Operating costs are shared by the two organisations and an agreed proportion of recording time is used for recording material for the RNIB's National Cassette Tape Library. The present Centre was opened in May 1996. It has 6 purpose built recording booths, mixing facilities for multi-reader recordings and each booth can support digital recording and data transmission. It is the largest facility of its kind in any U.K. further or higher education institution. Over 120 O.U. courses and study packs have been recorded.
All readers are unpaid volunteers.
There are over 150 regular readers. New readers are given a reading test and if accepted are given full training. Recording Centre staff are on hand to prepare work, support readers, check finished work and label masters. Rigorous quality standards are maintained. New volunteers are always welcome .