A braille library is one of the best options to help a visually impaired person acquire information. However, relying on talking books for blind people is an easy and convenient way of passing information too.
Everyone knows services like Audible that offer thousands of interesting book titles for blind people. However, other free audio books for the blind are worth noting. Below are some of the best audiobook websites for visually impaired individuals.
AudioBooks.com
This website offers an easy way to read books and has a Netflix-style subscription service. Instead of downloading the books, you can stream them. AudioBooks offers convenience, like moving from one device to another without losing the activity. It is easier to manage streams and takes less space.
SimplyAudio
You only need to pay a one-time fee to access as many audio books for visually impaired people as possible. It has a great collection of titles. Once you listen to one, return it and get another one immediately.
Books Free
Are you wondering where to get a device to stream or download audio books for the blind? Worry no more! Book Free is here to the rescue. All you need to do is create a list of all the audiobooks you want, and they will be delivered in CD format. You have unlimited time with the books. Therefore, mail them back in the prepaid mailer once done and get new ones.
PodioBooks
PodioBooks deals with free books for the blind and independent authors. They offer a non-traditional approach to the processes. Readers have an option to donate some amount to the book they feel is good enough. The author is entitled to 75% of the proceeds and the remaining for website maintenance. You get to enjoy a nice book for free and support an upcoming author in the process.
Audiobooks vs Braille Books
There is an endless debate about what is better between listening to an audiobook and reading a book. The same argument is extended to audiobooks vs. braille books. The option between the two is mainly based on personal preferences and choice. Some individuals living with blindness may like audiobooks for the blind, while others may go with braille due to the physical feel of books.
However, talking books for the blind have great advantages over braille books in many ways.
Easy to store
Bulky braille books require a lot of space for storage and use. Also, they need regular cleaning and dusting. Poor maintenance can lead to destruction by mites, moisture, or rats.
On the other hand, audio books only need a memory space in devices like tablets, laptops, and smartphones. Thanks to cloud storage, you can access your audio book anywhere and anytime, provided you have internet access. Also, cloud storage helps to retrieve books when the hard drive is destroyed or lost.
Easy to carry
Braille books are heavy and bulky. Audio books can be carried together or inside another essential item. For example, you can carry hundreds of books for the blind on your mobile phone.
Easy to access
One can use audiobooks almost anywhere, while waiting for someone, on the toilet, and eating. For braille books, you need a comfortable and quiet place to hold or keep and read.
Cheaper
Publishing braille books or setting up a braille library for the blind is costly, and the cost will fall on the buyer or user eventually. Once books for visually impaired people are recorded into audio, they can be shared with unlimited users without extra production costs. Each braille copy needs money to be printed. Audio books for the blind are sometimes free on the internet.
No additional training
Braille is not always the first or basic alphabet for some blind people. Most blind people lose their sight later in life or gradually become blind over time. Therefore, such individuals need to learn braille to access written information. Audio books for visually impaired individuals can help ease the process since they require no training.
In a nutshell
Audiobooks are one of the important tools for a blind person, either for business or leisure reading. These books can change the way blind people learn when incorporated into the learning system. Some institutions are taking advantage of this new way of learning to make the lives of visually impaired individuals interesting and easy. For more information on audiobooks or to discover a library for the blind, visit Living Paintings.