Library Services for Kern County Residents with Low to No Vision
More than 1.4 million books on audio, in braille, and in large-print format, are now available for Kern County residents who are visually impaired or physically disabled.
The following materials are made possible through a partnership with our Southern California service organization, Braille Institute.- Digital Player (Talking Book Player) – Digital/Cartridge
- Braille Readers (eReader)
- Electronic Braille Files (BRF), PDFs, Electronic Files
- Victor Reader Stream (Plays Audio Books – Portable note taker reads digital files)
- Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) – like Audible, Books Magazines (Audio and Braille) and Music scores.
Services are 100% free to eligible patrons. Follow the steps below and let us help you today!
Sign Up in a Few Easy Steps
STEP 1: Meet Eligibility Requirements
To receive services, you must meet the following criteria, which must be documented by a competent authority such as a physician, nurse, optometrist, therapist, hospital or nursing-home professional, social worker or librarian. Family members are not eligible to certify as a competent authority.
- Persons who are “legally blind,” which means that your vision is 20/200 or less in your better eye with corrective lenses. People with 20/200 vision can only see at 20 feet letters that a healthy eye can see at 200 feet. You are also legally blind if the widest diameter of your visual field is 20 degrees or less in your better eye. In other words, you are legally blind if you cannot read the big “E” on an eye chart at 20 feet.
- Persons with a visual disability who are unable to read standard print even with correction and despite optical measurement.
- Persons who cannot hold a book or handle standard printed materials because of physical limitations.
- Persons with a reading disability resulting from organic dysfunction that is sufficiently severe to prevent them from reading standard printed material.
STEP 2: Complete and Submit an Application
Download the application below and complete all the required fields. Once completed, mail in the application for review.
Once your application is processed, a Braille Institute Reader Advisor will be available to help you select titles of interest to you, assist you in choosing the right playback machine, and guide you through using the Braille Institute’s library services.
If you have trouble downloading this form, please call the Braille Institute’s toll-free line at (800) 808-2555 and they can send the form to you by standard mail.
STEP 3: Receive a Braille Institute Patron ID Number and Start Using The Library
Once your application is approved, you will receive your Braille Institute Patron ID number. You will use this number to order braille books, magazines, and equipment that will be mailed directly to you! You may also call a Reader Advisor to assist you with ordering books.
Additional Information
What You Can Borrow
As a new patron, you are eligible to borrow audio or braille books on cartridge, and subscribe to magazines on cartridge or in braille. The collection includes foreign-language audio books. All titles have call numbers preceded by the following codes:
BR: Braille Books
DB: Digital Books
Catalogs
Catalogs of new books are distributed every two months. Access the online version of Talking Book Topics or the Braille Book Review on the NLS site as HTML, PDF, or audio files. And you’ll receive the Braille Institute’s quarterly newsletter, Librarian, which is available in large print, braille, or audio (contact a reader advisor)
Search Thousands of Titles
The Braille Institute has an extensive collection of books and magazines for both children and adults. To discover all the titles offered, you can search through the recently updated online catalog or you can call a Braille Institute Reader Advisor at (800) 808-2555. You can also e-mail readers@brailleinstitute.org to obtain more information.
Our Reader Advisors
If you ever have trouble selecting books, our Reader Advisors will be more than willing to help you. They can suggest titles based on your interests or help you find titles by your favorite authors. To contact a Braille Institute Reader Advisor please email: readers@brailleinstitute.org
Your Playback/Talking Book Machine
Your loaned playback machine should arrive approximately a month after your initial book order. You may keep the equipment as long as needed, provided you borrow reading materials from us regularly.
Machine and Cartridge Care
- Don’t expose your machine or cartridges to extreme heat or cold.
- Be sure to listen to the recorded instructions supplied with your unit.
- Keep food and liquids away from your machine and cartridges.
- If your machine needs repair, please do not attempt to do it yourself or have it repaired. Simply contact bils@brailleinstitute.orgfor assistance and you will be sent a replacement.
- If you need assistance operating the machine or find that a cartridge is defective, please call a Braille Institute Reader Advisor at (800) 808-2555.
Books and Magazines in Alternative Formats (BARD)
Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) is a program offered by the National Library Service and Braille Institute Library. This free program allows patrons to download both audio and electronic Braille titles from an extensive collection of titles.
To use BARD, you must have a Braille Institute Library account (see application for library services on this page). You must also obtain an account at the BARD website. Once you have an account, you can save the books to a storage device and play them on your digital talking book player. E-mail us at bils@brailleinstitute.org for assistance with this process.
Need More Assistance or Have Questions? Help is available!
If you have any questions or need help with braille books, magazines or equipment, please call (800) 808-2555 or email bils@brailleinstitute.org.
