Trisha Rao

Feature Story
The Arizona Talking Book Library was founded
in 1970. Like other talking libraries across the country,
it’s part of a program run by the National Library Service
for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), a
division of the Library of Congress. Eligible, registered
people nationwide can access the NLS’s collection of
digital books, magazines, and other resources at no
charge through the BARD (Braille and Audio Reading
Download) system.
Many of the books recorded at the Arizona Talking
Book Library are available to people nationwide digitally
through BARD. Recordings are also put on USB flash
drives and cartridges for free local and interlibrary
loan use. “We specialize in books about Arizona or by
Arizona authors or the Southwest in general,” explains
Fisher. For example, the Arizona Talking Book Library
will be recording audio issues of Story Monsters Ink
magazine, which is published by Arizona-based Five Star
Publications, Inc. Talking libraries in other states offer
their own regional content. “The National Library Service
does the overlap,” explains Fisher.
Talking libraries will also often create special niche
recordings. For example, the Arizona Talking Book
Library offers the Foreign Policy Associations’ annual
Great Decisions series in a digital format. This political,
historical information is widely anticipated to the point
where Fisher receives calls from people in other states to
see when it will be available. “It feels good to know that
people are eagerly anticipating using a service we offer,”
says Fisher. “Knowing that something we do adds value
to their life and enhances their knowledge of the world
means a lot to us.”
There are three recording studios at the Arizona
Talking Book Library, plus an additional studio in
Mesa, a short distance away. A studio manager works
with volunteers interested in narrating. “We have so
many volunteers who want to narrate, we have to
audition people,” says Fisher, adding that narrators select
the book they’ll be recording. “If they like the book, we
tend to get better results.”
The studios are constantly producing new audio material.
According to Fisher, as of 2015, the Arizona Talking
Book Library held 125,960 digital audio cartridges. “We
record as much as possible,” she says. Each recording is
an extensive process, typically taking three months to
complete. “A volunteer narrator might record 20 to 30
pages each time he or she comes in,” says Fisher. “That
Volunteer narrator Pam Fischer
will be recording future issues
of Story Monsters Ink for the
Talking Book Library.
might be for two or three hours once a week or every
other week.” Once recorded, each tape is reviewed and
edited as needed. “Our goal is to have a quality product,”
says Fisher. “We strive to meet National Library Service
standards so our recordings can be put up on BARD and
many people can hear them.”
Talking libraries fulfill the needs of book enthusiasts of
all ages and abilities who are unable to read conventional
printed materials. While many books are widely available
in Braille, Fisher says it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.
“Not every visually impaired person knows Braille,” she
says. Talking libraries are also utilized by sighted people
with other limitations. “They might not be able to pick
up or hold a book,” says Fisher. “We’re also an option for
someone with only one hand who can’t position a book
or turn pages. There are a lot of reasons someone might
need to ‘read’ books in a digital format.”
Like any library, the Arizona Talking Book Library has
a system that lists all of its books. However, technology
allows for a much more detailed inventory. “If one of our
users requests a western, for example,” says Fisher, “the
computer can quickly scan what’s available, detect which
ones the user hasn’t read yet, select one of those to send
out, and print out a mailing label. It’s incredible.” Because
of this system, the Arizona Talking Book Library sends
out a whopping 2,000 to 3,000 digital books per day.
Fisher raves about her small, devoted staff. Of special
note are the reader advisors who help users select books
StoryMonstersInk.com | June 2016 | Story Monsters Ink 13