OVER 50 , DO YOU KNOW ?
That those who are vision impaired can receive talking books (cassettes), books in Braille, and books with enlarged print through the Talking Book Program? They carry also a group of over 80 magazines such as Reader’s Digest , Newsweek , Guidepost , Texas Monthly , etc . This service is provided free of charge by the State of Texas. One must fill out an application to receive this service .
The Talking Book Program is available to Texans with visual impairments, physical or reading (learning) disabilities that prevent them from using standard print. In order to receive their free services, you must fill out an application form and have it certified by a professional, such as a nurse, optometrist, teacher, librarian, doctor, or social worker. For this reason, you will not be able to submit the application via the Internet. You can print out a Talking Book Program application (http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/tbp/), fill in the information, and have the form signed by a professional ("certifying authority") who can certify that you meet one of the following criteria for service:
Qualified patrons include Texas residents of all ages who:
You can contact the the Talking Book Program by addressing email to tbp.services@tsl.state.tx.us or by calling (800) 252 9605, and the URL for their website is http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/tbp/.
Books are sent prepaid and a return is also paid for by the State . Equipment to make use of the tapes can be borrowed from the State . If you prefer to purchase this equipment one can call the above number for referrals. Much of the information on the website is available in both English and Spanish .