If you’ve ever been interested in learning braille, what better place to learn it than at the state’s premier braille-service library?

Earlier this October, the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library kicked off its annual braille transcribing course. (Sorry, it’s too late to join the class this year. But it’s likely the class will be offered next October.)

The free class started with 21 enrollees, the second-highest number since the class was reintroduced in 2008 after WTBBL transitioned to a direct service of the Washington State Library and a program of the Office of Secretary of State.

“WTBBL is very excited to be offering this class again,” said David Junius, WTBBL’s volunteer services manager and the class recruiter. “It helps us advocate for braille literacy not only for our patrons, but for the teachers and parents of the visually impaired, and with other programs that serve blind and physically handicapped learners. We hope to recruit volunteer transcribers from this class to create books for WTBBL patrons and our library network, but helping braille thrive is our main goal.”

The course finishes in late May.

WTBBL services are available to all Washington state residents who are unable to read standard print due to one or more of the following conditions: blindness; visual impairment; physical disability (unable to turn pages or comfortably hold a book for extended periods of time); deaf-blindness; and reading disability.

For more information about WTBBL, or to apply for service, visit wtbbl.org .