----- Original Message -----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: the-conduit
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2007 9:30 AM
Subject: The Conduit Reading Habits of Blind and Physically Handicapped Defy
National Trend
PR Newswire, New York
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Reading Habits of Blind and Physically Handicapped Defy National Trend
Book Consumption Rates Seven Times Higher for National Library Service
Patrons
Than Average Sighted Readers
WASHINGTON /PRNewswire/ -- This summer, when Americans catch up on
their favorite reading, they will also be enjoying a beloved American
pastime
that research shows is waning. According to a study by the National
Endowment
for the Arts, Americans of every age are consistently reading less. The
study
revealed an overall decline of 10 percent in literary reading between 1982
and
2002, totaling an overall loss of 20 million readers. Conversely,
participants
in the Talking Book program, a free library service provided by the National
Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of
Congress, read more than the general population by a significant amount. The
average NLS patron, an individual with a visual or physical impairment,
reads
seven times more than most sighted readers, or approximately 35 books a
year.
These numbers not only highlight the braille and audiobook appetites of
NLS patrons, but also speak to the ease in obtaining ample reading material
through the Talking Book program. "NLS patrons are extremely avid readers,"
says Frank Kurt Cylke, NLS director. "NLS is dedicated to fulfilling their
reading needs with the highest-quality collection so they can remain engaged
in literature and connected to the world around them."
While NLS patrons have higher book consumption rates, their literary
tastes do not differ from those of sighted readers, according to Jim
Herndon,
head of the NLS Collection Development Section. NLS librarians strive to
build
a well-rounded collection that meets readers' diverse informational and
recreational needs. "Selecting titles for the collection is a rigorous
process. NLS librarians consult book reviews and bestseller lists, monitor
publishing trends, and assess patron requests before choosing titles," says
Herndon. "Titles are selected based on such criteria as literary merit and
popularity."
With more than 400,000 titles, the Talking Book catalog is wide-ranging.
Among its unabridged offerings are bestsellers, classics, biographies,
romances, mysteries, and westerns. Patrons particularly favor top sellers
like
Nicholas Sparks's True Believer, Danielle Steele's Impossible, and Malcolm
Gladwell's Blink.
NLS libraries offer something for every bookworm, from kids to seniors.
Summer reading programs and book clubs nationwide are designed to engage and
reward readers. "Superheroes-Powered by Books," a program hosted by one
network library, rewards blind and physically handicapped children who use
their reading powers to fight summer boredom. Kids can report on the audio
or
braille books they have read in return for a range of superhero-themed
prizes
-- from masks to action figures. Additional reader appreciation programs
include the 102 Talking Book Club, which honors centenarians for their
lifelong devotion to reading.
The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
(NLS), Library of Congress, administers the Talking Book program, a free
library service available to eligible individuals of any age living in the
U.S. or American citizens living abroad whose low vision, blindness, or
physical handicap makes reading a standard printed page difficult. Through
its
national network of regional libraries, NLS mails books and magazines on
cassette and in braille, as well as audio equipment, directly to enrollees
at
no cost. Further information on eligibility requirements and enrollment
procedures for the program is available at http://www.loc.gov/nls
or 1-888-NLS-READ (1-888-657-7323).
SOURCE Library of Congress
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=PRNI2&STORY=/www/story/07-05-2005/0004061232&EDATE=
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