Serving Residents of all Counties in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Alpena and Crawford Counties in Michigan's Lower Peninsula
Great Lakes Talking Books is part of a national network of cooperating libraries with the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS). NLS provides a free braille and talking book library service, circulating books and magazines in braille or audio formats that are:
- instantly downloadable to a personal device by way of the BARD Mobile app, or
- equipment and digital audio cartridges are delivered by mail free of charge.
Eligibility: Individuals (all ages) are eligible for service provided they meet any of the following criteria:
- are blind or have a visual impairment that makes them unable to comfortably read print books,
- have a perceptual or reading disability, or
- have a physical disability that makes it hard to hold or manipulate a book or to focus or move the eyes as needed to read a print book.
Apply: Certifying Authorities may submit applications online. Are you a Certifying Authority? Everyone else - view and print the application in English or Spanish.
Contact: Tonia Bickford, Reader Advisor and Recording Director, 1615 Presque Isle Ave., Marquette, MI 49855, tb@greatlakestalkingbooks.org, 906-228-7697, ext. 0, Toll Free 1-800-562-8985, ext. 0, Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday 9 am to 5 pm. If you need help and are unable to reach GLTB, please call the Braille and Talking Book Library (BTBL) at 800-992-9012.
Newly Available Books:
- May-June and Order Form
- March-April and Order Form
- January–February and Order Form
Collection: The NLS Catalog contains more than 281,000 books, including 207,000 digital talking (audio) books and more than 74,000 braille books and braille music scores.
- Search the NLS Voyager Catalog
- BARD mobile users access more than 115,000 book titles, 70 digital audio magazine titles, and 53 ebraille magazine titles.
- The NLS music collection (braille, audio, large print) is the largest of its kind in the world, with approximately 25,000 titles.
- Titles in Spanish and other world language digital materials exchanged through the Marrakesh Treaty.
More Information:
- General Program Information (English)
- NLS Frequently Asked Questions
- Reading Disability (English)
- BARD Information (English)
- General Information (Spanish)
- Reading Disability (Spanish)
- Talking Points for Library Staff
- Digital Talking Book Machine instructions
- Access News by Phone: NFB Newsline
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)