The Kentucky Talking Book Library is located in the Clark-Cooper Building of KDLA in Frankfort.

This year the Kentucky Talking Book Library is celebrating 35 years of serving patrons who are unable to read traditional printed materials. In the days before our library, Kentuckians received service from The Cincinnati Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Patrons appreciated the service, but it took 3-4 weeks to get recorded books.

In 1968 Governor Louie B. Nunn appropriated funds to establish a library in Frankfort, and on April 1, 1969 the Kentucky Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped opened its doors. The first location was at 150 Clinton Street, in a 10,000 square- foot warehouse that had been condemned by city building inspectors. (We can only hope there was some renovation done first.)

Frances C. Coleman was the first Regional Librarian. She and her staff of six supplied Braille and talking books (which were then records) to 1,700 readers throughout Kentucky. They began with a collection of 4,000 books provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). Record players were distributed to patrons by the Kentucky Industries for the Blind. Kentucky patrons could receive new book selections in one week, as opposed to three.

Dena Wilson assumed the duties of Regional Librarian on April 1, 1974. Under her tenure the library was assigned a toll-free telephone number so our patrons could call us at no charge. Needless to say, we received a limited number of calls when patrons were charged long distance fees. After the installation of the toll-free line we had over 8,000 patron calls. We still use this same number today: 1-800-372-2968.

Right: A KTBL Employee selects cassettes. Left: A volunteer reader records a book.

Perhaps the biggest change of the seventies was the National Library Service’s decision to concentrate on cassette books instead of records. This was a gradual process. For example; in 1975 we circulated over 90,000 books and magazines on record, but only about 10,000 on cassette. In 1974 there were only 63 readers using cassette players, but by the middle of 1975 there were 860. Records weren’t completely phased out until 2000, when the last few magazines made the change to cassette.

Another significant change was the addition of 2 recording booths in 1977. These were purchased in order to record books of local interest that were not available through NLS; for example, books about Kentucky and books by Kentucky authors. The first book to be recorded was Darkness at Dawn by Harry M. Caudill, narrated by Dorothy Wigginton. The goal was to produce 5-10 books that first year, but it was surpassed when 15 books were actually recorded. Over the years 89 volunteers have recorded and monitored roughly 1400 books.

Because a high percentage of the Library’s patrons lived in Louisville and Jefferson County, the Louisville Subregional Library was opened in 1977 to better serve them. By the end of their first year they had registered 763 patrons, circulated 26,000 books, and welcomed nearly 1,500 walk-in patrons. They have grown to serve over 1,200 patrons and circulate nearly 60,000 books a year.

Other events of the 1970’s were the move to a larger facility on Twilight Trail in 1976 and the appointment of a new director, Adam Ruschival, who was a library patron as well. Governor Julian Carroll proclaimed September 10-16, 1978 to be Talking Book Library Week. The first patron newsletter was produced and distributed to patrons that same year.

Kentucky Talking Book Library Staff - Top, 1982; Bottom, 2004

The library continued to grow during the 1980’s. In 1981 the Northern Kentucky Subregional Library opened in the Kenton County Library in Covington. It was created to serve patrons in Boone, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Owen, and Pendleton Counties. It now serves about 600 patrons and circulates over 27,000 books a year.

Our current location, in the Department for Libraries and Archives building on Coffee Tree Road, was officially dedicated on October 8, 1982. But our office was actually moved during February and March of that year. Staff members moved all the office furniture, the recording booths, the book collection, equipment, etc—all while continuing to serve patrons. Some of our current staff was involved in that move, and they are glad we have stayed put for the last 22 years.

Under the direction of Richard Feindel, who just retired July 30, our Frankfort library installed the first computer system in 1985. It is called READS (Reader Enrollment and Delivery Service) and it was developed by NLS especially for Talking Book Libraries. This automated system keeps track of patron information and the book collection. Each morning it finds who is due for service, then it selects books from request lists, checks them out, and prints the mail cards for them. Productivity was increased; fourteen staff members could do what it took eighteen to do manually. Those of us who have only used READS cannot imagine working with a manual system. The Louisville library was automated in 1985 and Covington in 1992.

Our Descriptive Video collection was begun in the mid 1990’s. These are VHS movies that have additional narration for those who cannot see the action onscreen. This program is funded entirely by patron donations and our collection has grown to include over 300 movies.

Throughout our history we have strived to serve our patrons to the best of our ability. We currently have a staff of 10 serving nearly 3700 readers. Patrons range in age from 2 to 106, and so far this year each has read anywhere from a single book to 633. Our book collection contains over 53,000 titles; since we have multiple copies of each title, this equals over 153,000 individual books. Last year our library circulated 129,764 cassette books; 2,822 Braille books; 1,142 descriptive videos; and 1,108 cassette players.

Despite budget cuts, changes in staff, the upcoming conversion to a new digital talking book format, and anything else that comes our way, we look forward to expanding and improving our service in the future.