This collection contains an incomplete series of documents from 1946-2002. These documents include operation budgets, blueprints for remodeling, statistics, children's department data, reports, instructional materials, brochures, equipment material, grants from the state and federal government, contracts, and lease agreements.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by subject matter, and within subject by year, earliest from back to front. Because of the incomplete nature of the documents and the gap in years, most of the material remained in the box it was found. The majority of this archive holds materials from the 1960's and 70's.
Biographical / Historical
The Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped serves thirty-six counties of Western Pennsylvania and is apart of a consortium of 140 libraries under the title of National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), a department of the Library of Congress. One of two of its kind in Pennsylvania, this branch is apart of the Carnegie Library system and is located in the Leonard C. Staisey Building at 4724 Baum Boulevard in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh. LBPH was founded in 1931 to provide much needed service for the blind, visually impaired, and, in 1966, for the physically handicapped. It is funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Commonwealth Libraries.
LBPH provides free library services, issuing all materials for loan, including audio books (on cassette, CD, and digital format), large print books, described videos, books and magazines in braille, downloadable "web braille," and equipment to access to these materials. In it's formation in the 1930's, LBPH was originally equipped with "talking book machines," or record players, of which early brochures can be found in this archive. Following the model of other CLP Libraries, this institution added a children's department in 1952. To meet the ever-changing demands of this wide spread community, LBPH is equipped with modern innovative technologies and provides new public services.
Conditions Governing Access
There are no access restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
There are no use restrictions.
Custodial History
The materials were removed from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (LBPH) and transferred to the William R. Oliver Special Collections Room.
Accruals
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (LBPH) sends new materials to the Oliver Room on an irregular schedule.
Preferred Citation
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (LBPH), William R. Oliver Special Collections, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
