A SIGHT loss charity is celebrating 80 years of Talking Books by making the service free.
People with sight loss will now receive the service completely free from RNIB, previously customers contributed an annual subscription of £50.
Talking Books has a collection over 23,000 audio recordings of a wide range of fiction and non-fiction.
The service began in 1935 to help soldiers blinded in the war. Back then, each book had to be recorded on a set of up to 10 long-playing records. Technology progressed to bulky tape-players, smaller cassette players, and on to today's pocket-size digital technology.
Now in Wales, RNIB also produces Welsh and English language books from their Cardiff studios. There are 110,000 blind or partially sighted people in Wales.
Emma Tucker, transcription centre manager for RNIB in Wales, said, “At RNIB we feel passionately that reading can change the lives of blind and partially sighted people. We produce a minimum of 25 Welsh language Talking Books in Cardiff each year, and also produce some English titles.
“RNIB can attract high profile names to work in our professional studios as narrators and there is a sense of pride from all parties in producing content of the highest standard. We love enriching the lives of people with sight loss with our recordings.”
The RNIB Library also offers a range of fiction and non-fiction titles for adults and children in braille and giant print.
To find out more about the RNIB Library or to sign up for Talking Books call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit rnib.org.uk.
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