Library Resources for the Blind and Physically Handicapped: A Directory with FY 1999 Statistics on Readership, Circulation, Budget, Staff, and Collections.

A free national library service providing recorded and Braille materials to blind and physically handicapped persons is administered by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress. In this directory, NLS network libraries and machine-lending agencies are arranged alphabetically by state. Within each state, the regional library appears first, followed by subregional libraries (if any) listed alphabetically by city. In several states, two regional libraries have been established; in these instances, the specific service area of each library is shown. County service areas are also listed for subregional libraries, but for libraries that serve 18 or more counties, the outlying or border counties are listed while those in the center of the service area are not. Regional libraries that also function as machine-lending agencies are identified by an asterisk. Separate machine-lending agencies (if any) are listed as the final entry for a state. Regional libraries designated as Braille-lending libraries are identified by a number symbol. Braille is listed under the book collection heading for each of these libraries. For libraries not designated as Braille-lending libraries, Braille collections are listed under the special collections category. The information about NLS network libraries and machine-lending agencies contained in the body of the directory and in the second appendix was provided by each network library and machine-lending agency in response to a questionnaire circulated in February 2000; readership and circulation statistics in the first appendix are for federal fiscal year (October-September) 1999. Two affiliated library consortium are included, followed by other library resources at the national level, both arranged alphabetically by the name of the organization. Each entry indicates eligibility requirements, special media available, subject coverage, and lending policies, all of which may vary from one organization to another. (AEF)