Volunteer to Stay Active
Since March of this year, I have been volunteering with the Talking Book and Braille Library, which is actually part of the Indiana State Library (ISL). Specifically, I am an Indiana Voices Reviewer for the ISL's Indiana Voices program. This program got started thanks to a generous grant from the Ruth Lilly Philanthropic Foundation, and seeks to get Indiana-related books and magazines recorded and circulating. These materials are recorded digitally, then made available on a digital talking book cartridge, which can be listened to on machines provided (for free) to ISL patrons.There are various volunteer positions involved with this program. For instance, some volunteers serve as narrators, and come into the library to record the material in a sound booth, which is then saved to a flash drive. Simultaneously, a volunteer monitor follows the text along with the narrator to ensure quality recording. Others, such as myself, take that flash drive and listen while following along with the text, to ensure there are no mistakes or sound issues, and to make a note of any profanity, violence, or sexual content.
This has been a great volunteer position so far, and has taught me a great deal about services for people with disabilities and diseases. I understand how necessary it is to make every attempt to meet the diverse informational needs of the community in which I will someday be working. If you are interested in volunteering with the Indiana Voices Program, or with the Indiana State Library in general, check out their current volunteer opportunities.
