Check out seedlings. They may be super willing to send you kids books to help expand your library.

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[*In the children's section of a cheerful and tidy but institutional library stands a dark haired bespectacled masculine person with a black and tan tartan face mask. He is wearing a gray sweater over a black polo style shirt and a flair decorated lanyard with keys and an ID card. He is standing behind a whimsical 3 level bookcase for children's books, with each level split between a space for books and a geometric shape with a number. 1 in a red triangle on the lowest level, 2 in a green off kilter square on the middle level and 3 in a blue circle on the top level. Atop the bookshelf standing with the covers displayed are the books "The Easy to Read LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD" by Watty Piper and "IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE" by Laura Joffe Numeroff. In each of his hands he holds a comb bound braille book with a plain white cover stamped in the corner with the name of the volunteer group that bound the books.*]

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^^I'm a human volunteer content transcriber for Reddit and you could be too! $1

There is a 70 percent unemployment rate in the blindness community. of the people that are-working 90 percent are Braille readers. and I think that only 10 percent of students who should be reading Braille, are actually using it.

You could also look into audiobook CD’s or tapes

Connect with the special education department in the school District where you are at, and connect with orientation and mobility instructures. They could help students by doing travel lesons on how to go check out a book at the library. And send a notice to the school district so that they may share the news with the teachers of blind students, so that they may share the news with their students. Once you have public demand for Braille books, you'll need to expand your collection.,

I recently submitted an application to the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (I believe this is a sub-department for the Library of Congress) on behalf of my 5-year-old. I’d previously been ordering Braille books from Seedlings and the National Braille Press catalogues, which are great resources! But I was hoping to expand his personal library. I can’t say for sure, because I haven’t heard back from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled yet, but I’d think this would be a wonderful resource for you as well. I’d imagine they would be extremely helpful to your mission of making your library inclusive. BookShare also comes to mind, people can use it for personal use (as long as you submit a proof of disability form), but many TVIs (teachers of the visually impaired) and schools use it too. Though I can’t vouch for BookShare personally, since I just set up our account, but if it’s recommended by TVIs and such, I’d imagine it could be useful to you too.

On a final note, I’d just like to say, what a wonderful, wonderful task you are undertaking! Taking initiative to make your library inclusive for ALL types of readers! I had a horrible experience with our local library back in October. This was my first real library experience in regard to Braille (military family, and we move a lot, and previously ordered from online Braille bookstores). Since my son is moving on from Grade 1 Braille, pre-Braille skills, and in the beginning stages of me teaching him to read, I wanted him to have a real library experience. Knowing what I do about the world and accessibility, I wanted to scope it out first to avoid disappointing him, and I’m so glad I did. The librarian at the main front desk didn’t even know what Braille was—I was so absolutely astonished and beside myself that I didn’t even have words to respond for a minute or two before I said dumbly, “you know…reading for your fingers,” (talk about facepalm), and then followed with “for people who are blind. Blind individuals read Braille with their hands.” When it was made abundantly clear she “didn’t know what I was talking about” and that she “didn’t have a section of whatever I was referring to,” she directed me to the children’s section front desk librarian. This next librarian brought me to the Braille section…and there was one single book. When I asked if any were checked out, she said that was the only one. When I asked about any inter-library loan services they might have, she said there was a $3 fee for every item loaned from a different library. Which—isn’t terrible, and it’s not about money, I would pay anything for my son—but libraries are about the experience, picking out a book (for free!! especially important for those who don’t have the means to pay for loan fees!!), and getting to take them home to read for a few weeks, before returning them to find more books to read. I was so SO disappointed. I actually left in tears. I couldn’t imagine if I had taken my son there, and for him to find that there was ONE single book for him, no options, no exploring, just one book. While there were hundreds upon hundreds of other Children’s books that were “blank” and “empty.” (And yes, they had audiobooks, but ALL children should learn to read and have that option available to them!)

I share this to show you the flip side of accessibility and how much of an impact you are making on blind/VI children in your community. I am so, SO appreciative of your initiative, and wanted to let you know there are blind or visually impaired children somewhere out there in your town that will be so VERY pleased to find out they have options and books they can read, and you will be sparing their parents of some very real heartache! If at all possible, please reach out to any other libraries that you may work with for inter-library loan services and recommend they follow in your footsteps.

You’ve inspired me to do the same, reminded me I can do something about it, and that it is 100% possible to make a public library accessible. I’ll be reaching out to our local library and letting them know they should follow your lead.

Is this a school or public library?

This is so awesome!!!!
Reddit give me a free wholesome award I give it to this post but it's not showing up :-(?

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