What is a Talking Books Library?

A Talking Books Library is part of a nationwide network of cooperating libraries serving people who have difficulty using or reading regular print. Such libraries loan books and magazines printed in Braille and the compatible playback equipment from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), and the Library of Congress. All materials are sent to patrons and returned to the library via postage-free mail.

The Cabell County Library is one of the three libraries in the state of West Virginia certified as a network or sub-regional library of the NLS, the Library of Congress, and the West Virginia Library Commission Special Services. We provide this service for people with special needs in Cabell, Wayne, Mason, Mingo and Putnam counties.

What do we offer?

Talking Books offers services that are numerous and indispensable. Digital audiobooks are the most requested service provided through the mail free of charge. These books are on a specialized flash drive contained in a plastic cartridge that users can easily insert into the provided digital talking book machine. 

There are more than 20,000 titles housed in the downtown library appealing to a wide variety of reading interests. Choose from current bestsellers, mysteries, romances, westerns, classics, biographies, and historical novels, as well as books about history, science, psychology, inspirational materials, and The Bible.
 
Talking Books offers other services for the visually impaired including a Perkins Brailler (typewriter) and large-print catalogs to assist you in selecting recorded books. Descriptive videos are offered through the library's audio-visual department. The reference department on the library's second floor has a public computer equipped with Windows XP magnification set up. They also offer the newly upgraded Window-Eyes software (Version 6.1) that reads web pages and other computer-based programs to aid the visually impaired.

Who is Eligible for Service?

• People unable to read regular print due to blindness or a visual disability.
• People unable to hold books or turn pages due to a physical disability.

These disabilities do not have to be permanent for you to qualify for the service. Persons with a temporary disability, such as impairment due to accident or surgery, are also eligible. In certain instances, individuals with reading disabilities such as dyslexia are also eligible, but they must provide medical certification.

To qualify, individuals must submit an application that includes a referral from a medical specialist, teacher, or librarian to attest to that person's impairment. After enrollment, tapes may be delivered free of charge through the mail or they may be picked up at the downtown library. Residents of nursing or personal care homes are also eligible for this service.

How do I apply?

Simply fill out the application at the Cabell County Public Library, request one to be mailed to you, or click here to download a copy.