The North Dakota State Library has a motto - "knowledge for everyone."

The Talking Book Program, part of the library's Disability Services, is helping to achieve this goal by providing recorded books and players free of charge to those who are unable to read standard printed materials due to visual, physical or reading disabilities.

The Talking Book Program is expanding its gift of knowledge in the upcoming year by taking the program digital:"This is going to be much more user-friendly," said Sue Hammer-Schneider, head of Disability Services.

Currently, the program contains cassette recordings of 60,000 books, but in the next year will begin the extensive switch to a digital format. The books will now be contained on what is basically a flash drive. The new player is one-third the size and half the weight of the current cassette player. Patrons of the Talking Book Program will no longer have to rewind cassettes, and will be able to "read" with a better audio quality than the out-of-date cassette machine.

"There are some people that are very excited about the new digital program and it cannot come fast enough," Hammer-Schneider said.

Because of the large number of audio cassettes, it will take time for the program to become completely digital. At first, Hammer-Schneider expects to receive 385 digital players, but because there will still be cassettes in circulation, some patrons will have both the new and the old player. Veterans of military service and patrons of high standing will receive the digital players first.

"The transition will not be overnight," Hammer-Schneider said. "It will take several years."

The program is expected to be digital by the year 2014. However, the program's collection of 70 magazines will remain on cassette.

The Disability Services at the State Library also broadcasts local news to those who qualify for the Talking Book Program. Patrons receive a circuit radio tuned in to this specific broadcast.

Approximately 2,350 North Dakota residents are patrons of the Talking Book Program. Hammer-Schneider often receives messages from people who use the service. One patron wrote to her saying, "Idon't know what Iwould do without this service." Another reported that she doesn't even turn on the TV anymore. She just reads her books.

"As far as testimonials, people always say, 'talking books just make my day,'" Schneider said.

As the Talking Book Program transitions into the technology-filled 21st century, they will not lose sight of their loyal patrons who look forward to receiving each one of their books, no matter what the format.

"We don't say our patrons listen to the books," Schneider said. "We say they read their books, because this is how they read."

(Kay Kemmet can be reached at 250-8260 or at kay.kemmet@bismarcktribune.com.)