by Caroline Gabsewics
Staff Writer
Among a sea of green plastic containers is where you will find Jerry Reynolds sifting through hundreds of volumes of books — but none of them have any pages.
Reynolds is the manager of the Jacksonville Public Library’s Talking Book/Special Needs Library; a division that offers reading services to those who have a visual or physical disability. Its books come on cassette and can be checked out by filling out a simple form.
The Talking Book/Special Needs Library is in the Bradham Brooks Northwest Branch on Edgewood Avenue. When the new library opens on Nov. 12, they will be moving into the new building. During the library’s opening week, at 2 p.m. on Nov. 17, there will be a birthday party to celebrate Talking Book/Special Needs Library’s 30th birthday as well as The Jacksonville Public Library’s 100th birthday.
Reynolds has been with The Jacksonville Public Library for 17 years, but with the Talking Books/Special Needs Library for the past five.
“We started something here and we thought why not get someone (like us) at every branch,” said Reynolds. “Every library (branch) has a special needs liaison to increase the comfort level for those that come to the libraries with disabilities.”
When a person decides they want to receive talking books from the library, there is a one-time application that has to be approved. The applications are available at their office by calling (904) 765-5588, online, or by calling the Edgewood branch at 765-5402 before coming to the Edgewood Avenue branch.
“On the application they tell us what they like to read,” said Reynolds. “They can decide what they want to read.”
Three talking books, packaged in a green plastic case, are sent to customers in Duval County by mail once a week, but the individual can adjust what they want to their interests. Reynolds said it doesn’t matter if someone wants 10 books a week or one book a week.
“The three books a week are a model, but only a model,” he said.
The Library of Congress publishes the different books that go out to the Talking Book/Special Needs Library customers. The library has thousands of talking books that range from the current Harry Potter novels to westerns, romances, mysteries, biographies, and children’s books that go as young as prekindergarten.
“We get the books on loan from them (The Library of Congress) and then we loan them to our customers,” said Reynolds. “When they are done with the book, they turn the (address) card to the opposite side and they send it back to us, postage free.”
The equipment needed to listen to the books is provided to the customers for free from the federal government. The books are on what looks like a cassette tape, but they are actually four-track tapes as opposed to standard two-track cassettes. Customers can also subscribe to a large variety of talking magazines that are sent directly to their homes. Duval County customers can also rent movies typically found at Blockbuster Video. Reynolds said the movies are purchased by the Jacksonville Public Library or the Lions Club. Those who rent movies must have a VCR or DVD player at home.
“There is a descriptive overlay described by a narrator,” said Reynolds of the videos. “If you can’t see the screen at all, you’ll still enjoy the movie. The people love it and it is enjoyable.”
Reynolds said even though his library has books that cover people of all ages, 65 percent of their customers are 65 years of age or older.
“We have books for children, but our biggest customer base is seniors,” he said.
Reynolds has been in the library business for over 30 years. Before he started working in the talking books section, Reynolds did traditional library work. He was also appointed to the Mayor’s Disability Council as Senior Talking Books Librarian.
“I am glad I am doing this now,” he said. “People really appreciate what we do for them and I get a feeling of accomplishment and that is very satisfying.”
By working at Talking Books, Reynolds has seen that it has given their customers an opportunity to live. Reynolds said he has a lot of older customers who tell him that they wouldn’t be around if Talking Books didn’t exist.
“Reading is key to leading a fuller life and if people’s vision fails them, they loose that avenue if they don’t have something to take its place,” he said. “It (Talking Books) keeps people reading and reading is key.”