We open the world of reading for the people of Illinois who cannot read print due to a physical or visual limitation.
Illinois Talking Book Outreach Center is a member of a national network of libraries that provide free library service to those unable to read standard print due to a physical or visual disability. The network was established in 1931 by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) of the Library of Congress. ITBOC formed in July 2013, merging the Mid Illinois Talking Book Center and the Voices of Vision Talking Book Center into a unified program that serves the entire state of Illinois outside of Chicago. While the materials collection is housed at the Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille Services in Springfield, ITBOC provides patrons with the human connection to reader advisors and the services they need. ITBOC is administered through the Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS), a multitype regional library system that supports and connects libraries for collaboration and resource sharing.
ITBOC circulates over 700,000 materials to 13,000 active patrons every year. The materials circulated include digital audiobooks, magazines, braille materials, and descriptive videos. Reader Advisors assist patrons with program enrollment, ordering books, and any questions they may have, connecting readers with materials they would otherwise be unable to access. Staff responds to patron requests made by phone and email, and materials are mailed directly to the patron’s home, free of charge. Patrons may also access thousands of titles available for direct download through the BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) website.
The Illinois Talking Book Outreach Center opens the world of reading and enriches the quality of life for the people of Illinois who cannot read print due to a physical or visual limitation.
We circulate digital audio books, magazines, digital talking book machines, braille materials, and audio descriptive DVDs. We also provide access to downloadable audio books. All materials are free at the point of service to eligible patrons.
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