Braille Storybook Resources

Braille Storybook Resources

Future Reflections Fall 1989, Vol. 8 No. 3
(back) (contents) (next)
BRAILLE STORYBOOK RESOURCES
Sometime this past spring, Susan Christensen,
Literary Braille Chairman of the National Braille
Association, Inc. (N.B.A.), called the National
Federation of the Blind. She needed ideas, information,
and resources for a workshop she was
going to be conducting for Braille transcribers on
the topic, "Storybooks Format for Braille." I and
several other Federationist talked with Ms.
Christensen and contributed what thoughts and
knowledge we had on the topic. Later, I received
a letter from Ms. Christensen. She thanked us for
our help, said that the workshop was very enthusiastically
received, and included a resource
list of Braille storybooks which she had compiled
for the workshop. She hopes to add to the list as
she finds out about other sources or as new sources
open up. Here, then, is the list.
BOOKRESOURCES
Before Brailling a storybook, check to see if it
is available from another source. The following
are grouped according to purchase or loan
availability. Apparently there is no established
listing available for resources of children's books.
If you know of other resources please let me
know, so a complete list will be available to those
requesting one. N.B.A. does not make any claim to the quality of these books, only that these sources
are available.
FOR SALE
National Braille Press
88 St. Stephen Street
Boston, MA 02115. (617) 266-6160
National Braille Press offers a Book-of-the-Month
Club. The grade level (preschool to third grade) and type
of book varies from month to month. There are two ways
to be a member.
1. The current month's selection description is sent each month, which allows the person to accept or decline the particular
book. There is no fee for being a member and there
is no obligation for purchasing a certain number of books.
2. For $100 a year, each month's current selection is automatically sent. It usually turns out that the club member
receives twelve books for the price of eleven.
American Printing House
P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, KY 40206-0085. (502) 895-2405
Available books are listed in their general catalog.
Howe Press
175 North Beacon Street
Watertown, MA 02172. (617) 924- 3434
Limited titles (in print/Braille) are listed in their general
catalog.
Seedlings: Braille Books for Children
8447 Marygrove Drive
Detroit, Ml 48221. (313) 862-7828
Print and Braille catalogs are available. Braille-only
and print/Braille books are available.
Sense-Able Braille Books
5999 W. Meisenheimer Road, P.O. Box 333
Ludington, Ml 49431-0333. (616) 845-6464
Catalog is available. The books are for junior and senior
high grades.
Braille Institute of America
741 North Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90029. (213) 663-1111
EXPECTATIONS is an anthology of current children's
literature published by the Braille Institute, published once a year. It is free of charge to all blind children in grades three
through six.
Guild for the Blind
(formerly the Catholic Guild)
1800 North Michigan
Chicago, IL 60601. (312) 236-8569
Children's books at different reading levels are available.
Catalog in print and Braille.
Naperville Area Transcribing
for the Blind (NATB)
670 North Eagle Street
Naperville, IL 60540. (312) 420-1863
Contact: Gloria Buntrock, Coordinator
NOTE: The Naperville Area Transcribing for the Blind
started a General Interest Registry in 1983. There are currently
21 listing agencies for children's literature, cookbooks,
fiction and nonfiction, knitting/crocheting patterns,
computers and electronics, health, hobbies, music, religion,
career, and miscellaneous. There are over 250 children's
literature books listed at this time. Please use this service
to avoid duplication of our efforts, and register your books
too. They have printed their first catalog, and it's available
in print only.
The General Interest Catalog is $3.50. There is no fee
for registering or using the service.
LENDING LIBRARY
National Library Service for the
Blind and Physically Handicapped
The Library of Congress
1291 Taylor Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20542. 1-800-424-9100
Application is made with NLS, and materials are loaned
through a national network of state and local libraries.
Catalogs are available for choosing selections.
American Brotherhood for the Blind
18440 Oxnard Street
Tarzana, CA 91356. (213) 343-2022
Has a lending library of 30,000 books in Twin Vis
Braille--only for preschool through junior high. The) sex, reading level, and interests of the child are re
with the agency. There is no selection available by the ( but 3-4 books are chosen and sent. The loan period i
months. Records are kept by the agency to avoid di
tion of books being sent.
Christian Education for the Blind, Inc.
P.O. Box 6399
Fort Worth, TX 76115. (817) 923-0603
Religious and general literature books are a\
Limited to two books at a time for one month.
Christian Record Braille Foundation, Inc.
4444 South 52nd Street
Lincoln, NE 68516. (402) 488-0981
Basically set up for blind parents reading to sij
children, but will consider loaning to blind children. Lii
number of religious and general literature books are i
able. Limited to two volumes for 30-60 days.
Braille Circulating Library, Inc.
2700 Stuart Avenue
Richmond, VA 23220. (804) 359-3743
Religious (some fiction) books are available. Generally
limited to one title for six weeks. Catalog is available in print
and Braille.
Whidbey Island Braillists
45 East Henni Road Oak
Harbor, WA 98277. (206) 675-9439
(Dottie Jordan)
This group originally started the library for blind
parents reading to sighted children, but is open to anyone.
The books are for one year olds to beginning grade school,
and are print/Braille. The child's age and interests are
registered and four books are sent every two weeks (there
is no choice of selections). Records are kept to avoid
duplication of books being sent.
(back) (contents) (next)