Braille and Talking Book Library

About the Library

The Florida Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library provides information and reading materials in Braille and recorded audio format to Florida residents who are unable to use standard print as the result of visual, physical, or reading disabilities.

Since 1950, the bureau has been designated by the Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), as the regional library for Florida. It was the first post-WWII regional library to be established, meeting the needs of blinded veterans. In addition, nine subregional libraries provide local services to residents of metropolitan areas. Reading materials are sent to and from customers via postage-free mail and all services are provided free.

The Florida Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library is the largest library of its kind in the U.S. with a collection of more than 2.4 million items in Braille and audio format. The Library serves more than 31,647 Florida residents with annual loans exceeding 1.99 million items.

Holiday Schedule and Office Closures

The Florida Regional Library will be closed on the following days:

• Monday, December 25 (Christmas Day)
• Tuesday, December 26
• Friday, December 29
• Monday, Jananuary 1 (New Year’s Day)
• Tuesday, January 2

Office closures for subregional libraries may differ. If you are a member of a subregional library, please contact them directly to learn about their holiday schedule.

If you request books, please feel free to ask for extra to make sure you have enough for days we will not be here to mail them out.

We will return all voicemail messages and emails when we return.

Stay safe and healthy and thank you for being a patron of the Library!

Subregionals: County Library Links

• Duval County
  Jacksonville Public Library, Talking Books/Special Needs
  https://jaxpubliclibrary.org/services/talking-books-library
• Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties
  https://mdpls.org/talking-books
• Orange County
  https://ocls.info/
• Palm Beach County
  https://www.pbclibrary.org/talking-books/
• Broward County
  https://www.broward.org/Library/
• Lee County
  https://www.leegov.com/
• Brevard County
  https://www.brevardfl.gov/PublicLibraries/ServicesForTheDisabled
• Escambia County
  West Florida Public Library, Talking Books Library
  https://mywfpl.com/borrow/talkingbooks
• Pinellas and Sarasota Counties       
  Pinellas Public Library Cooperative
  https://pplc.us/tbl/

Library Services

The Florida Braille and Talking Book Library offers a wide range of services:

• Books are offered in braille and recorded formats for all ages and include bestsellers, classics, mysteries, biographies, westerns, poetry, history, and other subject areas commonly represented in public library collections. Materials are available in English and many other languages. 
• Magazines are sent to customers on a subscription basis and include more than 100 popular titles such as "Southern Living" and "Sports Illustrated." 
• Equipment needed for the service is loaned to customers by the Library, including digital players and accessories.
• Books are also accessible from the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) website using personal devices such as iPhones, iPods, Android devices, Victor Streams, and BrailleNotes.
• Catalogs are available to inform customers about new books and magazines added to the collection. Audio customers can access Talking Book Topics (TBT). TBT is published bi-monthly and lists the newest titles added to the collection, available through the regional library or the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) service. Braille readers can find new material in the Braille Book Review (BBR).  
• The Florida online public access catalog (“Flopac”) can be used to order books. A complete NLS public catalog is also available to browse.
• Music materials, such as scores and musical textbooks in Braille and large print, are available directly from NLS. 
• Print and audiovisual materials about blindness, disability, and rehabilitation are available for research and public education. 
• Access to NFB-NEWSLINE across many devices. NFB-NEWSLINE is a free audio news service for anyone who is blind, low-vision, deafblind, or otherwise print disabled that offers access to more than 500 publications, including national and state newspapers, magazines, and breaking news sources. Patrons of the library can contact their reader advisor at 1-800-226-6075 to register.

Recording Studios

• The Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services in Daytona Beach
• Insight for the Blind in Ft. Lauderdale 
• Brevard Association for the Advancement of the Blind in Satellite Beach

Subregional Libraries