US Nat’l Library Service (NLS) for Blind and Physically Handicapped

[San Diego]

I have recently found this to be an awesome resource, as I can no longer read books - the words run together and I get dizzy and nauseated trying to track across the pages. I also can’t follow any plots, as my brain is too busy just trying to get through the text.

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped:

Application: found HERE.
It’s quick and easy, but does require a signature from a “"certifying official. I used my doctor.

Submission of application: find location of your regional talking book library HERE.
Once the application is complete, you send it to your regional talking book library location. They will likely have a separate department to handle everything. I’ve found them to be extremely helpful.

Approval:
My approval took about a week. I then started receiving newsletters, but no official “welcome” package, per se.

BARD: online application HERE.
This is the app and service for downloading audio books to your own devices (cell phone, tablet, etc). I had a few glitches with this, so called my library and they got me approved in minutes.

 

[bobby]

Reading books is one of the things I miss so much. It's such a good pass time, as if you're traveling somewhere without even leaving your house. I first tried books with extra big letters from my local library, but that wasn't that different from regular books. I've tried audio books too, but I find it hard to follow the plot, I guess cause there's no visual input... Or maybe I chose the wrong stories?

@San Diego do you choose a certain kind of books, with easy to follow plots? Are the voices pleasant? A voice can make or break an audio book experience I think...

 

[San Diego]

@San Diego do you choose a certain kind of books, with easy to follow plots? Are the voices pleasant? A voice can make or break an audio book experience I think...

I only listened to one complete book on BARD so far - a book I knew from my youth so it was vaguely familiar. I tried others on Audible, but found the interface harder.

The voices vary - some are men, some are women, accents vary, etc. What I like about the BARD app is the ability to slow (or speed) the playback to a comfortable pace, in 5% increments.

And you are right - no plot twists or mysteries for me. I tried to listen to one book like that, and after my friend tried (in vain) to explain it to me several times, I gave up. I couldn’t even keep up who’s who, and there were only 6 main characters.

I, too, desperately miss reading.

 

[Who Me?]

Fortunately I am able to read as long as it's trashy romance crap where I don't have to remember much.

Because I can't stand to listen to anything except the drone of the tv, this would be torture for me. But good find!

 

[bobby]

What I like about the BARD app is the ability to slow (or speed) the playback to a comfortable pace, in 5% increments.

I like that! I slow down the playback speed on youtube when someone talks too fast. And also on this browser extension I have that converts text to speech.