Traverse City, Mich. (July 11, 2012) The Traverse Area District Library (TADL) Board of Trustees has voted to continue providing specialized services for the blind and physically handicapped through the acceptance of the Advisory and Outreach Center (AOC) service model proposed by the Michigan Commission for the Blind. The AOC service model, with an emphasis on outreach and increasing registered users, is planned to go into effect by October 1, 2012.
A relatively new service model in the National Library Service, the AOC Talking Book Library allows TADL to maintain the personal interaction and local knowledge sought after by LBPH patrons while diverting routine tasks such as processing, materials inspection and circulation of items to the state library in Lansing. The level of annual state aid, projected to be $41,000, is consistent with current levels, and will ensure that the LBPH remains a service provided to our community.
“Patrons will continue to have that personal, local contact; a priority expressed by many,” said TADL Director Metta T. Lansdale, Jr.
A reduction in geographic area, also proposed by Lansing, will allow for enhanced outreach efforts to a reduced eight-county service area that includes Grand Traverse County and the following seven contiguous counties: Antrim, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Wexford, Leelanau, Benzie, and Manistee. This will provide an opportunity for greater outreach to create more awareness of the services offered by LBPH and increase registered patrons in those counties.
Patrons in seven counties of TADL’s LBPH current service area (Mason, Lake, Osceola, Oceana, Newaygo, Mecosta, and Roscommon) will continue to receive service through standard mail and readers’ advisory phone service provided by the Lansing office. Crawford County will be served by an AOC in the Upper Peninsula.
The TADL AOC will also offer its patrons digital download assistance and an on demand download service for access to the entire National Library Service BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) database of thousands of books and magazines.
“Over the last four months we’ve all benefited from the feedback and comments from the LBPH patrons and community,” said Lansdale. “The AOC service model is a hybrid of the old and the new designed to provide only the greatest benefit for our patrons.”
The Grand Traverse Area LPBH was the earliest Sub-Regional LBPH to be formed in the state of Michigan. It opened in 1972, followed closely by the Washtenaw County Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped in the same year.
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The Traverse Area District Library (TADL) is a network of community libraries serving Grand Traverse County through the following locations: the Woodmere (Main) Branch in Traverse City including the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, East Bay and Kingsley Branch Libraries; Member Libraries: Fife Lake Public Library, Interlochen Public Library, and Peninsula Community Library; and the Grand Traverse County Law Library. Learn more at www.tadl.org.