SPRINGFIELD –– Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White has announced that the Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille Service, together with the state's six Talking Book Centers, is sponsoring a reading contest for print disabled adults that will lead up to the Illinois Authors Book Fair November 16th at the State Library in Springfield.
White said participants have the chance to win a signed audiocassette edition of the acclaimed new best-selling World War II book Once Upon a Town by syndicated columnist Bob Greene, who will be the featured author at this year's Book Fair.
"Every year we are pleased to showcase the talents of our state's authors at the Illinois Authors Book Fair, and this contest also allows us to spotlight the important services offered by the Talking Book and Braille Service and our sub regional Talking Book Centers," White said. "Thousands of adults who are unable to read regular printed material because of a temporary or permanent physical or visual disability rely on Talking Books for education, information and entertainment."
Any adult who is registered in the Talking Book program is eligible to participate in the contest. There will be contests at the Talking Book and Braille Service in Springfield and at each of the state's Talking Book Centers located in Coal Valley, Quincy, Carterville, Pekin, Chicago and Geneva. At each site adults may choose from a selection of 70 different fiction and non-fiction books. The participant who reads the most books at each site will win an autographed audiocassette edition of Once Upon a Town. Participants must register for the contest through TBBS or their local Talking Book Center. The contest will run from September 16th through November 6th. Winners will be announced at the Illinois Authors Book Fair.
For more information about the contest, patrons may contact their local Talking Book Center, or the Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille Service at 1-800-665-5576, ext. 5. For more information about the Illinois Authors Book Fair, contact Book Fair coordinator Carole Gair at 217-785-6925.
