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By Tracy Grimm, Head, Circulation & Special Services
Jim Buchman, Head of the Talking Book Program at the State Library of Ohio, retired after 30 years of service in September 2011. Jim spent his last five years of library service with the Talking Book Program. He has stated that those years were his most rewarding years of service with the State Library because of the Talking Book Program and the patrons that it serves. Tracy Grimm has replaced Jim as the Head of the Talking Book program and while new to the program, she has been with the State Library for over 20 years. Pictured left to right: Jim Buchman, former Associate State Librarian for Library Service and State Library Board President Ward Murrey.
As many of you know, the Talking Book Program is a library service for the blind and physically handicapped in the United States. This service is delivered through a network of libraries and agencies coordinated by the Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). Any citizen of the United States who is unable to read or use standard print materials as a result of a temporary or permanent visual or physical limitation is eligible for the program.
The State Library Talking Book Program has distributed over 11,000 digital talking book machines to patrons in Ohio since 2009. That number gets larger everyday as staff continues to send out new machines. There is currently no waiting list for the digital talking book machines and a large supply is available for those who want them. There is also a sufficient supply of cassette book machines available to those who might need a replacement. Cassette book machines seem to have a one to two year service life and break down often. The GE Volunteers and the Telephone Pioneer repair groups throughout the State of Ohio continue to repair these machines daily. NLS maintains enough parts and supplies in stock to repair machines through at least 2013. There have been no new cassette book machines in the last three years and there will be no new machines manufactured. The State Library Talking Book Program will continue to work hard throughout 2012 to ensure quality service for all of Ohio’s patrons. Please feel free to contact the Talking Book Program at the State Library for any questions or concerns that you might have about the program. Talking Book staff are here to help and can also send you replacement machines if yours is not operating correctly. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and there is voice mail for after-hours and weekends. You can contact us directly at 1-800-686-1531 or by e-mail at tbooks@library.ohio.gov. Please visit the State Library of Ohio’s website for more information about the program http://library.ohio.gov/PCS/tlk_bk. Download PDF to print this article. Follow the State Library on the Web
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It is hard to believe that 2011 is coming to an end for the Ohio Talking Book Program. 2011 has been a year of changes and awards for the program and both are reasons to celebrate.
In June 2011, the State Library of Ohio was honored to be named the 2010 National Library Service Network Library of the Year along with the Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled (OLBPD). The distribution of the new digital talking book machine and the READ poster featuring the Ohio State School for the Blind Marching Band were all reasons, along with many others, why the State Library and OLBPD were recognized with this prestigious award. Pictured left to right: Jim Buchman, former Associate State Librarian for Library Services; Carolyn Sung, Chief of the NLS Network Division, and Will Reed, Manager of the OLBPD;
