Illinois Cooperative Recognized As Outstanding

http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2006abc/april2006ab/nlsaward.cfm

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Posted April 7, 2006.

Illinois Cooperative Recognized As Outstanding

The Illinois State Library’s Talking Book and Braille Service (TBBS) in Springfield was named Network Library of the Year by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped at an April 4 ceremony at the Library of Congress. The annual award was created by the NLS to recognize outstanding accomplishments of the 134 American libraries serving blind and physically handicapped individuals.

TBBS Director Sharon Ruda accepted the award on behalf of all the service’s cooperating libraries, which include the Chicago Public Library, Mid-Illinois, Southern Illinois, and Voice of Vision talking book centers.

The Illinois TBBS was cited for its trailblazing technology-related programs, especially Online Programming for All Libraries, an initiative that started in the Illinois talking-book community as an accessible, web-based book discussion in 2003 and is now popular in libraries worldwide. Other TBBS projects include the InfoEyes virtual reference service; the Illinois Kidzone summer reading program; and Unabridged, a web-based digital audiobook program that permits patrons to listen to books on computers or download them onto a CD or MP3 player.

Posted April 7, 2006.