Washington Talking Book & Braille Library Display

This spring, the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library introduced a new accessible, interactive display in our lobby area. The display allows visitors and potential patrons alike a chance to get tactile with WTBBL’s materials and specialized technology. One poster includes a list of commonly checked out materials, such as our Talking Book Player. The numbers on this list correspond to each item in the display, along with a label in braille to help blind patrons identify each object. The other poster includes step-by-step instructions for how to get started using the library.

The goal of this project is to give potential patrons a chance to become familiar with talking book technology, so that they can feel confident once they start using the library. Other objects in the display include a digital book mailing case, a braille magazine, a combined print/braille book, a large print chapter book, and a digital book cartridge containing six books by PNW authors such as Rena Priest, Octavia Butler, and Elsa Sjunneson. Visit WTBBL to check out our new display today!

Photo of a navy-blue bookshelf with two shelves. From left to right on the top shelf: two talking book machines, a small blue container, and a braille magazine propped up on a book stand. From left to right on the 1st shelf: a print/braille book propped up on a book stand, a large-print book propped up on a bookstand. The bottom shelf contains a row of white magazines. Above the bookshelf are two posters. The poster on the right is titled “Library Materials Key”; the poster on the left is titled “Using the Library.” — WTBBL’s new material and equipment display.

Three pieces of equipment laying on a shelf. Each piece has a clear braille label in front of them.

From left to right: A black machine 6 inches wide by 9 inches long with a white handle on the bottom. The center of the machine has a circular speaker and has two up and down arrows on either side for tone and speed. Underneath the speaker is a red power button, a moon-shaped “Sleep” button, and two yellow up and down volume buttons. Underneath the sleep button is a left-pointing button for rewind, a green square “Play/Stop” button, and a right-pointing button to fast-forward. This machine has the number 1 taped to it.

To the right of this machine is another machine, nearly identical to the first. The second machine has four additional buttons:f a diamond-shaped “info” button under the “tone” button, a left-facing arrow titled “previous,” a small horizontal rectangular button labeled “menu,” a right-facing arrow titled “next,” and a small vertical rectangular button labeled “Mark.” This machine has the number 2 taped to it.

To the right of the second machine is a thin blue container, 3 inches wide by 4 inches long, with two clasps on top. The container has the number 4 taped to it. — From left to right: The National Library Service’s Standard Talking Book Player, Advanced Talking Book Player, and Digital Book Mailing Case.

A large green and blue children’s book, open and propped up. The pages have clear braille affixed on top of the print. This book has an illustration of an old man and woman speaking on a walking path in front of a tree. The book is labeled with the number 6. In front of the book is a braille label. Underneath this image is a large print book open and propped up. The book is labeled with the number 7. In front of the book is a braille label. — WTBBL has a special collection of children's books that combine print and braille so that blind and sighted readers may share their reading enjoyment. We also have a collection of large print books for children and young adults.

Izzy is an Office Assistant at the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library. They enjoy interacting with patrons and making the library an engaging and accessible space for all. When not at the library, they can be found trying (and often failing) to win the affection of their neighborhood cats.