Services Offered by the Staunton Talking Book Center

The Staunton Talking Book Center offers a service to blind, vision impaired and physically challenged individuals through the provision of reading machines that play specially designed, pre-recorded audio books. These books-on-tape are professionally recorded through a Library of Congress program and they offer a wide array of subjects:  bestsellers, classics, mysteries, westerns, biographies, and children's books. Magazines and Spanish language materials are also available.

The free service-by-mail covers individuals from pre-school age to adults who live in the following geographic area:  Augusta, Bath, Highland and Rockbridge counties and the cities of Buena Vista, Lexington, Staunton and Waynesboro.  An application form certified and signed by a qualified professional must be completed before service can begin. Eligibility requirements are listed in Eligibility page.

You will find answers to many specific questions that you have about the service through the Frequently Asked Questions page.

Further information and printed forms are available by calling the Talking Book Service at 800-995-6215 during business hours, 10 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday.

Readers’ Advisory/Reference Service

Help in choosing or finding books and magazines is a phone call away. Reader-advisors are available during hours of operation to help:

• In signing up for the service
• In choosing books
• Finding books through interlibrary loan
• Finding books in languages other than English
• With problems or concerns about your service
  

Please call 1-800-995-6215 or 1-540-885-6215

Walk-In Service

All area residents registered with the Talking Books Center are welcome to come to the second floor of the Staunton Public Library in person and check out Talking Books. A phone call beforehand is greatly appreciated to assist the patron in a timely manner. Tours of the Talking Books Center library and demonstrations of services and equipment are also available to the general public.

NLS Catalogs

Two bi-monthly magazines announce newly released titles and provide information on related library services:

• Talking Book Topics (large print, audiocassette, braille and online)
• Braille Book Review (large print, Braille and online)
  

You can also access the full National Library Service catalog:

• NLS Online Catalog
  

Web-Braille

Web-Braille is a web-based service that provides access to thousands of Braille books, magazines, and music scores produced by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress. The service also includes a growing collection of titles transcribed locally for cooperating network libraries. The Web-Braille site is password-protected, and all files are in an electronic form of contracted braille that requires the use of special equipment for access.  A Factsheet on the service can be found at http://www.loc.gov/nls/reference/factsheets/webbraille.html.

• Call the TBC office to sign up for the Web-Braille: 800-995-6215
  

Magazines from NLS

The link at the bottom of this description gives access to lists of dozens of magazines produced or distributed by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress, through its free reading program. Individuals who are unable to read or handle conventional print materials because of a visual or a physical impairment are eligible for service.  Titles may be available in single or multiple formats, including digital Braille and digital text. Braille titles may be accessed through Web-Braille, a free Internet service available to eligible readers, for download or use online with Braille output devices. Digital text may be accessed via the Internet or computer diskette.  http://www.loc.gov/nls/reference/circulars/magazines.html

• Call the TBC office to sign up for Magazines from the NLS: 800-995-6215
  

Music Services

The library has books about music, but not musical recordings. The Music Services division of National Library Service provides instructional books, braille and large print scores, and music reference services.

Outreach: Speakers/Displays/Exhibits

TBC staff is interested in sharing information about this program to interested community groups, schools, senior residences, libraries, institutions and organizations. Speakers are available to talk to large or small groups. In addition, promotional brochures and display materials are offered that can be used by organizations to promote the Talking Book Center. Please contact the Talking Book Center to schedule an informative presentation on the Talking Book Program.

Additionally, staff of the Talking Book Center are available to exhibit the library’s program and services for agencies conducting resource or health fairs.