March 3-8 named Talking Books Week

Celebrate Talking Books Week, March 3-8, has been proclaimed as Talking Books week by Governor Kathleen Sebelius. Talking Books week celebrates the federal Pratt-Smoot Act, enacted on March 3, 1931 and the beginning of distribution of free library materials for blind adults, administered by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) in the Library of Congress.

In 1971, the Kansas network serving the print-impaired was established. Today this program is a division of the State Library of Kansas, serving more than 7,000 patrons through a network of six local service centers, located in Emporia, Norton, Great Bend, Manhattan, Topeka, and Wichita.

A Talking Books consultant from the Southeast Kansas Library System in Iola also serves all Talking Book patrons in Southeast Kansas.

"More than 40,000 Kansans are eligible for this service. It is important that we reach more patrons and keep them connected with their great love of reading," said Talking Books and Special Needs Consultant Jaime Prideaux at the Southeast Kansas Library System. "More than 100,000 titles are available including books, magazines, newspapers, and descriptive videos."

As part of the week-long celebration of Talking Books, Kansas dignitaries will provide an audio clip of their favorite literature to share with Kansans. Governor Sebelius will kick off the week with a reading. It will be posted to the State Library website, www.kslib.info/talking/. Additional pieces will be contributed by Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh, State Treasurer Lynn Jenkins, State Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger, and Kansas Supreme Court Justice Kay McFarland."

Because reading is more than a visual experience, the Kansas Talking Book Library network provides library resources in specialized formats free-of-charge to Kansans unable to use standard print. Persons with low vision in the Fort Scott area are also invited to attend free monthly support group meetings.

The low vision support group meetings are held at 2 p.m. the fourth Thursday of each month, at Presbyterian Village, 2401 Horton St. The low vision support group celebrated Talking Books week at their last meeting on February 28, with the reading of a Talking Books proclamation and several door prizes. The next low vision support group meeting will be held at 2 p.m. March 27.

For additional information on the free low vision support group meetings or the Talking Books program, call Jaime Prideaux at the Southeast Kansas Library System, toll-free at (800) 279-3219 or visit www.kslib.info/talking/.