[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 15792-15793]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF PERKINS BRAILLE AND TALKING BOOK 
                                LIBRARY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 19, 2009

  Mr. MARKEY of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
congratulate the Perkins School for the Blind on being recognized by 
the Library of Congress as the 2008 Talking Book Library of the Year.
  The Perkins School for the Blind, the first school for the blind in 
the United States, began with its founding over 175 years ago. Within a 
few short years, Perkins became known for its effective instructional 
techniques, including teaching Laura Bridgman, the first known deaf 
blind person to be educated. Perkins School is also responsible for 
nurturing the talents of Helen Keller, who came to Perkins on her way 
to breaking down barriers and perceptions about what people who are 
blind or deaf blind can accomplish.
  Since first joining Congress, I've held the deep belief that there is 
no reason why anyone living in our country should not have equal 
opportunity to the literary genius of our nation and world. This 
belief, has led me to support efforts like that of the Perkins School, 
which always innovate with accessibility in mind.
  The Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library, for over 174 years, has 
distinguished itself as a leader in providing innovative literary 
accessibility to those amongst us with visual and other disabilities.

[[Page 15793]]

  In 2008, the Perkins School Braille and Talking Book Library 
circulated over 442,935 book and magazines, served 22,814 borrowers, 
and loaned over 5,000 play machines and accessories. The great staff of 
the Perkins School researched 13,164 title inquiries and found over 89 
percent of those titles in an accessible format.
  The Perkins School for the Blind should be commended for their 
tremendous effort to educate not only those with visual and other 
disabilities, but all of us. Because of the work of institutions like 
the Perkins School for the Blind, millions of individuals actively 
learned that with training and opportunity, those with visual and/or 
other disabilities can attain self-sufficiency and independently thrive 
throughout their lives.
  Madam Speaker, I'm proud to congratulate the Perkins School for the 
Blind.

                          ____________________