About Us
Who We Are and What We Do
DZB (Deutsche Zentralbücherei für Blinde), the German Central Library for the Blind, is situated in Leipzig, a vivid city in the federal state of Saxony, Central Germany. Our main task is to make printed information accessible to blind and partially sighted people. The DZB therefore is all in one, a library, a publishing house and a production centre for braille and talking books. It was founded in 1894 as a society for supplying the blind with braille literature and working opportunities, and has now become the oldest public library for the blind in Germany. The DZB belongs to the most important media institutions of German speaking countries, now. Over 8,000 members use the library’s different services. The library comprises about 40,000 volumes: braille books, braille music, talking books and reliefs such as geographical maps and calendars. The DZB edits and publishes seventeen magazines in braille and audio formats. Additionally our scientific library collects published information about blindness related topics.
Since 2002 the DZB has lent out DAISY books. This technique is being enhanced in close cooperation with the DAISY Consortium. Talking books in older formats are successively transferred into DAISY. In 2010 this transmission process will be finished.
The department of relief printing uses the technique of computer-controlled plotter cutting. In exemplary cooperation with a Thuringian publishing house we produce geographical maps, which can be used by blind, partially sighted and sighted people alike.
The DZB plans to successively develop from a traditional library for the blind into a centre for barrier free communication in the 21st century. LOUIS, the Leipzig online support and information service, was established in 1999. This service provides blind and partially sighted computer users with advice and information on new media.
The DZB is a state-owned institution primarily financed with public funds, as costs for making printed information accessible to visually impaired people cannot be refinanced through product prices or lending fees. Private donations support further projects and services of the institution. You can, for example, sponsor the transcription of printed books into braille.
Any blind or partially sighted person, living in Saxony or South America, can use the DZB's services. According to our motto: “The DZB: Audible, Palpable, Readable!” we are glad to be at your service.