Meet CVSBH

Talking Books CT/Connecticut Volunteer Services for the Blind & Handicapped, Inc.
President: Anne Fortunato CVSBH, Inc. Email: cvsbh@yahoo.com

Meet Talking Books CT/CVSBH
Talking Books CT/Connecticut Volunteer Services for the Blind and Handicapped, Inc. (CVSBH) is a non-profit 501c3 corporation that works with the Connecticut Library for Accessible Books (CT LAB) to record books, pamphlets, and magazines as digital talking books for those who cannot hold or read printed material.

An all-volunteer, statewide program, Talking Books/CVSBH has over 100 participants recording in studio locations in Milford, Ridgefield, and Southbury. Contributing time on a regular basis and a dedication to a long term commitment are required of each volunteer. Patience, normal hearing and vision, a command of the English language (foreign languages are helpful also), and a love of literature are necessary to “translate” the written work to its audible meaning. Comfort using a computer is helpful. Auditions are required for narrators (see Volunteer Opportunities below).

An average-sized book of about 250-300 pages takes one full year to record and requires a team of volunteers. Since 1974, Talking Books CT/CVSBH has recorded over 2,700 titles, using National Library Service (NLS) recording procedures and standards.  The books are selected by CT LAB to supplement the materials produced by NLS with emphasis placed on titles related to Connecticut and New England by author or subject, and library patron requests.

Most of those audio books were produced in cassette format which is now obsolete and playback equipment unavailable.  The CTC catalog of these is also obsolete.  A large project is underway to convert these books to digital format and to re-issue them.

But books recorded in the last couple of years were produced in digital format and have been  uploaded to the National Library Service’s audio book website called BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download).  These books have DBC as their prefix and are available for downloading to your own devices.

Titles produced by Connecticut’s volunteer recording program are also submitted to the NLS Union Catalog. This online catalog lists the circulating collection of titles in Braille, cassette, and digital cartridges produced by NLS, and in addition, materials produced by cooperating libraries in the NLS network. The catalog allows access to locally produced works by users throughout the United States, Canada and other countries.

New volunteers are welcome for all phases of book production. Training is provided. In addition, tax deductible contributions are welcome. Contact the studio nearest you to make inquiries (see Recording Studios below).

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Recording Studio at Milford
Milford Recording Studio – Talking Books CT/CVSBH
Milford Public Library
57 New Haven Ave.
Milford, CT 06460
Tele.: 203.783.3304
Email: cvsbhmilford@gmail.com
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Recording Studio at Ridgefield
Ridgefield Recording Studio – Talking Books CT/CVSBH
Ridgefield Public Library
472 Main Street
Ridgefield, CT 06877
Tele.: 203.438.2282 ext 1039
Email: talkingbooksridgefield@gmail.com
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Recording Studio at Southbury

Southbury Recording Studio – Talking Books CT/CVSBH
Southbury Public Library
100 Poverty Road
Southbury, CT 06488
Tele.:  203.262.0626  ext 145
Email: southburystudio@gmail.com                     

Talking Books CT/CVSBH Volunteer Opportunities

There are many opportunities for volunteering at each of the five studios. Because a 250-300 page book can take about a year to produce, volunteers must be willing to contribute time on a regular basis and be dedicated to a long term commitment. Patience, normal hearing and vision, a command of the English language (foreign languages are helpful also), and a love of literature are necessary to translate the written work to its audible meaning.

Comfort using a computer would be helpful although training is provided for all positions. Auditions are required for narrators. It takes a team of volunteers working together to produce each talking book. A narrator prepares and reads the material into a microphone in a soundproof booth. A monitor operates the recording equipment outside the booth and directs the narrator while following along with a second copy of the material. Between recording sessions a reviewer listens to the recorded material and checks it against the written text, noting any errors, mispronunciations, or sound quality problems. The monitor and narrator must correct these mistakes at the beginning of the next recording session.

An evaluation panel made up of volunteers periodically appraises books- in- progress and forwards their comments to the recording team. Additional corrections are made as needed. The panel must approve each completed book. After an entire book is recorded, corrected and approved, another volunteer “masters” it- running the recording through software that further enhances the quality of the recording and renders it usable in digital format. Recordings are then duplicated onto cartridges which are labeled in print and Braille, packaged and shipped to the Connecticut Library for Accessible Books for distribution to patrons as digital talking books. Additional volunteer opportunities could involve clerical activities, serving as a unit coordinator and membership on the board of directors. For information about volunteer opportunities contact:

Laura DeFrancesco
Connecticut Library for Accessible Books
786 South Main St.
Middletown, CT 06457
Tele.: 860-704-2217
Toll-Free 800.842.4516