Lee Memorial Library is Partnering to serve those who have Print Impairments

Posted by on Dec 8, 2015 in Announcements | 0 comments

Allendale, NJ December 7, 2015– The New Jersey State Library Talking Book & Braille Center (TBBC) and the Lee Memorial Library have partnered to bring TBBC’s no-cost services to the Lee Memorial Library. Anyone who has difficulty reading standard print or holding a book or turning the pages of a book may be eligible. Once registered for the program with TBBC, residents will be able to select from these no-cost services, referred to as the Outspoken Library:

  • Accessible Audiobook player
  • Audiobooks
  • Braille books
  • Downloadable audiobooks, audio magazines and Braille files for Braille readers.
  • Access to BARD Mobile, an app for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch
  • News reading services, such as Audiovision and Newsline.

As part of this collaboration, the Lee Memorial Library is participating in a pilot project to assist registered TBBC members to download audiobooks and audio magazines from the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) web site. BARD is provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, a division of the U.S. Library of Congress. The BARD downloading process can be complicated, so this pilot project allows libraries to provide local assistance.

“This initiative will help us expand the services of the Talking Book and Braille Center to new, underserved populations in New Jersey,” said Adam Szczepaniak, director of TBBC. “It will help to make a difference for those who, for whatever reason, have difficulty reading printed material. This is an important partnership for TBBC.”

Library staff will be available to help TBBC members download audiobooks to flash drives. TBBC members can bring their flash drives to their local library and librarians will assist them.

            “Outspoken Library is available to all those qualified. Although you’ll register directly with the TBBC, Lee Memorial Library is your local source for assistance. We’re here to ensure that anyone in Allendale who can, is setup to take advantage of these amazing services.

For more information, please call the Circulation Desk at 201-327-4338.