Georgia Unit

Location:
120 Florida Avenue
Athens, GA 30605
Phone: 706-549-1313
Fax: 706-227-6161

Hours of Operation:
Unit Hours:
Monday & Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Recording Sessions:
Monday-Friday: 9:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
Monday-Thursday: 1:00 p.m. & 2:30 p.m.
Monday-Wednesday: 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday: 7:30 p.m.

The Georgia Unit of Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic has been present in Athens since 1953. Upon reading a story in the December 1952 issue of Vogue of a Red Cross volunteer who was reading textbooks for WWII veterans, Elizabeth Powell, then head of the University of Georgia's Independent Study Program, wrote for more information on recording textbooks for the blind. RFB&D Founder Anne T. Macdonald called Powell and scheduled a visit to Athens within the week. Macdonald arrived with a SoundScriber (a dictating machine used by RFB&D's first volunteers to record) and a stack of green records and established the eighth unit of the Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic in the university's library. After several moves across campus, our current facility was built in 1967 after acquiring a grant from the Callaway Foundation. The Georgia Unit serves approximately 3,000 Georgians. Our 218 volunteers add an average of 175 texts each year to the CV Starr Learning Through Listening™ Library in Princeton.

Volunteer Information:
Volunteer opportunities are available to help in all aspects of producing textbooks. Volunteers should feel comfortable reading college-level textbooks, have basic computer skills, and be able to give 90 minutes a week of their time. Specialty readers are needed in the math and science subject areas.

Educational Outreach:
Currently there are 173 AIM sites. We have a presence at major state educational conferences. Training on the use of equipment is provided for students and teachers by our outreach department. An outreach committee lends support to the program.

If you are interested in becoming a member, e-mail Bill Pass, the unit's educational outreach director.

Make A Difference by Making A Donation
To use our secure online server to donate to the Georgia Unit, RFB&D headquarters, or a combination of both, see our Donate Now page.

You can also e-mail Lenora Martin, the unit's executive director, about making a donation.

Staff Listing

Lenora Martin
Executive Director

Fred Smith
Production Director

Eleanor Cotton
Production Manager

Bill Pass
Educational Outreach Director

Jenni Austin
Development Director

Brian Oglesbee
Studio Assistant

Gloria Crews
Bookkeeper/ Administrative Assistant