Governor Bill Haslam and other state officials gathered today to commemorate the eightieth anniversary of the National Library Service’s Talking Books program. The program provides audio and Braille books to people who can’t read regular print.
Franklin resident Marty Blackford receives audio books from the program. She has a genetic disease that caused her to lose her vision about 10 years ago.
“When I couldn’t read even large print anymore, Talking Books was there to help me. It’s just been wonderful.”
The program was started by President Herbert Hoover as a way to provide reading materials to blinded World War I veterans. But, it isn’t just for people who are blind. Ruth Hemphill, the director of the Tennessee Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped says 10 percent of Tennessee users have other disabilities.
“You may be able to see just fine, but if you can’t hold a book and turn pages due to arthritis, cerebral palsy, something like that or have a reading disability.”
Tennessee joined the program in 1971. The state now has about 8,000 registered users who borrowed over 180,000 books last year.
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