine (DTBM)
• APH Braille Plus Mobile Manager
• HIMS BookSense
• Humanware Victor Reader Stream
• LevelStar Icon
• PLEXTALK Pocket PTP1

Patrons who are interested in BARD can learn more at https://nlsbard.loc.gov or by contacting the Talking Book Center at 1-800-531-2063.

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Materials Available from the Talking Book Center:

• Books: Recorded and Braille books from a national collection of over 60,000 titles that include a variety of popular interest writings such as bestsellers, classics, mysteries, biographies, westerns, children's books, and foreign language materials.


• Magazines: Patrons can subscribe to over 70 popular magazines on cassette or in braille, including Good Housekeeping, Guideposts, and Sports Illustrated. You can find a list of all available magazines here.


• Newspapers: The Talking Book Center records compilations from the Athens-Banner Herald, Oconee Enterprise, Oglethorpe Echo, and Gwinnett Daily Post weekly. Patrons are also eligible for NFB-Newsline, which provides additional newspapers by telephone.


• Described Videos: The Center has a private collection of descriptive videos, which are movies augmented with a narration track to make them accessible to the visually-impaired. They are in VHS format and will play in a standard VCR. Described videos are mailed in red, zippered pouches. A list of available videos can be found here.


• Catalogs: Registered borrowers learn about new books added to the collection through two bi-monthly publications, Talking Book Topics and Braille Book Review. These are available in large print, recorded, or Braille format. Some printed back issues are available from the Center, and online catalogs can be found at www.loc.gov/nls and www.klas.com/glass


• Equipment and Accessories: Special playback equipment is needed to listen to the books and magazines produced by the Talking Book Center. This equipment is loaned to eligible users free of charge for as long as the individual is a user of the reading material provided by NLS and its cooperating libraries. Accessories are available which will help readers with limited mobility or hearing impairment use the equipment.


• Other Assistive Devices and Equipment: The Talking Book Center also has hardware available for in-house use, including a Perkins Brailler, a TTY telephone, a lighted magnifier, an Optelec CCTV, and computers with assistive software.

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Deposit Collections

Institutions that work with eligible individuals (such as schools, assisted livings, nursing homes, hospitals, retirement communities, home health care organizations, and the like) are welcome to sign up for a deposit collection through the Talking Book Center. A deposit collection allows the institution to borrow materials and rotate them among eligible users. Please contact the library for more information.

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Outreach

The Talking Book Center continually strives to educate the community about Talking Books and identify eligible patrons through outreach efforts. Staff members give presentations and demonstrations; attend meetings and support groups; host booths at expos and information fairs; and visit local libraries, schools, and institutions. If you are interested in having a staff member schedule a visit to your gathering or institution, please call the Center at 800-531-2063 or (706) 613-3655.

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Programming

The Talking Book Center currently offers at least 12 programs a year. The first Tuesday of each month at 3:00 pm, TBC welcomes all families to our "Family Day at the (Described) Movies." This program features a family-friendly film shown on the big screen. The films are part of the Center's descriptive video collection, which have a narration track added between dialogue to aid low-vision viewers.

The programs are held in the Athens-Clarke County Library Auditorium and are free and open to the public. For more information, watch the ACCL Events Newsletter or call the Talking Book Center at 1-800-531-2063.

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Volunteers

The Talking Book Center depends on volunteers to help provide quality service to its patrons. Volunteers inspect, rewind, and shelve all incoming books as well as record the weekly newspapers, assist with daily mail, help prepare our newsletter, and occasionally record materials requested by patrons.

If you are interested in volunteering at the Talking Book Center, please call Sarah Hoskins at 706-613-3650 x. 342 or complete the volunteer form.

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Insight Newsletter & News Blog

The Center issues a brief quarterly newsletter. Insight is available in large print, on cassette, and via email. You may also view our current issue online. Insight provides patrons with helpful information on various disabilities and services. To request our newsletter via email, please send a request to talkingbooks@athenslibrary.org. Past issues of Insight can also be found in our archives.

The Center also maintains a news blog. This blog is designed to keep patrons informed about events, resources, programs, services, and other useful information. You can view the blog at www.negatalkingbooks.blogspot.com.

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Community Resources/Links

• VISTAS Center –The Center's mission is to help promote self-sufficiency for the visually impaired by using advanced technologies to provide them and their families with training, education, and advocacy services. The Center is located in Athens, Georgia and can be reached at (706) 583-8001.
• Multiple Choices Center for Independent Living – The Center attempts to break down barriers by enhancing the quality of life and empowering people with disabilities through advocacy, education, and training. The Center is located in Athens, Georgia and can be reached at (706) 549-1020.
• American Council of the Blind – The Council represents the blind population by providing awareness, education, and support. Located in Washington, DC, the Council has been instrumental in legal advancement of Americans with disabilities.
• American Federation of the Blind – The Federation works extensively to improve electronic accessibility to the visually impaired. They offer consulting services, media production, accessibility research, and product evaluations.
• National Federation of the Blind - The NFB improves blind people's lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence. The NFB also opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind.
• Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic – A nonprofit organization that records books on tape. This is a good source for textbooks. The Athens chapter can be reached at (706) 549-1313.
• Lighthouse International – A nonprofit organization that is dedicated to preserving vision and offers clinical services, education, research, and advocacy.

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