Library Service
Lending media to blind and partially sighted people is the main task of the DZB. As braille books are often very voluminous and need a lot of space, most people prefer borrowing rather than buying them. In difference to common libraries our users usually do not come to us. The communication between library and user goes mostly via phone, email and the internet. Readers can choose from an inventory of currently 38,000 titles. The lending of media is free of charge. You can keep the materials for 4 weeks. You may extend this period for comprehensive books. Learners of braille are given a longer period, as their reading skills have not been fully developed, yet. The checkout period for braille music books is up to six months, because the users have to memorize the whole music notation.
The DZB lends:
- braille books in contracted and non-contracted braille
- talking books: tape and DAISY
- braille music books
- non-fiction literature in print about blindness and related themes
The readers can search our collection on the internet or can request a catalogue via mail. The catalogues are available in print, contracted braille, cassette, CD-ROM and DAISY. Some are already accessible on the internet. The users can place their orders via phone or mail. The library users can also ask for recommendations on certain subjects. Many of our elderly users ask us to work out lists with their preferences for them. These wish lists are prepared individually. The listeners are very grateful and happy about this service. Two work days after the audio book is turned in we can send out another audio book to the client.
Due to legal reasons the proof of disability is required if you want to lend talking books, in order to make sure that the talking books are lent to visually impaired people only.
The majority of our media is in German, only a few titles are published in foreign languages. If you are German speaking and want to become user of our library, please consider our German website.
If you don’t speak German but want to contact our library please fill in the form below: