Recorded materials loaned free (by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress), are available on digital talking book cartridges and audiocassettes. Both digital and cassette recordings require specially designed playback equipment that is loaned free to eligible individuals and institutions.
Every patron is allowed to have one Cassette Book Machine (cassette player) and one Digital Talking Book Machine (either a Standard or an Advanced model).
The Talking Books and Braille Library is currently transitioning from cassette books and cassette players to digital cartridges and digital players, a process that will take several years to complete. Please contact your reader advisor if you would like to borrow a digital talking book player and digital books. The Library asks that you hold onto your cassette player even if you receive the new digital player since a large portion of the collection remains on audiocassette.
All playback equipment comes with recorded, large print, and Braille instructions. If you have questions regarding the instructions, please contact your reader advisor. Please keep the box in which your machine arrived. DO NOT THROW AWAY THE BOX OR THE RETURN CARD THAT IS ATTACHED. You may need to return your machine at some point if it malfunctions.
Recorded books from TBBL will play on the playback equipment loaned out to you. Our cassette books and digital cartridges are recorded at special speeds. For example, the unique four-track format of our cassette tapes allows us to put more material on each tape, reducing the number of tapes needed to record a book. This special format also protects the copyright.
