These gifts allow Talking Books to supplement its operating budget and enhance services to patrons. The Talking Books Advisory Council carefully reviews proposed expenditures to secure prudent use of these gifts. The Board of the Oregon State Library monitors these expenses to get the best value for the dollar. Our current APH machines are outdated, and produce lower quality recordings. We will purchase 20 new machines to replace those currently being used, and also expand the narration program to include more volunteer narrators.
Patrons enjoy the works of Oregon authors, which are narrated by volunteers.
The fiction books we purchase will be used by the narrators for recording purposes. Most of the non-fiction books we select are borrowed as available from the State Library collection, but occasionally an unavailable title must also be purchased. Our descriptive video collection currently includes 239 titles, all of which have been purchased exclusively through donation funds. There are a few new titles produced each year, and donation funds will buy approximately 40 new or replacement titles. We will purchase these high interest commercial audio books to supplement our existing collection of mysteries, westerns, self-help, and other popular subjects.