Braille Library and Transcribing Services (BLTS) is another one of our partner nonprofit organizations doing amazing work for our communities. Volunteers have been brailling for the blind at BLTS since 1971. Fifteen RSVP volunteers currently serve at BLTS. Patricia Herrling, the Coordinator at BLTS, has graciously written a short article about the volunteer experience at BLTS.
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Braille Library & Transcribing Services is an almost totally volunteer non-profit organization. BLTS has two main services. One is to transcribe materials from print to braille for the blind or visually impaired. The other service is a free lending library of braille books to blind people across the United States.
Lending library volunteers help the librarian in tasks involving the processing of books for the library, packing and unpacking boxes for transport to library clients, and other duties with regards to maintaining the library collection.
Most of our volunteers are braille transcribers. To become a certified braille transcriber takes about a year. We offer a course each fall, which usually includes a meeting once every other week. There may be optional study sessions as needed. All classes are held at our offices at 6501 Watts Road, Madison, WI. The classes are around 1.5 hours, and outside of class exercises, drills, proofreading, etc. average around 10 hours per week. We supply all of the software and lessons, but volunteers provide their own computer/printer.
Our Braille Coordinator assigns materials needed for transcribing. We get requests from schools, businesses, and private individuals across the U.S. These include materials such as bills, program brochures, school worksheets/books, menus and cookbooks, leisure reading, handicraft books and many other miscellaneous items, basically, whatever the blind or visually impaired reader requests. We also braille almost all of the reading material in our lending library.
Literacy is an important life skill and providing materials for the blind is a rewarding and fulfilling service. Most of the transcribing work is done by the volunteer in their own home and at their own pace, subject to client deadlines. It is very flexible as to the amount a volunteer transcribes each year for BLTS. Active volunteers are asked to produce 300 braille pages or equivalent volunteer work per year for BLTS.
Volunteers at BLTS also benefit from a friendly community of support and fellowship. We plan several continuing education opportunities throughout the year. We also find time to have fun, with group activities and lunch gatherings.
