Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library

The Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library (MBTBL) provides direct library service to Minnesotans with print disabilities. The MBTBL is a network library within the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), a program sponsored by the Library of Congress.

The library is funded through Minnesota state general funds and Federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant money from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Library materials are sent free of charge by the U.S. Postal Service. Patrons can request library materials through the online library catalog, as well as by telephone, email, and/or postal mail. A large number of books and magazines are also available to download from Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD).

Important News

  • New Talking Book Player (DA2) Information Session - Learn about the new digital talking book player, the DA2. Hear about its features, including built-in Wi-Fi for connecting to BARD, Bluetooth connectivity, internal storage, and more. DA2 players will be available for participants to try hands-on, along with other equipment. Attendees can receive a cartridge to assist in setting up a new DA2 at home. Please bring your BARD log-in credentials and Wi-Fi network name and password if you want them saved on the cartridge. This will be an in-person only event held at the Minnesota Department of Education in partnership between the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library and State Services for the Blind.
    Date: Thursday, August 28th
    Time: 1:00-2:30
    Location: 400 NE Stinson Blvd, Minneapolis, MN 55413, in lower-level conference rooms 101 and 102
    Registration is required due to room capacity. Registration limited to 40 participants.
     
  • NLS Summer Reading Program – The third NLS Summer Reading Program runs Monday, June 16, through Friday, August 15, 2025. Virtual events feature author Mac Barnett, Master Gardener Roger Erpelding, Storyteller Donna Washington, Master Chef Christine Ha, and Musician Jono Manson. More information and registration for events, including a virtual tour of the Library of Congress, is on the NLS Summer Reading Program website. Please note the times listed are eastern time.
     
  • My Talking Books (Alexa Skill) - NLS is seeking beta testers of their new My Talking Books skill on Amazon Alexa-enabled smart speakers. NLS patrons who register for open beta will be on-boarded on a rolling basis. Patrons who wish to register for the open beta should fill out the Patron Registration Form.
     
  • DA2 Players are Coming - This summer NLS plans to offer a new audiobook player, replacing the first generation of players introduced in 2009. The free DA2 is NLS’s new digital player with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 28GB storage, Text-to-Speech, easy-to-use buttons, and support for NLS cartridges and USB drives. Supplies are limited, so eligible users should contact the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library to add your name to the waitlist. Get the details on the DA2 on the NLS website.
     
  • Road Construction Until July 2025 - Per the Hennepin County website: "Hennepin County will repave and improve East Hennepin Avenue (County Road 52) from I-35W to Industrial Boulevard, and Stinson Boulevard (County Road 27) from East Hennepin to south of Kennedy Street." For more information, visit the Hennepin County website.
 

Eligibility and Applying for Service

For complete eligibility requirements, please review the NLS's eligibility guidelines.

To apply for library service as an individual person, complete the Application for Free Library Service (PDF) and return it to the library by postal mail, fax or email. Be sure that page two of the application includes a signature from an accepted certifying authority and that the parental acknowledgement form is completed for individuals under the age of 18.

For an individual application in Spanish, download and complete the NLS’s Spanish Application for Free Library Service for Individuals (PDF). Then, return the completed application to MBTBL by postal mail, fax or email.

To enroll as an institution, download and complete the NLS’s Institutions Application for Free Library Service (PDF). Then, return the completed application to MBTBL by postal mail, fax or email. For more info, visit the NLS’s Institutions webpage.

Hours of Operation

Telephone Hours: The library's telephone hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Voicemail is available while the library is closed.

In-Person Visits: Visits are by appointment only. Call 1-800-722-0550 or email [email protected] to arrange a visit.

The library will be closed for the following holidays:

  • New Year's Day
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • Presidents Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Juneteenth
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Veterans Day
  • Thanksgiving and the following Friday
  • Christmas Day

Background

Since 1933, MBTBL has worked in partnership with the NLS, which administers a free national library program--sponsored by the Library of Congress--for visually and physically disabled persons. The program was established by an act of Congress in 1931. Over time, federal mandates have expanded the definition of people eligible for service. The current federal regulations for this program are outlined in the Federal Register for June 7, 1974, as amended October 2, 1981.

The NLS selects and produces full-length books and magazines in both audio and braille formats. Such library materials are distributed to a network of designated libraries throughout the United States which, in turn, circulate them to eligible patrons within their respective states.