Library of Congress NLS visits Utah to preview BARD upgrades, tactile graphics and new devices

Jason Bratton, director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled at the Library of Congress, visited the Utah State Library’s Multistate Center to review how the state supports audio and braille services and to preview national plans to expand digital access.

Bratton told hosts that the Utah facility supports talking‑book machines, braille materials, volunteer repair and a studio for producing audio books. “We have braille materials… talking book machines and cartridges,” he said, noting the center’s regional role serving additional states. He described the partnership as a nearly century‑old public service rooted in the Pratt–Smoot Act, which enabled accessible publishing for people who are blind or print disabled.

The visit also…