Information about Celia's books

This page contains information about the different types of books which are found at Celia, as well as other materials:

Daisy talking books

 

There are a total of 30,000 talking books available at Celia – novels, poetry, radio plays, biographies, non-fiction and fiction for children and young people are all part of the collection. Borrowing is free of charge. The talking books are mainly available in Finnish and Swedish. There is also material available in other languages, such as talking books in English, German, French and Russian. The books are distributed on CD-Rom.


In addition, there are over 800 talking textbooks available for schoolchildren and students. Most primary and secondary textbooks can be found among these, as well as numerous course books for secondary pupils and vocational college textbooks. There is a charge for primary and secondary-level textbooks. Course books are also available on loan free of charge for university students.

 

All of Celia's talking books are in the special Daisy format, which has many advantages over other standard talking books:

  • One book fits onto one CD-Rom.
  • Better sound quality
  • The book can be browsed through
  • Reading can be paused and then later resumed from the same place
  • Allows bookmarks to be used

Daisy talking books can be listened to with a Daisy talking book player, or a computer.
 

CD-Roms from the library collection are not returned to Celia afer use. Instead, patrons must discard them after reading, on the grounds of copyright law. Book loans may be renewed up to five times. However, there is a charge for textbook CD-Roms, and they can be retained.

Hybrid books

Hybrid books are Daisy talking books which are in audio format, but also contain text files which can be followed simultaneously on a computer screen. Only some of Celia's books are hybrid books.

Braille books

Books in Finnish, Swedish and other languages as well as musical scores can be found in the Braille collection. Currently, the library collection contains approximately 4 000 books in Braille, and approx. 500 Braille musical scores. Books and musical scores in Braille are distributed on demand, which means that a personal lending copy is printed for the user. The copies are not returned to the library but recycled after use.

 

Additionally, the National Repository Library at Kuopio contains over 1 700 older Braille titles. Users residing in Finland may borrow books from the National Repository Library.

 

There are over 1 000 textbooks available in Braille. Braille books may also include relief pictures, or separate relief pictures or maps may be attached to them. You can order exam or handout material to be produced in Braille, and there are also past papers for matriculation exams for sale.

 

Braille textbooks which have been paid for may also be retained for later use, and the same goes for talking textbooks.

Electronic Luetus books

Electronic Luetus books, or e-books, may only be borrowed by the visually impaired, and they may be borrowed from Celia in cooperation with the Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired. These books consist solely of text. There is a total of 1 700 e-books in the collection, over 800 of which are textbooks. Exam and handout material may also be ordered in electronic format.

 

Celia's e-books are for the time being available in the Luetus format. The books are read with a Braille touchpad, or with the Luetus reading program which has been developed by the Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired. Moreover, as the texts can be enlarged, these books are also suitable for the partially sighted.
There are two types of Luetus books: textbooks and workbooks. The textbooks can only be read. In the workbooks, on the other hand, the user may make notes or write answers to questions.


Celia selects and produces electronic books, which the data management services (THP network) of the Finnish Federation for the Visually Impaired then delivers to members. Further information is available from the data management services of the Finnish Federation for the Visually Impaired at +358 (0)9 3960 4023, info(at)thp.nkl.fi

 

Schoolchildren and students who are not members of THP may obtain the Luetus program from Celia. Only Luetus textbooks which are supplied by the library can be read on the program accessed from the library. The program can be ordered by calling +358 (0)9 2295 2300 or by e-mailing tuotanto(at)celialib.fi

Tactile and picture books

Tactile books

 

Tactile books are picture books containing colourful, textured pictures. The books contain pictures as well as text in both standard lettering and Braille. The books may also come with separate recordings or pull-out text sections. Tactile books are aimed at small children and also readers who are a bit older and may suffer from developmental or multiple disabilities.
 

Celia acquired its first tactile books in 1984. Celia currently holds approximately 600 tactile books.


Fabric tactile books are often received as gifts, and considerable effort has generally been put into the production of these unique items.
 

Tactile books for those learning to read Braille are produced on cardboard pages and are provided with plastic relief pictures.
 

The maximum borrowing period for tactile books is 1 month. These books may not be borrowed outside of Finland, as the collection of unique books is so small and valuable.

 

Guidelines for authors of tactile books

 

Celia has published a guide called ‘How to Make Tactile Books'. There is an on-screen readable version of the guide in pdf format.

 

If you have any queries about the guide published by Celia, e-mail cesam(at)celia.fi or phone +358 (0)9 2295 2200.

Read-along picture books

Read-along picture books are standard picture books which have transparent adhesive overlays with Braille on the pages. This means that visually impaired adults can read the books along with their sighted children. Read-along books are not available for loan outside Finland.

Relief pictures and maps

Celia also produces relief pictures and maps to be used by visually impaired schoolchildren and students. Relief pictures and maps are attached to textbooks, and separate illustrated catalogues and atlases in relief are also available. There is a charge for these materials.
Relief pictures are initially made using different materials, for example cardboard, fabric, beads and string – the surfaces of these materials all feel very different to the touch. The original relief picture is made by gluing these materials into place on thick cardboard. The original is then duplicated in moulded plastic, which may also be coloured so that they can be used by the partially sighted, too.
 

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