Find It Fast at Andrew Heiskell Library

40 West 20th Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues)
New York, NY, 10011-4211

Telephone: 212-206-5400
24-hour voice mail: 212-206-5425; Fax: 212-206-5418
Email: talkingbooks@nypl.org

Onsite Hours

Monday 10–5; Tuesday 12–7; Wednesday 10–5; Thursday 12–7; Friday 10–5; Saturday 10–5; Sunday closed

Telephone Service Hours

Monday 10–5; Tuesday 10–7; Wednesday 10–5; Thursday 10–7; Friday 10–5; Saturday 10–5; Sunday closed

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How to Apply for Service

Collections and Services

PAWS (Public Access Web System) 

PAWS is the catalog of the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library, providing access to talking books, books in braille, and other special format material to eligible borrowers. Please contact the library to set up your PAWS catalog account. Be ready to provide an email address and a password. You should also contact the library directly if you would like talking books with numbers below RC56000.

NLS Catalog

Sometimes we don't have a certain title here in New York but we can get it  from our National holdings and have it sent to you. To see a catalog of the National holdings,  use Voyager, The Catalog of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), The Library of Congress.

BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download)

Downloadable books from the National Library Service (NLS).

Recommended Reading

For Adults.  You can also contact us by phone or email to talk to someone about recommendations, or to have us search for award-winning books that we have available in braille or audio formats, or books in a certain genre. For recommended titles for children and teenagers, see the Children and Teens pages, as well as the recommended booklists on NYPL's kids' page .

Other Resources

Other Agencies

Tips for Better Service

  • Please do not lend our books to other people. That is against National Library Service policy and it slows down the service for everyone.
  • Please rewind cassette books when finished with them.
  • Please return all books promptly. Use the same mailing card that was used to send the book to you. Be sure to turn it over with the library’s address facing out when returning books. Do not use tape to hold the mailing cards in place, this will slow down the process of checking in the books. Do not place notes inside the containers and do not write on the mailing cards. If you need to tell us something, contact us separately.
  • Include your name, address, and telephone number on all letters and telephone messages.
  • If you would like to have books waiting for you when you visit the library, please call with the request a day in advance. Be sure to leave your name and telephone number. We will contact you if the books you requested are not available.
  • Remember to let us know if you have moved or if your interests or needs have changed so we can update your files.
  • Contact the library with all questions and concerns. Do not contact the National Library Service or the agency in Florida that mails the magazines and catalogs. They will refer the call back to us and that will slow down your service.