Submitted by Adam Szczepaniak, Director, New Jersey State Library Talking Book and Braille Center
The services of the New Jersey State Library Talking Book and Braille Center (TBBC) are going local thanks to the “Outspoken Library” project. Libraries registered for the program receive a free kiosk that provides a gateway to TBBC’s specialized services to any New Jersey resident affected by vision loss, a physical handicap or a disability with a visual basis. Forty libraries have already registered.
The concept of the “Outspoken Library” is designed to combine the community connection public libraries have with their patrons and the specialized services offered by TBBC. Participating libraries receive a free computer kiosk and several digital talking book machines for distribution to eligible users. TBBC staff installs the kiosk, conducts staff training and assists with marketing efforts. Local library staff can help patrons by demonstrating how the kiosk works, explaining the eligibility requirements, providing applications and detailing the application process. In many cases, libraries will be able to give users or their caretakers a free digital talking book machine immediately. This service is especially valuable to library users who are experiencing loss of vision for the first time.
Once registered for the program with TBBC, patrons or their caretakers can access the National Library Services Braille and Audio Reading (BARD) Program from any Internet connection. The BARD service offers over 20,000 downloadable audiobooks and 42 magazines. This past summer, New Jersey teens who were registered with the library participated in a pilot program where TBBC provides a smaller player the size of a cell phone used to download digital books.
For additional information on these programs, contact: Adam Szczepaniak, Director, NJSL TBBC, 2300 Stuyvesant Avenue, Trenton, NJ 08618. 609-406-7179, extension 801.