Reading books can be a thoroughly rejuvenating experience, something that not only refreshes the mind but heals the soul of the reader as well. Unfortunately, not everyone has the privilege or the means to read books, with the inability stemming from physical conditions such as dyslexia, depression, or something else that might have robbed them of the ability to even hold a book or reading print material.
It is here that audiobooks can be a boon, more so with organizations such as Listening Books that describes itself as a charity audiobook lending service. It has taken upon the task of making audiobooks available to anyone in the UK who is unable to read a book. The reasons can range from visual impairments to other medical conditions such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADD/ADHD, autism, Asperger’s syndrome, anxiety, depression, problems with manual dexterity, fibromyalgia, Down’s Syndrome, cerebral palsy, heart or neurological conditions, and so on.
Membership fees range from £20 and £45 annually though there is a free membership scheme currently on offer thanks to some funding that they received. That however applies to only residents of Bedfordshire and anyone willing to avail of the offer will have to furnish a self-declaration that paying the membership fees would be an issue for them.
The library meanwhile plays host to more than 9000 audiobooks including those from bestselling authors such as J. K. Rowling, George R. R. Martin, Lee Child, Jojo Moyes, and Hilary Mantel, to name a few. Audiobook Genres range from fiction, non-fiction, educational stuff, and so on. Audiobooks are available for adults and children as young as 7-year-old.
Members will have to download the app to listen to the books via their smartphones or tablet devices. Books can also be downloaded to be played back using a personal device. Then there also is the option of MP3 CDs containing the audiobook that can be mailed directly to the members if they aren’t comfortable listening via a tablet or a smartphone. Members won’t have to pay any postage fees or late charges for such CDs.
Those willing to join can visit the official Listening Books website for further details.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.