Accessible materials and reproducers
In general
Ownership
Any item provided under paragraph (1) shall be provided on a loan basis and shall remain the property of the Library of Congress.
Lending preference
Network
The Librarian of Congress may contract or otherwise arrange with such public or other nonprofit libraries, agencies, or organizations as the Librarian may determine appropriate to serve as local or regional centers for the circulation of items described in subsection (a)(1).
International service
section 121A of title 17The Librarian of Congress is authorized to provide items described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (a)(1) to authorized entities located in a country that is a party to the Marrakesh Treaty, if any such items are delivered to authorized entities through online, not physical, means. The Librarian may contract or otherwise arrange with such authorized entities to deliver such items to eligible persons located in their countries in any accessible format and consistent with .
Contracting preference
section 6101 of title 41In the purchase and maintenance of items described in subsection (a), the Librarian of Congress, without regard to , shall give preference to nonprofit institutions or agencies whose activities are primarily concerned with the blind and with other physically disabled persons, in all cases where, considering all the circumstances and needs involved, the Librarian determines that the prices submitted are fair and reasonable.
Regulations
The Librarian of Congress shall prescribe regulations for services under this section, in consultation with eligible persons and authorized entities. Such regulations shall include procedures that shall be used by an individual to establish that the individual is an eligible person.
Definitions
Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary.
Mar. 3, 1931, ch. 400, § 146 Stat. 1487Mar. 4, 1933, ch. 27947 Stat. 1570June 14, 1935, ch. 242, § 149 Stat. 374Apr. 23, 1937, ch. 125, § 150 Stat. 72June 7, 1939, ch. 19153 Stat. 812June 6, 1940, ch. 25554 Stat. 245Oct. 1, 1942, ch. 575, § 156 Stat. 764June 13, 1944, ch. 246, § 158 Stat. 276Aug. 8, 1946, ch. 868, § 160 Stat. 908July 3, 1952, ch. 56666 Stat. 326Pub. L. 85–308, § 171 Stat. 630Pub. L. 89–522, § 180 Stat. 330Pub. L. 114–219, § 1130 Stat. 845Pub. L. 116–94, div. P, title XIV, § 1403(a)133 Stat. 3206(, ; , ; , ; , ; , ; , ; , ; , ; , ; , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)
Editorial Notes
Amendments
Pub. L. 116–94section 6101 of title 412019— amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “There is authorized to be appropriated annually to the Library of Congress, in addition to appropriations otherwise made to said Library, such sums for expenditure under the direction of the Librarian of Congress as may be necessary to provide books published either in raised characters, on sound-reproduction recordings or in any other form, and for purchase, maintenance, and replacement of reproducers for any such forms, for the use of the blind and for other physically handicapped residents of the United States, including the several States, Territories, insular possessions, and the District of Columbia, all of which books, recordings, and reproducers will remain the property of the Library of Congress but will be loaned to blind and to other physically handicapped readers certified by competent authority as unable to read normal printed material as a result of physical limitations, under regulations prescribed by the Librarian of Congress for this service. In the purchase of books in either raised characters or in sound-reproduction recordings the Librarian of Congress, without reference to the provisions of , shall give preference to nonprofit-making institutions or agencies whose activities are primarily concerned with the blind and with other physically handicapped persons, in all cases where the prices or bids submitted by such institutions or agencies are, by said Librarian, under all the circumstances and needs involved, determined to be fair and reasonable.”
Pub. L. 114–2192016— substituted “and for purchase, maintenance, and replacement of reproducers for any such forms” for “and for purchase, maintenance, and replacement of reproducers for such sound-reproduction recordings” in first sentence.
Pub. L. 89–5221966— amended section generally, extending availability of books and materials under this section by authorizing their loan to other physically handicapped residents, in addition to blind persons, certified by competent authority as unable to read normal printed material as a result of physical limitations.
Pub. L. 85–3081957— authorized annual appropriation of necessary sums in lieu of provisions which limited annual appropriation to $1,125,000, and struck out limitation of $200,000 on amount of appropriated funds to be expended annually for books in raised characters.
1952—Act , included children within its provisions as well as adults.
1946—Act , increased annual appropriation from $500,000 to $1,125,000.
1944—Act , increased annual appropriation from $370,000 to $500,000, the amount allocated to sound-reproduction records from $250,000 to $400,000, and struck out provision allocating $20,000 to maintenance and replacement of Government-owned reproducers.
1942—Act , substituted “$370,000” for “$350,000”, and inserted clause at end of first sentence relating to expenditure of not exceeding $20,000 for maintenance and replacement of reproducers for sound-reproduction records.
1940—Act , substituted “$350,000” for “$275,000” and “$250,000” for “$175,000”.
1939—Act , inserted last sentence.
1937—Act , substituted “$275,000” for “$175,000” in two places and “$175,000” for “$75,000”.
1935—Act , substituted “$175,000” for “$100,000” and inserted provision that $100,000 of the $175,000 annual appropriation be expended for books in raised characters and the balance for sound-reproduction records.
1933—Act , inserted “published either in raised characters, on sound-reproduction records, or in any other form”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1957 Amendment
Pub. L. 85–308, § 271 Stat. 630
Effective Date of 1946 Amendment
Act Aug. 8, 1946, ch. 868, § 260 Stat. 908
Effective Date of 1944 Amendment
Act June 13, 1944, ch. 246, § 258 Stat. 276
Effective Date of 1942 Amendment
Act Oct. 1, 1942, ch. 575, § 256 Stat. 764
Effective Date of 1937 Amendment
Act Apr. 23, 1937, ch. 125, § 250 Stat. 72