Audio Cassettes are Out; Digital Cartridges are In

Persuasion skills are in operation at Christian Record Services for the Blind. This month literally hundreds of phone calls are being made to users of one of the largest Christian audio libraries for the blind in North America. The Christian Record staff is recommending that audio library clients move from audio cassettes to the new digital cartridges. Cassettes will go away by default, according to Bert Williams, who coordinates editorial services at Christian Record, and "we are not replacing any that are broken," he said. 

"Five of us are making at least 10 calls a day. Some of our clients are already using the new system," Williams added. "We aim to persuade the cassette users to try the new system." Currently, Christian Record is accelerating the move to fully digitize its library of 2,000 books. Most of the Christian Record library clients have received the new digital player designed and distributed by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, a part of the Library of Congress, but have not made the transition with the Christian Record library. 

As conversion of the files is still under way, CRSB is sending out 2,100 units of cartridges or cassettes every week. "We aim to be fully digital by the end of this year," Williams stated.