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1. What is Choice Magazine Listening? Is it really free?
4. Who chooses the articles? How do you decide what to record?
5 .Does CML include articles on my favorite subjects?
7. Are you the Talking Book library?
8. Can I get recordings of books or specific magazines from you?
9. What are the ways I can receive CML?
11. How do I get the free player?
13. Can I keep the digital talking-book cartridge?
14. When do I have to return the cartridge?
15. Can I send CML to a friend or family member?
16. Can hospitals, nursing facilities, assisted-living or other institutions subscribe to CML?
If you have any questions or concerns that are not addressed below, please contact us.
1. What is Choice Magazine Listening? Is it really free?
Choice Magazine Listening is a nonprofit organization that produces an audio anthology of magazine writing for print-disabled adults, four times a year. Our unique service, as well as the special player, are provided absolutely free of charge.
2. Who is eligible?
Any individual who is print-disabled may receive Choice Magazine Listening. This includes people who are blind, visually impaired, or physically disabled. CML is recommended for those who are eighteen years old and over.
3. What does CML do?
We subscribe to approximately 100 distinguished magazines and select the best current writing for inclusion in each quarterly, 12-hour issue of CML. All selections are unabridged and read by professional audiobook narrators.
4. Who chooses the articles? How do you decide what to record?
Three experienced CML editors carefully select the best-written, most interesting, informative, and entertaining articles, stories, essays, interviews, and poems from current, national magazines.
5. Does CML include articles on my favorite subjects?
All subjects are fair game. We record articles about nature, health, business, sports, politics, entertainment, relationships, food, history, the arts . . . just about anything as long as the piece is well written and reflects the depth and breadth of the human experience. The issue tables of contents reflect the broad range of subjects we cover as well as the high caliber of our authors.
6. How is CML funded?
In 1962 the philanthropist LuEsther T. Mertz created the Lucerna Fund to support the work of Choice Magazine Listening.
7. Are you the Talking Book library?
No, CML is an independent nonprofit organization. The regional Talking Book libraries are part of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress (NLS).
8. Can I get recordings of books or specific magazines from you?
No, CML is a collection of excellent magazine writing from various sources. You can get free audiobooks and complete magazines from the NLS.
9. What are the ways I can receive CML?
There are three ways to receive Choice Magazine Listening, all free of charge:
● by downloading it onto your computer
● as an easy-to-use digital talking-book cartridge, sent postage-free through the mail
● as four-track cassettes, sent postage-free through the mail
10. What is the difference?
● If you use a computer, downloading is your best choice. CML is available earlier by download than by mail, you will have access to many back issues, and you will be able to create your own library of CML issues. Plus downloading is the least expensive way for us to deliver CML to you, which helps us honor our commitment to keep our unique service absolutely free.
● CML is now available on easy-to-handle digital talking-book cartridges. You will have almost two months to enjoy each issue before returning it, postage-free, in the plastic mailer it arrived in.
● Although CML is still being produced on four-track cassettes at this time, we are phasing out this older technology. The four-track player is more difficult to use than the new digital talking-book player, and the cassette sound quality is inferior. We encourage you to download CML onto your computer or, if that is not possible, to receive it by mail on digital talking-book cartridges.
Whichever way you receive CML, you will need the special player, available free from the NLS.
11. How do I get the free player?
Fill out the NLS Application for Free Library Service (Requires Adobe Reader), have it signed by a certifying authority such as a physician, nurse, or social worker, and send it to your regional talking-book library . Or contact us and we will mail you the application. When you receive your free player, let us know and we will start your free subscription to Choice Magazine Listening.
12. When will I receive CML?
CML is mailed during the first week of January, April, July, and October. Please allow one to two weeks for the issue to reach you.
13. Can I keep the digital talking-book cartridge?
No. Due to the high cost of the cartridge, you must return it so we can reload it with your next issue. Choice Magazine Listening thanks you for returning cartridges on time and helping us to keep our service free of charge.
14. When do I have to return the cartridge?
Please mail your cartridge early enough for it to be received by the following due dates:
Winter issue: March 1
Spring issue: June 1
Summer issue: September 1
Fall issue: December 1
Returns are easy. Simply place the cartridge back in its plastic mailer, turn the address card around, and pop it in the mail, postage-free.
Keep in mind that if you use a computer, you can download CML and there will be nothing to return.
15. Can I send CML to a friend or family member?
Yes, any eligible person who has the special free player may receive CML. Many subscribers find out about CML through friends, family members, or those in the helping professions.
16. Can hospitals, nursing facilities, assisted-living or other institutions subscribe to CML?
Yes. Many organizations offer CML to their eligible populations. Fill out the NLS Application for Free Library Service: Institutions (requires Adobe Reader), and mail it to your regional Talking Book Library. When you receive your free player, let us know and we will start your free subscription to Choice Magazine Listening.