Accessible Services

Talking Book & Braille Center

The Summit Free Public Library offers the services of the New Jersey State Library Talking Book & Braille Center (TBBC) for patrons who have difficulty reading standard print or holding a book. Eligible individuals can choose from the following no-cost services: 

• Accessible Audiobook player
• Audiobooks
• Braille books
• Downloadable audiobooks, audio magazines and Braille files for Braille readers
• Access to BARD Mobile, an app for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch
• News reading services, such as Audiovision and Newsline

Who is eligible for TBBC’s services?

New Jersey Residents are eligible: A New Jersey resident of any age (including children, teens and adults) who cannot read standard print, hold a book in his/her hand or turn the pages of a book due to the following difficulties may be eligible for these services. This includes those whose ability to read is affected by: 

  • a physical impairment
  • a reading disability
  • a vision impairment

How can you apply?

  1. An individual must apply for TBBC’s services and have his/her eligibility certified. An application can be found here, or by calling TBBC at 1-800-792-8322 for an application to be sent by mail. 
  2. The application must be certified (see second page of application).
  3. The original signed and certified application can be scanned and emailed, faxed, or mailed to:
  • Email: tbbc@njstatelib.org
  • Fax: 609-406-7181
  • Mailing address: New Jersey State Library Talking Book & Braille Center, P.O. Box 501, Trenton, NJ 08618. Mark the outside of the envelope “Free Matter for the Blind or Handicapped” and it will ship to TBBC postage-free. 

For more information, ask a librarian or check out the TBBC’s FAQ page

State Resources for the Disabled

Library Materials

In addition to the services offered by the Talking Book & Braille Center, the Summit Free Public Library offers a wide variety of materials of particular interest to patrons with sensory and cognitive disabilities:

  • Large Type books
  • Audiobooks on CD and cassette tape
  • Playaways
  • Screen Reader: the toolbar in the bottom right corner makes our website accessible to all users thanks to its screen reader, high contrast, and font sizing features, including Dyslexic Font. Moreover, if you highlight specific text on the page Screen Reader will read only the selected text.