What Services Are Available?
Books and Magazines | Players | Reader Advisory | Catalog | Public Service Center
Recorded and Braille Books and Magazines
Free Service
and Free Mailing
Almost all of TBBL's service is handled through the mail. Books, magazines, machines, and catalog book orders are sent via the US Postal Service without cost, as Free Matter for the Blind or Handicapped.
There no direct charge to use the library, and borrowers don't have to pay postage to return the books, either.
Eligible adults and children may borrow books on recorded cassette and in braille.
Our book collection is similar to that found in a public library; it consists of popular fiction and nonfiction, as well as general informational and recreational materials for all ages and tastes. See all categories.
Many magazines are also available in braille and recorded formats.
We do not, however, have school textbooks. Please see Textbooks in Alternative Formats for sources of textbooks on tape and in other formats.
Cassette Players
TBBL lends these special cassette players for use with its recorded books. The books are recorded at a speed which is slower than commercial recordings and on four tracks instead of the conventional two. This is both for economy and to preserve copyright. A number of accessories, such as headphones, may be requested. See the Equipment page for more information.
Reader Advisory Services
The library offers borrowers a variety of reader advisory services, including: help choosing books, subject bibliographies, investigation and correction of book supply and other service problems, locating and obtaining books through interlibrary loan, referral to alternative resources, and reference services.
TBBL's Online Public Access Catalog
We offer an online catalog, giving Internet access to outside users and registered library borrowers to search for braille and cassette books in our collection. Additional information about each book in the list of results can be obtained, including author, title, book number, narrator, publication date, reading level, a short description of the contents, and how many copies are currently available.
While anyone can access TBBL's online catalog and search it, you must be a registered library user to submit requests. To do this, you must first contact us to set up your user ID and password.
Registered borrowers should note that, at present, the catalog only allows you to add books to your request list. You cannot have your book orders actually sent to you by this means. You should contact us in the usual way if you want us to issue immediately any of the books you find on the catalog.
From the home page of this website, click on "Catalog (TBBL Books)." Help screens are available to guide you through the search techniques and request submission process, but please contact us at (800) 342-3688 if you need more assistance.
National Library Service (NLS) Catalogs
Two bimonthly magazines (Talking Book Topics
and Braille Book Review), annual cumulations, and subject bibliographies are available to library users in special formats to help them choose books. Library staff have access to computer, and Internet Union Catalogs to assist borrowers in identifying and locating the books they need. Our library is also able to obtain materials through Interlibrary Loan.
Public Service Center
TBBL's Public Service Center is located within the New York State Library on the 7th floor of the Cultural Education Center on Madison Avenue in Albany. Here borrowers may browse in a small braille and cassette book collection, consult with library staff regarding service needs, and make use of a variety of special format reference books and electronic equipment.
Reading aids include:
- a color closed-circuit television enlarging system,
- a braille embosser,
- voice and large print output for computers connected to the TBBL and State Library catalogs and the Internet, and
- a Reading Edge computer that converts print into synthetic speech.