Residents of South Dakota who are blind and visually impaired or who cannot read print because of a physical disability can receive braille, large print or audio books and magazines through the mail, free of charge.

People who cannot see to read a regular print book or who cannot manipulate a book because of arthritis, paralysis, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome or other physical disabilities, or who have a reading disability such as dyslexia, qualify for services. They may borrow audio Talking Books or braille books through special libraries that are part of a Library of Congress program called the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS).

All kinds of books are available through the national collection, from mysteries to fantasies to biographies to cookbooks to children's books. Thousands of titles are in the collection for every reading taste. Magazines are also available in braille and on tape.

The patron calls the Talking Book Library and requests books, or a reader advisor selects books for him. Books are sent through the mail free of charge, and when the patron is finished with them, they are returned, again postage-free. Magazines are also sent through the mail, but do not need to be returned.

In addition to the national collection, the South Dakota library may have volunteer-produced books about the state or use interlibrary loan to make audiobooks and other commercially-produced materials available to their patrons. Collections of described movies from Descriptive Video Services, or DVS, are available and may be borrowed by Talking Book patrons.

The South Dakota library offers its patrons a number of regional and other magazines in alternative formats; these are additional magazines that are not available through the NLS system on a national basis. Patrons may subscribe to magazines about the Dakotas, publications about diabetes and arthritis, national weeklies such as Time, children's magazines such as Humpty Dumpty, or popular magazines such as Redbook, Southern Living and Country Woman.

The South Dakota library serves the entire state. Recorded books are housed on-site, and braille books are borrowed on behalf of patrons from the Utah library.

To find out more and request an application, call the library (see contact information below). Request and complete the application and start reading today!


South Dakota Braille and Talking Book Library
State Library Building
800 Governors Drive
Pierre, SD 57501-2294
Telephone: (605)773-3131
Toll-free (In-state): (800)423-6665
FAX: (605)773-6962
Email the South Dakota library or visit their website