Talking Book Library serves visually impaired

CLEARWATER, Fla. (FOX 13) - As we honor Library Week, a local library is providing audio books for those who can't read standard books.

The Talking Book Library provides audio books for the visually impaired.

"All of our books are stored on very compact rolling stacks," Librarian Erica McCaleb. "We believe that everybody should have access to reading material."

Erica works at Pinellas Talking Book Library in Clearwater.

"We send you everything that you need through the mail, that includes a player that will play our special book cartridges." The library has more than 60,000 audiobooks on site.

"If we don't have something in our collection," said Erica. "We can typically get it for you from one of the other libraries within the state of Florida."

The Talking Book Library is the only sight-impaired library in Pinellas County. More than 4,000 use the service.  

"No matter what your ability is reading is fundamental to a standard of living and we strongly believe that everybody should have access to those materials," Erica said.

Although the service is free, patrons have to get certified by a health professional.

"It can be anything from losing your sight due to macular degeneration or even Parkinson to were you can no longer hold a book comfortably," Erica explained.

Providing a useful service to help the visually impaired get access to reading materials. The library services Pinellas and Sarasota countries. 

For more information, visit http://www.pplc.us/tbl/.