Member Detail

RFB&D® was established in 1948 to provide recorded textbooks to veterans who where blinded in World War II. The organization has been an educational resource for more than 50 years allowing people with print disabilities to gain access to opportunities in education and careers and gain self-esteem. Today, the organization serves more than 141,660 members, distributing 258,918 titles in 2005. More than 70 percent of the people served by RFB&D last year were identified as having learning disabilities. This population of students is growing rapidly as serious learning disabilities are better diagnosed.

In 2005, more than 7,149 volunteers, working in RFB&Ds 30 recording studios across the United States, contributed 392,900 hours of their time producing 5,134 new accessible textbooks for our library. With more than 104,000 titles in our CV Starr Learning Through Listening® Library, and over 26,000 in DAISY Digital Format, RFB&D is the leading producer in the United States of accessible textbooks in a broad range of subject areas from kindergarten level through graduate school. The organizations recording technologies have kept pace with the times. Digital audio technology was introduced to RFB&Ds members in the fall of 2002. RFB&Ds AudioPlus® digitally recorded textbooks on CD provide members with unprecedented independence through their extraordinary portability and ability to be navigated by page, chapter or section at the press of a button.

As a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, RFB&D has no guaranteed sources of income. Gifts from corporations, foundations and individuals, which are fully tax-deductible, are vital to our future. For more information on our digitally recorded textbooks please see our website at: http://www.rfbd.org.