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Guide to the Talking Book Program in the Classroom
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WELCOMEAll over Texas, students are enjoying the magic of reading through the Talking Book Program (TBP). The program provides books primarily on cassette tape, although books are also available in Braille and in large print. The service is available, free of charge, for individuals who cannot read standard print due to visual, physical, or learning disabilities. Service for students is available both at home and in the classroom. Once your classroom becomes registered, our Reader Services staff will be happy to assist you with book selections and other aspects of the service. The library wishes you and your students a productive and successful school year. This online document has been designed to assist you in using the TBP materials in your curriculum. Many of our policies are determined by our parent organization, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, a division of the Library of Congress. Our policies are designed to protect copyright and to provide our service in the most fair and efficient manner possible. If you have questions or need additional information, please call:
1-800-252-9605 (toll-free in Texas) Or, send an e-mail message to: tbp.services@tsl.state.tx.us When to callAlways call Reader Services when:
THE COLLECTIONThe Talking Book Program (TBP) is a joint state and federal program that provides unabridged books in alternative formats for Texans of all ages who have disabilities that prevent them from reading standard print books. While we do not have textbooks in our collection, TBP offers thousands of books that students can use in their schoolwork. The collection includes more than 80,000 titles for all ages, including literary classics, fairy tales, poetry, mysteries, sports, science fiction, and biographies. Many Newbery, Caldecott, Bluebonnet, and Lone Star award-winners are also available. Most of our materials are provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), a program administered by the Library of Congress. To supplement the national collection, Texas volunteers have recorded hundreds of books about Texas and the Southwest, along with Spanish-language titles and children's books.
MediaBooks are available on cassette tape, in braille, on flexible recorded disc, and in large print. The largest portion of the collection is on cassette. TBP cassettes and flexible recorded discs are recorded at a special speed to protect the copyright and provide more listening time than standard tapes and records. TBP will loan playback equipment free of charge to use with our recorded books.
MagazinesIn addition to providing books, TBP also offers many national magazines that students can use in school and recreation. These include National Geographic World, Newsweek, Seventeen, Sports Illustrated, Reader's Digest, Spider, Cricket, and others. Not all magazines are available in all formats. A list of available magazines is provided upon registration. SCHOOL REGISTRATIONBefore we can complete school registration, at least one of the students you want to provide service for must be currently registered with TBP. A registered student is one who already has an application on file with TBP. Only one machine will be provided per classroom, and TBP materials cannot be used by non-registered students. In order for TBP to accept your registration by phone, please be prepared to give the following information:
We will not be able to begin sending materials to your school until the designated contact person notifies TBP agreeing to have his/her name on the account. The responsibilities of the contact person or the teacher who is coordinating the school account are to:
Your classroom is registered only for the current school year. If you know that you will have eligible students during the next school year, you may preregister your classroom by filling out and returning a preregistration form. This form will automatically be mailed to you in mid-April of each year. You can also fill out the registration application online and mail or fax to us with signature. Application is at bottom of page. Note: Students should not take home any equipment or books that are on loan to the classroom account. If a student needs a machine or books at home, have his or her parents call Reader Services to initiate a separate home account. Teachers may assist students' parents with registration for service at the home address, but a parent or legal guardian must accept responsibility for and act as TBP's contact person for service in the home.
ELIGIBILITYTo qualify for TBP service, your students must meet one or more of the following four criteria:
As a teacher, you can certify applications for students who are blind, visually disabled, and/or physically disabled. Only a medical doctor can certify applications for students with reading disabilities. You will have to submit individual applications for your students who are not registered with TBP. Each student must be registered as an individual with TBP before you can provide our service for them in the classroom. If you have one or more students in your classroom who qualify, and those students are registered with TBP, you are eligible to receive TBP materials for those students. TBP materials may not be used by students who are not registered with us. Call Reader Services to start the process of obtaining library materials (see School Registration).
CIRCULATING BOOKS
Loan PeriodTBP loans books to schools for up to 90 days from the date you receive them. A book's due date is printed on the mailing label. As you return books, the next selections on your request list will be sent out. If you do not return books on loan, no new selections will be sent to your classroom.
Requesting BooksTo keep books circulating, be sure to keep a request list on file with TBP and return books promptly after they have been read. All of your records with TBP are under your school's name. Always identify the school first when placing an order. The following information will assist you in ordering books: CATALOGS. Catalogs are provided upon registration. You may use the order form in the catalogs or call TBP to order. You may keep all the catalogs with the exception of the catalog for ordering large print books, which is on loan for 90 days. In addition, an online catalog containing many of the book available through TBP is available for your use at: http://nlscatalog.loc.gov/ This site is available for searching only. To place an order use one of the methods outlined below. ORDERING BOOKS. Our Reader Services staff is ready to assist you in finding books for your students. The staff can look up authors and titles or search subject areas. When you call, be sure to indicate that you are calling for a school account and identify the school. There are three ways to order books:
Ordering Tips
Automatic SelectionsIf you wish, TBP can keep books circulating continuously based on your students' reading levels. We can automatically send a replacement book each time a book is returned. Simply tell a Reader Consultant that you would like this option for your classroom.
Returning BooksTo return a book, place it back in the mailing container. Turn the pre-printed mailing label over, and it's ready to go back in the mail postage-free. Please return each book after it has been read by your student(s).
Postal RegulationsBy law, letter carriers must deliver, but do not have to pick up, TBP materials. If you have any problems, talk with the carrier. Should the problem continue, call the postmaster and refer to Section 135 of the Postal Manual, based on Public Law 91-375, which provides the rules and regulations governing items mailed as Free Matter.
Damaged or Incomplete BooksPut the damaged or incomplete book back in the mailing container. Turn the mailing label over, draw an "X" on the left side of the label, and return to the library. If you need a replacement copy of the book, call Reader Services, and we will send you the next available copy.
TextbooksTextbooks are not available through TBP. State-adopted large print or braille textbooks can be ordered through the Special Education Director in your school district; these textbooks are also available on cassette tape. Contact your local Education Service Center for assistance. There are also many recorded textbooks available from the following organization:
You may contact RFB&D directly to obtain an application, receive information on their current price structure, or check availability of specific textbooks.
Ordering Tips
EQUIPMENTPlayback equipment for school service is limited to one machine per classroom account for the duration of the school year. The CT-1 model combination machine, which combines the C-1 model cassette player and the A-1 model record player in one unit, is the type of equipment that will be loaned to the school. This model of equipment has been recommended for use in the classroom by the National Library Service, TBP's parent organization. If you need additional playback equipment beyond that provided on loan from the State Library, TBP can provide information on sources from which additional equipment may be purchased, or you can contact the Assistive Technology Consultant at your Education Service Center. Questions about accessories for the combination machine should be directed to TBP. If at any time you no longer have an eligible student in your classroom, you must notify TBP promptly and return the books and playback equipment to the State Library. In addition, if you find that the playback equipment is not useful to your classroom and is not being used, please return it to TBP as soon as possible so that others may benefit from its use. Returning/Replacing EquipmentEquipment must be returned to the State Library at the conclusion of each school year. Even if you preregister your classroom for the following school year, you must return all equipment that has been checked out to you at the end of the school year. New equipment will be sent at the beginning of the next school year if your classroom is eligible. If you need service for a summer school session, please contact us to extend your service. If your machine breaks, call Reader Services and request a replacement. To make the return of your equipment easier, save the original box. All equipment should be returned postage-free to the following address:
OTHER SERVICES PROVIDEDDisability Information and Referral CenterThe TBP's Disability Information and Referral Center (DIRC) staff provides information to family members of persons with disabilities, teachers, counselors, researchers, and other interested persons. Questions pertaining to adaptive equipment, games and toys, support groups, and advocacy organizations can be answered by this department.
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