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Colorado Talking Book Library
Photo: Colorado Talking Book Library.

The Colorado Talking Book Library Introduces Audio and Braille Books

How this library is bringing the joy of reading to visually impaired youth.

A blind son with degenerative brain disease, a child with dyslexia, a teenager who survived a traumatic brain injury; these are just a few of the people Colorado Talking Book Library (CBTL) in Denver helps with their audio and large print reading material.

In 1931, the Pratt-Smoot Act provided funds to libraries that would engage blind, visually impaired, or physically disabled readers. Colorado Talking Book Library, with its wide range of audio and large print reading material, is one of the original 19 regional services started at that time.

As of August 26, 2021, the CBTL holds 36,615 audio, braille, and large print books for preschool through young adult readers. Fresh content is added continuously in all categories, which include Colorado-based titles, magazines, and descriptive movies. The BARD Mobile app also allows for downloading of Braille files. Families can apply for free online.

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