Scott Varga, BTBL Patron

At six years old, Scott Varga found out he had a learning disability called dyslexia. It explained why he showed little interest in books.

“It was very hard for me to read and I was really frustrated,” Scott recalled.

Then Varga’s mother found out about the Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library and began ordering books on tape. Varga devoured the audio books and became an insatiable reader, developing and feeding his passions for history, art, and fantasy.

“The library gave me access to all this information I didn’t have before because I wasn’t reading. It really expanded my horizons,” he said.

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Scott Varga, 19, enjoys reading stories of fantasy, biographies of famous activists and artists, and books about history. When he is fascinated by a new subject – and this happens often – he immerses himself in information.

He wasn’t always this way. As a young boy Varga avoided reading because of his dyslexia. When he found out about books on tape everything changed.

Scott Varga

"With regular reading it’s hard to soak up the material. Being able to listen to books definitely gives me an edge," Scott explained. "When I hear something it’s much easier to remember and I can just rewind if I miss something. I can listen to it again and again. It helps me get the information solid in my head."

Scott began using Perkins’ Braille & Talking Book Library services when he was six years old. Betsy Varga, Scott’s mother, heard about the library from a teacher friend. At first, she said, Scott’s public school district worried Scott would not learn to read print if he started listening to talking books.

Betsy said nothing could be further from the truth. By being able to listen to language, Scott improved his reading skills and she said his current reading ability is on track with entrance to college. Throughout his schooling, talking books helped Scott access the same information as his peers in a way that he could readily understand. 

“Everyone talked about how well read Scott was and how he knew about so much information on different topics,” Betsy said.

Scott’s passion for books was ignited when he started participating in the BTBL’s Summer Reading Program for children. The program chooses a theme and compiles a list of books related to the topic, challenging young readers to read as many of the books as possible over the summer. One summer the theme was art and Scott remembered becoming interested in the history of art and the intriguing lives of artists. Scott also borrowed many books about activists and people who changed the world including Gandhi and Henry David Thoreau.

“The reading program was what got me interested in art. I really enjoy creating things because I think you can inspire people and that’s something I like to do,” said Scott, who dabbles in painting, takes a pottery class, and just started guitar lessons.

In an aptitude test, Betsy said, Scott’s results suggested he would make a good artist, musician, or research psychologist.

“He’s very good at researching things and finding answers,” said Betsy.

Betsy said the reading program themes enhanced Scott’s learning in many ways. One of the themes was early American history and Betsy used a complimentary family pass provided by the library to take Scott and his sister to Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the Seas.

“The Children's Librarian [Rachel Gould] was willing to research information and help us find resources. Scott learned so much and got so much history just by being in the reading program,” Betsy said.

After middle school, Scott was home schooled. Betsy used BTBL resources to create her own educational units for Scott and his older sister. She often made it a family event. The library sent her a Braille Awareness Kit, developed by the BTBL to support disability awareness curriculum. The kit includes facts on braille, a biography of Louis Braille, a braille bibliography, internet resources on braille, braille alphabet cards, and A-to-Z Braille Posters.

“We did a unit study all about braille,” said Betsy. “I got books on tape about Helen Keller and her politics and her education. It was fascinating. We learned about the history of Perkins.”

Betsy said the help Scott received from the Braille & Talking Book Library made all the difference in his education, sparking his intellectual curiosity and awakening his own creative passions by exposing him to new worlds via books on tape.

“I don’t know what we would have done without Perkins,” she said. “All educational opportunities are basically about making connections. Perkins Library helped us make connections.”

 Return to Perkins Insight on the Braille & Talking Book Library.