All branches of the Washington State Library are closed to the general public until further notice. For more information, please visit our page regarding the closure.

90th

In 2021, the National Library Services for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) and the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL) celebrate our 90th anniversary. In 1931, WTBBL was one of the original nineteen regional libraries of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) of the Library of Congress to be established under the Pratt-Smoot Act, which became law on March 3, 1931 and authorized the provision of library service to people who are blind or visually impaired. We hope you join us throughout the year as WTBBL will host and share online programming through our various social media channels and website.

Mission Statement

The Washington Talking Book & Braille Library builds community and provides equal access to information and reading materials for Washington residents unable to read standard print.


Duplication on Demand for audiobooks is here!

WTBBL’s new duplication on demand service for audiobooks has arrived and we are now producing customized digital cartridges with multiple books per cartridge based on a patron’s preferences and requests. To help ensure we send you books you want to read, please call WTBBL to update your favorite authors, subjects, series, and narrators.

You will continue to use your current digital talking book machine with duplication on demand cartridges. Returning your custom book cartridges is simple. Instead of turning over the mailing card to return the book, just remove it, as the library’s address is printed on the container. If you have questions when you receive your first duplication on demand cartridge, please call the library at 206-615-0400 to speak to Readers’ Advisory.

Subscribe for updates

For the latest updates from WTBBL, subscribe to our list serve by emailing [email protected] with the subject "subscribe to email list."


reading matters spring 2021

WTBBL's Spring 2021 Reading Matters Newsletter is now available.

then now

Join us Tuesday May, 25 at 2:00 P.M. for "90 Years of Access: A History of WTBBL and NLS," a webinar about the people and events from Seattle and across the nation that have made this important service possible. Register in advance for this Zoom Webinar. Join

tale tails

Registration is now open for Summer Reading 2021! This year's theme is "Tails & Tales" and will feature all sorts of projects, books, and activities exploring nature's most interesting animals. Summer Reading lasts from July to the end of August and features eight weekly packets mailed directly to your home, in categories for Early Learners, Children, or Teens. Click here to sign up!