Thanks to a partnership with the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), the Mississippi Library Commission serves as a free public library service for eligible Mississippi residents of all ages and for institutions that serve these individuals, such as schools, hospitals, or living facilities. This free library program allows patrons to receive digital audio, Braille, and large print materials directly at their homes. Patrons also have the option of downloading books and magazines directly to an assistive reading device provided by the library or a personal device in audio or Braille format.

Eligible individuals may:

• have blindness, low vision, or be unable to comfortably read standard print books
• have arthritis or other conditions that make it difficult to hold books or turn pages
• have dyslexia or other reading disabilities
• have perceptual conditions that make focusing on a standard print book difficult

Click here for more information on applications and eligibility.

Talking Book Services

The Talking Books collection offers a wide range of popular fiction and nonfiction titles for adults, teens, and children. The collection holdings may be searched by anyone using the online catalog, but only registered Talking Book Services patrons may place requests.

Materials include:

• Audio books and magazines on digital cartridge
• Braille books and magazines in physical form and in e-Braille for digital cartridge
• Large print books
• BARD (direct download app for Braille and Audio)
• Sensory story kits
• Children’s Twin Vision Books (print/Braille)

Specialized Talking Book Players and Braille e-Readers are also provided on loan at no charge to patrons. Equipment includes:

• Audio playback machines
• Adaptive devices such as remote-control units and headphone adapters
• Headphones and pillow speakers
• Refreshable Braille Display devices (e-Readers) with carrying case
• iBill Currency Readers

Materials are mailed directly to the individual’s home in special returnable packaging and may be returned to MLC at no cost through the U.S. Postal Service under the “Free Matter for the Blind and Physically Handicapped” privilege.

Other services include:

• In-house Braille printing
• Foreign Language Materials
• NLS Music Service
• And more…

BARD: Braille & Audio Reading Download

The BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) service allows Talking Book Services patrons with internet access and an email address to search for and download titles to their personal device or to an assistive reading device provided by the library for immediate reading. New titles are frequently added to this service.

Large Print Direct

Talking Book Services patrons may also receive Large Print materials mailed directly to their homes at no cost with our Large Print Direct service. A monthly catalog with new titles is mailed to Large Print Direct patrons, who then choose the books they would like to receive via order form or phone call. New patrons can receive four books, and established patrons can receive up to 10. Large print books can be searched through MLC’s standard catalog.
To learn more about this service, contact JD Burns, Patron Services Coordinator, at 601-432-4140.

The Reading Light

Talking Book Services publishes a quarterly newsletter, The Reading Light, that is available in PDF and audio formats. Patrons can choose between these formats: email, large print paper copy, Braille, or audio.

Sign up here to have The Reading Light sent to your inbox.

National Library Service (NLS): That All May Read

The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled at the Library of Congress administers this free national library program. Established by an Act of Congress in 1931 to serve blind adults, the program was expanded in 1952 to include children, in 1962 to provide music materials, in 1966 to include individuals with other physical disabilities that prevent reading regular print, and in 2016 to permit NLS to provide refreshable Braille displays. The NLS program is funded annually by Congress, and books and materials are mailed as Free Matter for the Blind or Handicapped through a separate appropriation to the United States Postal Service. Network libraries like MLC’s Talking Book Services are funded through a combination of state, local, or federal sources. Learn more about NLS here.

Outreach

Our TBS staff are available to come talk with or give a presentation to your group about our services, where we can also sign up eligible patrons on the spot. Whether it’s a school, library, assisted living facility, veterans’ group, civic group, or other meeting, contact us today to get a visit scheduled at talkingbooks@mlc.lib.ms.us.