reading and recording

In 2020, Blind Service Association (BSA) volunteers helped over 150 clients, read more than 10,000 hours of material at six separate sites in the Chicago area.

BSA provides reading services to any visually impaired Chicago area resident who is either a 1) high school senior or 2) an adult 18 years of age or older.

Clients bring in a broad range of materials to be read, including textbooks, novels, legal transcripts, recipes and mail. BSA sets no restrictions on the content of the materials clients choose to have read.

Volunteers receive an orientation at our downtown office. They learn how to read and describe various types of written materials. Please contact Marty Kummetz(email) or call at 312-236-0808 if you are interested in becoming a volunteer reader.

Clients of BSA may take advantage of a variety of specialized equipment during their reading sessions. Braillers, slates and styluses, digital recorders, four-track tape recorders, computers with speech recognition and large print programs, internet connection, electric typewriters, closed circuit televisions (CC-TV's), reading scanners and Orcam glasses are available to use in the office.

Reading services are available during regular business hours at our downtown office. In addition to our main office, clients have the opportunity to schedule virtual appointments for remote reading, internet research, and other tasks. Sessions are set up for a maximum of two hours. Also five off-site one-to-one reading locations are available. Contact Marty at mkummetz@blindserviceassociation.org or leave a message at 312-236-0808 to set up appointment for more information.

Blind, Visually Impaired and Dyslexic clients who live anywhere in the United States may bring in or mail to Blind Service Association (BSA) books or other written material for audio recording. Recording of books take place at BSA's downtown office.

BSA sets no restrictions on the content of the materials consumers choose to have recorded. Also, BSA will only record material that has not been previously recorded through other private or governmental agencies. Please check with Library of Congress and Learning Ally for availability of your material.

BSA uses digital format recording and scanning.

To take advantage of BSA's recording service or to volunteer to record material, please contact Marty Kummetz(email) or call BSA's Downtown office at 312-236-0808.