When Wake County Public Libraries (WCPL) decided to phase out their Books on CD collection due to rising purchase and maintenance costs, they knew they needed to find another way to facilitate access to accessible audiobooks to their patrons who needed them. To accomplish this, WCPL reached out to the State Library of North Carolina - Accessible Books and Library Services (ABLS) to explore a partnership that would ensure these patrons retain access to no-cost audiobooks. This session will explore how ABLS and WCPL collaborated to bridge this service gap, offering an innovative model for other libraries across North Carolina. We will discuss how the partnership formed, the process of educating WCPL staff integrating ABLS resources into their own, and the impact this collaboration has had on WCPL patrons who are now also ABLS patrons. The panel will share what their experiences have been as a part of the collaboration. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how state and public library collaborations can enhance library services for underserved populations in their communities, ensuring all readers have access to the materials they need.
