Lotterywest funding supports 'talking' books at digital library

The Association for the Blind of WA - Guide Dogs WA is expanding its 'talking book' library service after today receiving a $497,497 State Government-supported Lotterywest grant.

Disability Services Minister Helen Morton said the funding would enable the association to buy 1,270 talking book players as part of the association's Digital Library Project which has been developed over the past two years to provide people with more opportunity to read books and other information.

"The association's work to support people who are blind or have vision impairment, as well as provide a service to the wider community, has benefited West Australians since 1913," Mrs Morton said.

"The association was in fact one of the first Western Australian not-for-profit organisations to receive support from Lotterywest when it was provided with funding in 1933."

The Minister said the grant would enable the association to continue strengthening and developing its resources at its Geoff Gallop Digital Library in Victoria Park.

The library has a catalogue of more than 60,000 titles and continues to develop opportunities for people with vision impairment to access information, including digitally from the internet.

"The aspirations of the Association for the Blind of WA - Guide Dogs WA reflect the aims of the State Government's Count Me In: Disability Future Directions strategy," Mrs Morton said.

"The Count Me In vision is that all people live in welcoming communities that facilitate citizenship, friendship, mutual support and a fair go for everyone."

The Minister said WA was the only State in Australia where the profits from lottery games are returned directly back to the community as grants giving nearly $235million to the WA community.