Free Books for the Blind by Karen Woodworth Roman

Did you know that you, your friend, or your loved one who can't see to read is eligible to borrow recorded books free via mail?

My 95 years old grandmother helped instill the love of reading in her children, grandchildren, and now even to her great-grandchildren. For a number of years she could read large print books which she borrowed from the local public library. For the last several years she has not had adequate vision to read even large print books. It's not that she can't see at all. However, after only a few minutes her eyes tire and she can't go on. My mom tried valiantly to keep grandma in audio books for awhile, but that was expensive. My grandma can easily listen to a book a day.

Just after I received my MS in Library Science, I got the idea to see if she was eligible for books for individuals who are the blind and physically challenged. I easily found the eligibility requirements by searching in Google.

"The following persons are eligible for service:

1. Blind persons whose visual acuity, as determined by competent authority, is 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting lenses, or whose widest diameter of visual field subtends an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees.
2. Other physically handicapped persons are eligible as follows:
   1. Persons whose visual disability, with correction and regardless of optical measurement, is certified by competent authority as preventing the reading of standard printed material
   2. Persons certified by competent authority as unable to read or unable to use standard printed material as a result of physical limitations.
   3. Persons certified by competent authority as having a reading disability resulting from organic dysfunction and of sufficient severity to prevent their reading printed material in a normal manner." http://www.loc.gov/nls/eligible.html

As a librarian, I was able to certify that my grandmother could not read printed materials. The eligibility information lists other individuals such as doctors who are able to certify eligibility.

I filled out an application form which included a short questionnaire regarding her reading likes and dislikes. After she was approved, my grandmother was sent a special tape player. The librarians and workers at The Voices of Vision Talking Book Center, my local Books for the Blind office, are very kind and knowledgeable. They have increased the number of books that my grandmother can have at one time and together we have tweaked her profile of reading preferences. The librarians have done an excellent job of keeping my grandma supplied with books that she enjoys reading. I can also choose book for her.

The books come in green, plastic boxes with labels that have the reader's name on one side and the return address on the other. When the reader is finished, he or she can turn the label over and put the box in outgoing mail. There is no need to pay postage.

If you know someone who could benefit from this service, by all means help them get signed up. Here is a pdf file of the application form.