Readers Group for the Visually Impaired (VIP Book Club)

West Berkshire Libraries have now been running a successful readers group for the visually impaired since July 2001 (the VIP book club). Following the A Touch Of… promotion (supported by Branching Out and the NLB) in May 2001 participants expressed an interest in meeting regularly.

Approximately 12 people meet monthly at Newbury Library for book discussion and chat over a cup of tea or coffee. The Calibre Cassette Library lends multiple copies of tapes.

The majority of the group are over 50 and many have transport problems. Co-ordinating the transport is the most time consuming and expensive aspect of the book club. We now have links with outside agencies; three volunteer bureaux provide regular transport for 8 of our members. We have also had a training session from an advisor at the Berkshire Blind Society and have so far had a yearly donation towards transport costs from the Berkshire Blind Society, Newbury branch.

Three members of staff are needed for each session: one person to facilitate the discussion, everyone to help people find the room and settle in, make drinks and help people leave. At least one volunteer attends each session (which means less paid staff are needed), members of our other reading groups have been happy to volunteer.

Members of the visually impaired (VIP) book club are keen and enthusiastic and as well as book discussion are also able to talk about sight and other interesting issues at the meetings. They can choose to join the group because of their common interest in books, not because of their disability. The mix of titles has been wide ranging with books by Betjeman, C.S. Forester, Maeve Binchy and Jane Austen to name a few. Most recently, Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson proved popular. The members choose what they would like to read by voting on authors and genres; I then look up on the Calibre website (www.calibre.org.uk) to find out if the books are available. We have planned a special session in March, storyteller Bernard Tagliavini will be coming (he specialises in performance for the visually impaired) and the September session will be poetry narrated by members from memory combined with a poetry anthology discussion.

Transport costs for the year work out to approximately £330.00, plus refreshment money and of course staffing (and extra costs for alternative sessions). We have found this to be a workable amount and hope that other authorities will be interested in starting their own groups. The response has been good, with one reader travelling regularly from Maidenhead (2 authorities away) and the work involved in setting up is definitely worthwhile. This project addresses many pertinent issues: social inclusion, community involvement, partnerships with outside agencies. We have recently applied for the 'Libraries Change Lives' award. Please contact me if I can offer any advice or assistance.
Anna Butler, Adult Services Librarian ([email protected])

Our thanks to Vicki Tull and Anna Butler for submitting this piece.