Free Braille Books for Wisconsin Students, Families, TVI's and School Libraries
Funded by grant monies, Wisconsin Braille's Special Book Project was started in 1998 with the production of one braille book offered at no cost to libraries in Wisconsin schools where blind students are enrolled. Since that time, Wisconsin Braille's Special Book Project has expanded. We now produce on average 12-15 new books per year. The intention of the Book Project is to produce and disseminate quality books in braille so that blind students can access books at the same place and time as their sighted peers do. Parents, including those of blind preschoolers who are not yet enrolled in school, may also receive books from the project.
Coordinating with teachers of the visually impaired and school librarians across the state, the Special Book Committee solicits possible titles for transcription. The books selected for transcription represent a wide range of reading levels, fiction and non-fiction material, and poetry. Print/braille books for young readers are included in each year's selection. Every effort is made to select books that are not already available in braille.
In collaboration with the Oshkosh State Correctional Institution (OSCI), book selections are produced by transcribers certified by the Library of Congress/National Library Service (NLS) under the direction of the coordinator of the OSCI Braille Program. The books are available in hard-copy braille or on disc.
New book selections are posted to this web site in September. Book orders are placed before the end of November. Completed books are shipped in the spring of the following year at the latest.