Talking Book Program Materials
Audio materials distributed by the NLS Talking Book Program are in a special four-track cassette format. Because there are up to four sound tracks on each cassette, talking books are labeled to indicate the number of the first sound track on the cassette (“1,” “5,” “9,” etc.).

Each talking book customer receives a cassette player designed for use with the four-track tapes. These machines can also play standard cassette tapes. Easy players are available for those with limited dexterity. If you have problems with your player, we will replace it with an operating machine at no charge. The players are owned by the federal government and loaned through Access Services.

We also provide NLS player accessories and special adaptations as needed. These include headphones, remote control units, pillow speakers, amplifiers, and extension levers.

Using the Cassette Players

1. Place the side selector switch at the left (1-2 position). This switch is the third control on the right-hand column of switches. The first two sides of a cassette are played with this switch pushed toward the left.
   
   
2. Place cassette 1 in the machine with the numbered and Braille side facing up. At the end of the side, the narrator will give a brief reminder of what to do, such as, “End of side one; to continue, turn the cassette over.” You will hear similar reminders at the end of every side. When side one is finished, remove the cassette, turn it over, and place it in the machine with the numbered and Braille side facing down.
   
   
3. When side two of cassette 1 is finished, remove the cassette and move the side selector switch to the right (3-4 position). Turn the cassette over and place it in the machine with the numbered and Braille side up.
   
   
4. When side three of cassette 1 is finished, turn the cassette over again for side four. When side four is finished, the first cassette has been completed and can be removed.
   
   
5. Push the side selector switch to the left (1-2 position). The machine is now ready to play the first side of the next cassette.
   
   
6. Follow the same procedure for all other cassettes in the box. Play each cassette twice on each side until you reach the end of the book.

Battery Charging (Standard Cassette Players Only)
Standard cassette players are battery operated and must be recharged regularly. Do not remove the battery pack. To recharge your standard cassette player, plug the power cord (located in the machine’s rear storage compartment) into a wall outlet. Recharging will begin automatically. A full charge for a run-down battery takes approximately 12 hours. You can play cassettes during the recharging period, but recharging will take longer.

After recharging, the machine will operate up to six hours. After several hours of battery use, plug the player into an electrical outlet to charge the battery again.

Playing a Four-Track Cassette Tape in an Easy Cassette Player

1. Set the volume control all the way to the left at the STOP position.



2. Push the sliding door back to expose the cassette platform.



3. Raise the platform to the UP position by pressing down until you hear a click, then release it. The platform is in the UP position when the spindles do not protrude through the platform.



4. Place the cassette on top of the platform, Braille side up. The thick edge of the cassette will be toward the rear. Push the cassette down until you hear a click.



5. Pull the sliding door toward you until it stops. When the door is closed, it covers half of the cassette. The machine will not operate unless the door is in this position.



6. To play the tape, slide the volume control to the right. The machine will have rewound the tape to the beginning. The narration will start after several seconds of lead-in time.



7. Adjust the sound level by sliding the volume control right toward HI for more volume or left toward LO for lower volume.



8. There is no need to turn cassettes over in the easy machine. The machine automatically switches from one side of the tape to the other.



9. To stop a cassette, slide the volume control all the way to the left to the STOP position or slide the cassette door open by pushing it toward the rear of the machine. To resume play after stopping, slide the volume control to the right or close the cassette door. If you remove a cassette from the player and reinsert it, the tape will rewind and you will lose your place.



10. Easy cassette players do not require battery recharging.

To return your materials postage-free, simply turn the address card over so that the Access Services address is showing. The diagonal corner cut on the card will be in the upper right hand corner. Talking book mailers may be dropped into any mailbox. For the most efficient service, return each talking book as you finish it.

Talking books are loaned for four weeks. Contact us if you need to request more time to finish a book. Late fees are not assessed, but we regularly contact customers about overdue materials because others may be waiting for the books. You do not have to return most magazines and catalogs. If materials received have no reversible mailing card, you may keep them or dispose of them.

If you receive a defective talking book, place a string or rubber band around the defective tape, put it in the box, and return it to Access Services. To receive another copy of the defective book as soon as possible, please request it by contacting us directly rather than including a note in the return box.

Locating Talking Books
Free NLS publications, the NLS online catalog, and our Access Services staff will help you find lists of available materials.

Electronic Catalog Access
The NLS online library catalog can be found on the NLS Web site. To search the catalog, scroll down and click on "Quick search of the online catalog" or "Voyager search of the online catalog."

The NLS catalog includes listings for materials produced by Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D), a nonprofit organization that lends recorded educational books to certified individuals. These are not provided as part of the Talking Book Program. To receive titles from RFB&D, a separate application, a registration fee, and a yearly renewal fee are required. For information, contact Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, 20 Roszel Road, Princeton, NJ 08540, phone 1-800-221-4792.

Access Services staff
Reader advisors are available to help you select books and magazines. Call or e-mail us for assistance.

Requesting Materials
Materials listed in the NLS catalog and NLS publications. Call us with your requests for Talking Book Program titles listed in the NLS catalog, Talking Book Topics and other NLS publications, or send requests to us by letter mail, e-mail or fax.

When sending requests by U.S. mail, no postage is required if you do the following: Print "FREE MATTER FOR THE BLIND" in the upper right corner of the envelope and do not seal the envelope (tuck in the flap instead).

Recorded textbooks and educational materials
Available from RFB&D, 20 Roszel Road, Princeton, NJ 08540. Phone 1-800-221-4792.

Browsing at Access Services. Access Services maintains a collection of NLS talking books at our Government Center facility. You are welcome to drop in and browse between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or to contact us about books you would like to pick up personally. If you would like to request a recorded book that is not in the NLS catalog, we may be able to obtain it for you from another source.

Music service. Although Access Services does not lend music recordings, NLS has a special music collection that includes Braille and large print music scores and books about music, recorded self-instructional courses, and other audio material. Music materials are loaned free and sent through the mail. Call or e-mail us for more information.

Service Options
You may choose to have the Talking Book Program computer system generate titles based on your interests, to have Access Services staff select titles for you, or to select titles yourself. If you prefer to choose your books, please keep us supplied with plenty of requests because some selections may not be available immediately.

You may also choose your frequency of service from these three options:

Turn-Around. Each time you return a book to us, we will send another to you.

Calendar. You select the number of books that should be sent to you weekly or monthly.

On Demand. We will send books only when you contact us to request titles.

Making Changes
Contact us directly by phone or e-mail to request changes to your library service. Please do not write notes on the reversible mail cards or enclose notes in containers. We will be happy to make any of the following adjustments:

Quantity of materials. If you are receiving too many or too few materials, we can easily change the number.

Reading interests. If you are not pleased with the titles you are receiving, we will revise your profile to reflect your interests more accurately.

Magazine subscriptions. We will start or stop a magazine subscription for you upon request. The change will go into effect between six weeks and three months from the time of your request.

Alternate address. If you plan to be at a temporary address for less than one year, you may arrange to have your books sent to that address.

Change of address. Please notify us of your new address promptly in order to avoid an interruption in service. If you are moving out of the area, we will transfer your account to the appropriate NLS library and notify you of your new library’s address and phone number. You may take your machine with you to the new location.

Discontinuing or resuming service. Contact us to cancel or resume your library service, either temporarily or permanently.

Additional Services

Newsletter. Please sign up to receive our quarterly newsletter, Loud and Clear, available in large print, audio cassette, Braille, or by e-mail. There is no charge for the newsletter.

Support groups. We sponsor self-help groups throughout Fairfax County for adults who are losing or have lost their vision and for their friends and families. Contact us to verify times, dates and locations of meetings or to get in touch with a group leader.

Home delivery and deposit collections. In addition to providing NLS talking books and periodicals, Access Services coordinates free home delivery of Fairfax County Public Library materials to customers in Fairfax County who are unable to visit local library branches due to temporary or permanent disabilities. We also provide rotating collections of recent books to eligible retirement communities, nursing homes, hospitals and other organizations. Contact our Outreach Department for details.

Fairfax County Public Library materials. We can help you obtain materials from the entire Fairfax County Public Library system, including books in large print, commercial audio books on CD and tape, online full-text magazines, newspapers, reference materials, and downloadable audio books and e-books. We also have a collection of audio-described movie videos with narrated descriptions of key visual elements. Contact Access Services or any library branch to find out more.

Assistive technology. Access Services maintains a variety of assistive technology for those with vision impairments, including a closed circuit magnifying system, computer screen magnification software, computer screen reader software, a text-to-speech converter, a Braille embosser, electronic Braille display, and portable magnifiers. Please make an appointment to use this equipment or to arrange a demonstration. In addition, a limited number of low-vision devices and portable assistive-listening devices are available for borrowing. Other branches in Fairfax County provide assistive computer work stations and assistive listening equipment. Contact us or your local library for more information.

Volunteering
We could not exist without our dedicated volunteers. They process talking books and other library materials, prepare mailings and handouts, lead support groups, manage deposit collections, record audio versions of local publications, copy and rewind tapes, clean and maintain machines, and perform many other tasks that make our services possible. If you or someone you know would like to volunteer, please let us know!

1. Encourage and support library services which are accessible to people with disabilities.

2. Advise the Access Services manager about services and resources from the clientele’s perspective.

3. Promote communication with potential users.

4. Assist with acquisition of resources.

5. Encourage library programs that expand public awareness of
library resources available to people with disabilities.

For more information contact the Friends of Access Services.