GLASS
Through the Georgia Libraries for Accessible Statewide Services (GLASS), Georgia's Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped and cooperating local libraries, Georgians have access to a free national library program that offers books and magazines on cassette tape and in Braille. These materials are provided by the Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind & Physically Handicapped (NLS), to eligible persons with a visual or physical disability. All reading material and playback equipment is sent to borrowers and returned by postage-free mail.
Talking Book Centers
In addition to the headquarters library in Atlanta, there are 13 Subregional Talking Book Centers located throughout Georgia. Follow the above link to find the Subregional Talking Book Center nearest you. Find a Center
GLASS Online Catalog
Also, now library users can search the online catalog for Braille, recorded books, and descriptive videos, place requests and more! Search the catalog
Library Services to Georgia Residents with Special Needs
Prepared for the Office of Public Library Services by Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants, June 15, 2000.
| File | Size | The report is broken down into five PDF files for downloading. Please note that the file sizes are large. |
| Background, Part 1 | (10 MB) | |
| Background, Part 2 | (11 MB) | |
| Background, Part 3 | (14 MB) | |
| Findings, Part 1 | (14 MB) | |
| Findings, Part 2 | (13 MB) |
Who Is Eligible for the service?
- Anyone who is unable to read or handle standard printed materials as a result of temporary or permanent visual or physical disability.
- Persons who are legally blind or cannot see well enough or focus long enough to read standard print, even with glasses.
- Persons who are unable to hold or turn pages of print books.
- Persons who are certified by a medical doctor as having a reading disability.
Application for Service (PDF)
What is Available?
- Books: Recorded and braille books from a national collection that includes a variety of popular interest writings such as bestsellers, classics, mysteries, biographies, westerns, children's books, and foreign language materials.
Search the catalog for books - Magazines: Library patrons can also subscribe to over
seventy popular magazines such as Good Housekeeping, Sports Illustrated, and
National Geographic.
Search the catalog for magazines - Equipment and Accessories: Special playback equipment is needed to listen to the books and magazines produced by NLS. This equipment is lent to eligible users free of charge for as long as the individual is a user of the reading material provided by NLS and its cooperating libraries. Accessories are available which will help readers with limited mobility or hearing impairment use the equipment.
- Book Reviews and Catalogs: Registered borrowers learn about new books added to the collection through two bi-monthly publications, Talking Book Topics and Braille Book Review. These are available in large print, recorded, or braille format.
- Music: Recorded music is not available through the NLS
library program. However, such material is often available from local public
libraries. A collection of musical scores in braille and large print; textbooks
and books about music in large print and braille; and elementary instruction for
voice, piano, organ, guitar, recorder, accordion, banjo, and harmonica are
available in recorded form directly from NLS.
Search the catalog for music