The Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center has a new website, a new email address, and a new map. Try the new website at http://mitbc.org/ to sign up for weekly news updates, download applications, and connect with critical services. Last fall they expanded their service area and now serve 90 counties or all of Illinois outside of Chicago and the collar counties. To contact MITBC, dial 800-426-0709 or email MITBCinfo@gmail.com.

MITBC thanks public library staff who explain talking book services, download applications, and certify applications when appropriate. Connecting citizens with books in whatever format is something talking book centers and public libraries both do. Do not forget that there are many services that your library offers that your blind and physically handicapped citizens can also use. Large print books, audio books, and downloadable audio books are good examples as well as your music collections, magnifiers, and public access computers.

The MITBC website includes a map of talking book centers in the state. If you know what county the library or the citizen needing service is located in, you can identify which service center to contact.

This service is supported by the Illinois State Library (ISL), a Division of the Office of Secretary of State, with funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), under the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).