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A GOOD READ

Christian literature in accessible media – braille, giant print & audio

The TORCH TRUST vision is that blind and partially sighted people should be able to read what they want to read, when they want to read it and in a media that they prefer. Of course, this is far from always practical, but it's something we strive towards through investment in technology, pursuing best practice in transcription methods and through partnership with authors and publishers.

But there is a great deal we can already do. For example, if you need some literature in an accessible format to enable you to participate in a church activity or a Christian event – such as a course book or song sheet – then do contact TORCH TRUST to see if we can help. We can provide you with a book in braille or large print, or transcribed onto audio disc. If you give us plenty of warning, we can ask publishers for the electronic files which avoids the labour involved in re-creating accurate text.

Resources for Churches

Attending church can be a surprisingly challenging experience for the blind and partially sighted. Anyone going into church is usually offered a bundle of printed material – a hymnbook, a Bible, perhaps a prayer book, an order of service, a news sheet and so on. During many services, attention is increasingly directed to images projected on a screen – sometimes words, sometimes images, sometimes video clips. It's all pretty off-putting if you can't see any of it!

TORCH TRUST can help churches provide for the needs of blind and partially sighted people, resourcing them in ways that allow everyone to be included and involved. Click here for a summary listing or enquire at Torch House: telephone 01858 438260 or email info@torchtrust.org.

Partnering with Publishers of Christian Books

There are four or five thousand Christian books published each year in the UK. At present we can only transcribe 150 annually. This number has been growing and we expect it to continue to grow. To do more we need to work in greater cooperation with the publishers of Christian books.
In February 2006 at the Christian Booksellers Convention, TORCH TRUST presented a partnering campaign to the major Christian publishers. To learn more about this initiative download the information sheet we prepared for publishers to help them understand the reading needs of blind and partially sighted people. We are delighted to report that we had an excellent response and are optimistic that this will lead to more Christian books being available in accessible media, and more quickly.

Torch Library

A free postal Christian library service for blind and partially sighted people
 

—This book came just at the right time for me.

—I felt as though the author knew all about me and was writing the book just for me.

—Have you got anything on forgiveness? We're studying it at church –- and I desperately need to put it into practice myself.

—I'd be lost without my audio books. It's like a friend coming into the house to read to me.

—At last – a book with print large enough for me to read!

—When I can't sleep, I love to get into one of your Braille books.

These comments are typical of the feedback we receive all the time from our library users.
Libraries are really important for visually impaired people. The Torch Library is the largest collection of Christian books in the English language accessible for those with sight loss – over 2,000 titles covering theological, devotional, missionary, biographical and Christian leisure reading. There are all sorts of interesting books written from a Christian viewpoint; books about people from all walks of life; about important issues which may be affecting us; or studies on Bible books or themes running through the Bible.

Click here to search the Torch Library catalogue to see if the title you want is there, or to find what books from a favourite author are available.

All age groups are included. Children will find plenty of exciting adventures, either to read for themselves or to have read to them. You can choose books yourself, or you can tell us about the authors or subjects that interest you and we will choose suitable titles for you.

We seek to produce as many books as possible in audio (on cassette and DAISY CD), in giant print (24 point bold) and in braille. If you request a specific book which we have in only one format, we'll offer it to you, even if it's not your usual one. For instance, we may have a book about marriage on cassette but not in braille, or some daily meditations might be available in giant print, but not yet on cassette.

Please contact us if you'd like to know more, see a sample of the kinds of books we produce, or join the library. Tell us whether you prefer cassette, DAISY CD, giant print or braille, and let us know if you can use any of the other formats.

IMPORTANT  Due to copyright and postal restrictions, these books are only available to registered visually impaired people, or those whose sight is less than N12 as certified by a medical practitioner. A form for certification is available from Torch House.

Other literature from TORCH TRUST in braille, giant print or audio:

• regular publications: magazines, newsletters, daily Bible readings
• free booklets: a range of titles
• Bibles, hymn and song books, books including Alpha course materials, scripture text calendars and tactile greetings cards. 
• the Online Bible – the Bible for a PC – at a special discounted price for visually impaired users
• the Megavoice Audio Bible: a hand-held, solar-powered electronic audio New American Standard Bible (NASB) read by an American reader. Three pairs of buttons allow selection of book, chapter and groups of 5 verses. Proceeds fund Bibles for Africa
• DAISY audio New Testament: TNIV (Today's New International Version) on DAISY CD reader by English actors; selection by book, chapter, section and verse can be made. Old Testament available soon!