Guidelines for Using Talking and Braille Books in Your School or Classroom

Please review these important reminders about the services you receive from our library.

Applications

Please submit new applications for any eligible students in your school who have not previously used our audio or Braille books. Individual applications for home library service are available for download. Once a student has been registered, they will receive a digital player for home use, and they will also be able to sign up for downloadable books through the Braille and Audio Reading Download service (BARD).
When sending in an application to register a student for home library service, please indicate specific titles needed for English or Literature classes if you have that information. Those titles will be sent out as soon as the application is processed and the registration set up. Students can also sign up for BARD once they are registered, and download titles needed for required reading. Registration of new patrons may take up to five business days.
Make sure all applications are properly certified. Contact us if you have any questions about eligibility, or the application process. You may also review our Eligibility guidelines for further information.

Overdue Books: Please return all audio or braille books that were borrowed during the previous school year, so that these titles are available for all eligible students who need them. You may contact us at any time to request a list of books currently checked out to your school.
Downloadable Books through BARD: Your school is eligible to sign up for an institutional account through BARD, in order to download books for students who are receiving Talking Book Services. Students who register for home service can also apply for their own BARD account, and download books as individuals. For complete information or to access BARD applications, please see our BARD page.
Summer Reading: Our library has thousands of titles that are appropriate for required or recreational summer reading. If students who are registered for home library service need specific titles for summer reading, please let us know before the end of the school year, so that we can assure availability. Visit our website for NYS Summer Reading Program for more information.
Textbooks: Textbook and curriculum-based material is not part of our library collection. Learning Ally, is the main source of recorded textbooks in the U.S. For information about braille or large print textbooks for students, please contact the Resource Center at the New York State School for the Blind.

You may reach our library by calling 1-800-342-3688 or by sending an e-mail to tbbl@nysed.gov. If you e-mail us, please include the name of your school or indicate "TBBL request" in the subject line.
Applications and book requests may also be sent to our library by fax, 518)-474-7041.
Our library is closed on all state holidays, but you may call at any time during a holiday, evening, or weekend and leave us a message. If you call our library and receive the voicemail message, please leave your full name and a complete phone number, including area code, where we can reach you. We will call you back as soon as possible.
If your school has had a recent change in contact person, address, phone, or email address, please let us know so that library materials sent out to your school will not be delayed.

Please contact us with any questions or concerns about our program or services.