A helping ear

People with visual impairments or reading disabilities can now receive their local news via a telephone call.

The Recording Library of West Texas, a professional-quality recording studio in Midland, has introduced a telephone reader program, which allows a person to call or log on to the Internet and listen to several local publications as well as weekly newspaper grocery ads. After updating to digital equipment in 2008, the library board of directors decided to use a donation they received to set up the new addition.

"We found the telephone reader program through the University of Kansas," said Trish Speight, executive director at the Recording Library. The group then purchased software from the university to start their program in Midland, which now serves between 700 and 1000 people in the area, including clients in Stanton, Crane, and Andrews. "It's catching on," Speight said. "We've been getting a lot of calls."

In addition to the telephone reader, the recording library also participates in the Texas Talking Book Program. "Our recordings are sent to the Texas State Library in Austin and they distribute them," Speight said, adding that the program mails material to over 20,000 subscribers throughout the state. As part of its services, the recording library offers a church outreach program, in which it records Sunday school lessons and Bible studies. The organization also has a textbook recording program, which gives students the material required from a class syllabus. "We don't read the whole textbook, just the part the student needs," Speight said.

The nonprofit group relies on 35 volunteers to fulfill the needs of its clients, but more help is always needed. "The amount of material is daunting," Speight said, and the staff of three sometimes records books in addition to their regular duties. Volunteers are trained to read all subjects before they begin recording, though Speight said it would be "nice to have more Spanish speakers" to record Spanish-language texts. Jeanne Guichard, who has been volunteering at the library for about 25 years, said that she began working there after she retired. "I wanted to do volunteer work and give back to people," Guichard said. After working at the library for many years, Guichard said she she learned that "you are getting far more out of it (volunteering) than you give."

For those who use the telephone reader, the service is invaluable. "Everyone who cannot see to read should use this," said Virginia Brooks, who has used the Midland Recording Library for about three years. "I belonged to a talking book club in Austin," said Brooks, where she learned that a similar group existed locally. Brooks said she listens to local newspapers, including the front page, obituaries, letters to the editor, and grocery advertisements.

Materials offered by the midland recording library:

>>Odessa American

>>Midland Reporter Telegram

>>Grocery ads from Albertson's, HEB, Super Mercado, Walgreens and Target