Equipment and Accessories
The National Library Service talking book cassettes are not recorded the same way commercial records and cassettes are recorded. Thus, most of the cassette books in Wolfner Library's collection are recorded on 4-tracks per cassette at 15/16 inches per second. You must have a special 4-track cassette player to use these cassettes. The talking book machine and 4-track cassette player are furnished free on indefinite loan, and you can keep the equipment as long as you remain active by borrowing one audio book or magazine per calendar year. There is no deposit payment for this equipment.
Cassette Machines
Our Standard, C1 Player
- Plays audio cassettes at commercial and slower speeds, 2-track and 4-track
- Is portable
- Is equipped with a rechargeable battery and an electrical cord
- Includes a variable speed control that permits speeding up or slowing down of playback speed
- Instructions for Operating Our Standard Cassette Payer
Easy Cassette Machine
- Plays audio cassettes at only 15/16 inches per second, 4-track
- Must be plugged into electricity to operate
- Automatically rewinds cassettes; automatically changes tracks
- Does not include a variable speed control
- Instructions for Operating Our Easy Cassette Player
Playback Machine Repair and Maintenance
If your playback machine breaks, call, mail or e-mail Wolfner Library to request a replacement. Replacement or repair is at no cost. Readers are allowed only one cassette player in their possession. If your records are in order, a new machine will be mailed to you immediately. Mail the defective machine back to Wolfner Library in its original container. You will find a mailing label inside the box with the new machine. Dampen the back of the mailing label and place it over the label on the outside of the box. The machine should be returned using "Free Matter for the Blind and Physically Handicapped." through the United States Post Office. We cannot reimburse you for expenses for machines returned in any other manner.
Accessories
Amplifier
- For persons with a significant hearing loss
- Requires a separate application with medical certification; the sound is boosted to a level that can cause permanent hearing loss to persons with normal hearing.
- Please contact Wolfner Library about the application procedure for obtaining this accessory.
Breath Switch
- For persons with little or no use of their extremities
- Must be used with remote control unit
- Extension Levers
- For persons who have difficulty manipulating the key controls on a standard cassette machine
- Attaches to the key controls of the cassette machine
Headphones
- For readers who require them for reading talking books where loudspeakers are not permitted, as in nursing homes and hospitals
Pillow Speaker
- For persons who are confined to bed
- May be used with any playback machine
- Is placed under the reader's pillow and is normally heard only by the reader
Remote Control Unit
- For persons confined to bed or with difficulty in mobility
- Turns playback equipment on and off but will not control other functions such as volume and speed
- Please contact Wolfner Library about the application procedure for obtaining this accessory.
Solar Panel Battery Charger
- For readers who do not have access to electricity.
- Please contact Wolfner Library about the procedure for obtaining this accessory.