Harold Washington Library Center
Talking Book Center
The Chicago Public Library Talking Book Center, a sub-regional library of the Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille Service, in partnership with the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped provides free library service to Chicago residents who cannot read standard print comfortably due to visual or physical limitations. Eligible individuals who qualify may register for service by submitting an application.
Location
Fifth Floor North
400 S. State Street
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 747-4001
Phone: (800) 757-4654 (Chicago only)
Fax: (312) 747-1609
Hours
Monday, Wednesday, Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Thursday: 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Friday and Sunday: closed
Featured Collections
Through TBC, registered patrons have access to free loan of nearly 80,000 audio, digital and Braille titles. From biographies, travel and cookbooks to mysteries, history, poetry, humor and romance, TBC’s collection covers a wide spectrum of reading interests. Registered patrons may browse TBC’s online catalog and select titles to be mailed directly to their homes. Also available are audio, digital and Braille magazines, and descriptive videos. All materials, including audio players, are sent to borrowers and returned by postage-free mail.
Services and Resources
TBC offers many services and access to a wide variety of resources. Readers’ advisory, reference services, programming, access to the Assistive Technology Center and outreach are among these services. Physical resources include Kurzweil-Personal Reader, Telesensory Magnifier, JAWS and ZoomText.