BooksLearning Support :

The Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library provides materials in recorded cassette, braille and large print. Pre-school through adult-level materials are available. We also loan descriptive videos and Playaways, a self-playing digital book. Services are free; there is no charge for postage for the library to mail materials to the reader, and no charge for postage for the reader to mail materials back to the library. This library service adjusts to meet your needs. Some people listen to many books and check out several titles at a time. Others have less reading time available and order accordingly. All we ask is that our patrons read at least one book or magazine from this library at least once a year, and that they read and return library materials within a six-week period. We have a limited number of copies and many requests to fill.

Books - The library offers cassette, braille, and large print titles that include many of the same books you might find in a medium-sized public library. We receive many nationally prominent fiction and nonfiction authors, current events titles, biographies, history titles, mysteries, romances, and science fiction titles. The collection contains books for lifelong learning, but not textbooks. You are encouraged to choose your own books from catalogs in large print, in braille, or on cassette-or to ask for authors and titles of your choice.

Playaways - The Library now has a collection of commercially-produced self-playing digital audio books called Playaways. The book is played using one AAA battery and a set of earphones. The Library will provide one pair of non-returnable earphones. Keep them for your future use. Any earphones may be used with these books.

Currently the collection is small. We expect many of you will want to borrow them. Please return the title as soon as you finish listening to it. Another person will be anxious to borrow it. You may check out two Playaway titles at a time. The loan period is three weeks.

Instructions on how to operate a Playaway and a list of available titles are listed at the bottom of this page. To receive this information large print, braille or on audiocassette, please contact the Library.

This collection was purchased with LSTA grant money. Additional titles will be purchased from Library gift money.

Web Catalog - You can search and order materials through our web-based online catalog located at www.klas.com/mnbph. To request materials online you must know your eight-character Library patron ID code. The patron ID code is found to the left of the punch hole on a Library mailing label. It is based on your name. Enter this code when prompted for your username. Library staff will also give the code to you. The default password is the last four digits of your telephone number. You can change your password at anytime. For information on using the web catalog, visit the Help screens located on every page. Contact the Library if you experience difficulty accessing the catalog.