Hachette UK donates audiobooks to substantially increase RNIB’s library collection 

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has received hundreds of new audio books that will be available to lend to people with sight loss. Hachette UK is donating the audio books to RNIB and will make a selection available to RNIB’s Reading Services customers each month. This will substantially increase the Library Collection.

James Bartlett, RNIB’s Senior Reading Services Manager, said: “RNIB Library is delighted to be working with Hachette UK. Hachette’s generous donation of audiobooks will be enjoyed immensely by RNIB Talking Book customers. For our readers to be able to have the books they want to read is superb for their independence and personal choice.”

Hachette UK’s Accessibility Network co-chairs, Jasmine Palmer and Siobhan Hughes, and its Accessible Content Subgroup co-chairs, Anthony Simnica and Cecilia Rushton, said: “This partnership is completely aligned with Hachette UK’s mission to make it easy for everyone to discover new worlds of ideas, learning, entertainment and opportunity. The values of the mission are never more relevant than in the context of reaching those who rely on the great work of partners such as RNIB. We are proud to contribute to a reading experience that continues to enhance accessibility and remove barriers.”

RNIB produced its first audio book, or ‘Talking Book’, in 1935. Since then, the charity has provided Talking Books in various formats to blind and partially sighted people across the UK free since 2014, recording them in its own studios in Camden, London. In 2020, RNIB launched a new online library offering people with sight loss instant access to thousands of free books in formats they can read, including audio. The library now has 39,000 Talking Books in its collection.