Card embossed with a brailled message.

People with print-reading disabilities live in interesting times right now. There are smartphone apps that read print out loud, digital audiobooks that you can download wirelessly right from home, and computer programs that allow you to compose and review your writing using text-to-speech technology. The unprecedented power, precision and versatility of technology driven by the spoken word raises a question: What's going to happen to Braille?

At the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library, we know that Braille is as essential in the 21st century as print. Patrons use it to understand spelling, punctuation, and spacing in the books they love, to read to their children, to take notes, label spices in the kitchen, and find buttons in elevators. As part of our commitment to support lifelong learning, we offer tools and resources that patrons can use to read, write, and learn Braille. These range from low-tech (hard-copy Braille books, Braille writers and Braille learning blocks) to cutting-edge (a Braille display that pairs with an iPad, and a Smart Brailler that reinforces learning by saying and displaying every letter a person brailles).

A Perkins Smart Brailler, a manual brailler, a braille block, a braille alphabet card, an iPad mini, and a Bluetooth refreshable braille display.

This January, we launched a biweekly Braille study group. It's a low-key gathering of patrons who know Braille and those who want to explore it. We partner volunteers who are fluent in Braille with learners to work together on writing and reading, and help interested patrons sign up for free Braille study opportunities like Hadley.edu "Braille by Mail" and the National Federation of the Blind's free slate program.

Working with a Smart Brailler and manual braillers. Some cards have monkeys or raised foil envelopes depicted on them.

This Valentine's Day, we found ourselves with an excellent chance to do something with Braille that technology just can't touch (forgive the pun). Patrons brailled personalized Valentine cards and envelopes using Perkins braille writers. When choosing stationary to braille, we looked for fairly heavy paper with a smooth texture. With the assistance of volunteers, patrons carefully rolled the inscription part of each card into a braille writer in landscape orientation, set the correct margin, and wrote their messages. One volunteer showed us how to use a pattern of braille dots around the edges of the card to create a tactile decorative border. For the envelopes, we gently rolled each envelope into a braille writer, address side up, being mindful not to roll in the flap (nobody likes a jammed Brailler) to write the recipient's name.

An tablet for creating tactile drawings and writing.

I love facilitating this group because it is so diverse yet so cohesive. On Valentine's Day, we had 14 participants and, although three designated volunteers were in attendance, everyone helped someone else at some point. A sighted attendee explained the difference between script and print to a few patrons who had never learned about the distinction, by using our raised-line sketchpad to create tactile versions of handwriting, and added print to go with some of the braille Valentines. A gentleman who has been working on Braille for a while showed a couple of newcomers how to load a braille writer. And everyone helped one another with that age-old dilemma that comes up whether you use print, Braille or your voice: What words do you choose to tell someone special how you feel?