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Hillsborough Talking Book LibraryEligibility
A resident of Florida who has any one of the following physical conditions is available for this special service:
- Blind persons whose visual acuity 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.
- Persons whose visual disability, with correction and regardless of optical measurement, prevents the reading of standard material.
- Inability to hold a book, turn pages, or focus on printed material because of muscle or nerve deterioration, or paralysis. Examples of physical disabilities where these conditions are present are: cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, arthritis, and polio myelitis
- The condition qualifying a person for this free library service may be temporary, as in recuperation from eye surgery.
- 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.
* In cases of reading disability, competent authority is defined as
D.M. (doctors of medicine) or D.O. (doctors of osteopathy).
What Is Available
Talking books and magazines recorded on cassette tape and in braille. Specially designed designed cassette players and other accessories are provided. Materials are loaned free, and are mailed "Free Matter for the Blind or Physically Handicapped". Service is also available to institutions serving eligible individuals. Service is also available to institutions serving eligible individuals.
Readers may choose bestsellers, westerns, romances, classics, mysteries, and a wide variety of non-fiction such as biographies, history, politics, and science. Among the many popular magazines are Good Housekeeping, National Geographic, and Sports Illustrated.
How To Apply
- The application for Talking Book Library service, which can be obtained from the Talking Book Library, Division of Blind Services Offices, and public libraries, should be completed. The application must be signed by a professional familiar enough with the applicant to certify eligibility (See application for guidelines).
- The application should be sent to the Talking Book Library. After the application has been processed by the Library, the applicant will receive the following:
a) A Talking Book Cassette Player.
b) A packet containing catalogs of magazines and books, and information about the procedure for ordering and returning material to the Library.
c) A subscription to Talking Book Topics, a bi-monthly magazine which announces the latest library news and books. A person specifying an interest in braille material will receive a similar publication, Braille Book Review.FAQs
- Why won't the cassette books play on my own personal machine?
So that fewer cassettes are required for each book, cassettes are recorded at half the speed of commercial cassettes and have 4 sides each. A special machines is provided. - What does service cost?
Talking Book Library service is free. All machines and materials are on loan. Machines are loaned for as long as needed, books are loaned for one month. Postage is not necessary. - What if my equipment stops working?
Contact the Talking Book Library. Another machine will be mailed to you. - Must I come to the library to check out Talking Books?
Talking Book service is provided directly to your home by mail, postage free. We also welcome your visit to the library!
For more information, please call or contact us at:
Hillsborough County Talking Book Library
3910 South Manhattan Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33611
813-272-6024
talkingbooks@hillsboroughcounty.org
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