AHEAD of World Book Day on Thursday, the Royal National Institute for the Blind Scotland (RNIB) has stressed the importance of it's talking book service for people with sight loss.

RNIB has a library of over 30,000 titles on offer free of charge to those who are registered blind.

Jamila Shaikh, a talking books user, has praised the service. She said: “As a visually impaired person I’m not able to see television,” she says. “I discovered the RNIB Talking Books service and have totally immersed myself into the stories and titles that I have listened to. What attracts me is the wonderful way in which they are narrated.

Jamila has been able to set up a book club with around 15 members which has been running for the last two years. She added:"This service has been a lifeline to many vulnerable lonely and isolated people.”

"It has allowed people to enjoy a book, link in via a conference call to talk and discuss the title, and also give them a chance to socialise with others.

"Another way of accessing Talking Books is through RNIB Easy Reader, an app that you can download on your devices that allows you to access books at any time.

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"The RNIB Talking Book service has brought me so much pleasure and enhanced my little tree of knowledge. The books that I have enjoyed listening to, and that have captured my imagination, are things like 'The Book Thief' and 'White Teeth'.

"As I moved from London to Scotland, I have learnt so much about Glasgow through books such as 'Shuggie Bain' by Douglas Stuart, 'Garnethill' by Denise Mina and the Lewis trilogy."

The RNIB has stressed the importance of reading, saying it has been a "bigger part of most people's lives than ever" over the last year. The charity believes that people with sight loss should have the same access to books as everyone else.