Library launches audio books for visually impaired
Stabroek News
March 1, 2003
The National Library yesterday launched a collection of books recorded on cassettes for the blind and visually impaired.
According to the Chief Librarian Karen George, this is the second such effort on part of the library in recent years, the first being a collection of works in Braille which was started in 1996. These works are now housed in the Reference Department of the library.
The audio collection includes classics by William Shakespeare, George Eliot, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. Modern books from Stephen King, John Grisham and Tom Clancy are also available in audio form.
The general public will eventually have access to the recorded works, but for now, the Chief Librarian said, persons in the blind or visually impaired community will be given priority.
Two years ago, Michael Scanlon of the United States Embassy assisted with the funding for the tape recording equipment the library now has. This was done in conjunction with a trust named in memory of Kirby Simon, who also worked in the United States Foreign Service.
The library will embark on garnering information as to the needs of the blind in terms of reading or research material, with a view to having that material dubbed on to cassettes. To this end, an appeal was made to youth clubs, service organisations and interested persons to volunteer their time in doing recordings which will be made available to those who need them. Persons with audio-books which they are not using will be asked to donate these to the library.
