The 1,000th digital book has been added to Manx Blind Welfare Society’s audio library.

Based at the charity’s headquarters in Onchan, the audio library boasts an extensive collection of digital, cassette and large-print books for individuals with sight difficulties.

With more than 5,000 titles covering a wide range of genres and more being added every month, the library has been loaning books free of charge to its members for many years.

In 2012, Manx Blind Welfare Society began the process of sourcing an alternative to cassette tapes, due to changing technologies making them no longer available.

After almost two years of research, deliberation and testing, it was decided a USB stick system would be the most effective and user-friendly alternative.

Since starting this project, more than £50,000 has been invested in digital audio books and the 1,000th title has just been added. Books are now bought on a disc and a team of volunteers transfers them to a USB stick.

Easy-to-use specialist devices are also loaned so members can listen to the digital books without difficulty.

Manx Blind Welfare Society volunteers coordinator and events organiser Debbie Thomson said: ’Generally, as you age, your eyesight deteriorates - one in five people over the age of 75 are living with sight loss.

’This loss can be devastating and it’s often the everyday pleasures, such as reading, that people miss the most.

’That’s why our audio library is such an important element of what we do and why we invest so much time, money and care into it. Our members have found this new system much easier to use as there are no tapes or discs to change, unlike cassette books which can have up to 24 tapes per book.

’Special thanks are due to our book supplier The Ulverscroft Group. It was instrumental in providing, at the time, a quite unique set of copyright permissions to allow us to loan our books in the USB format.

’Ulverscroft has also very kindly donated our 1000th title - The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly - free of charge, which we are most grateful for.’

The society, which provides support and services to almost 600 blind and visually impaired people on the island, is run by small team of staff and more than 200 dedicated volunteers, and relies entirely upon fundraising, donations and legacies.

All members of the Manx Blind Welfare Society can join and access the audio library.

Books are delivered to homes island-wide, free of charge, thanks to the support of the Isle of Man Post Office.

To find out more or join the audio library, email [email protected] or call 674727.