Patron Advisory Council (PAC)

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The Patron Advisory Council (PAC) of the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library provides recommendations on practices, policies, and goals of library services to individuals who are blind, visually impaired, deaf-blind, physically disabled, or reading disabled. Council members serve as advocates in promoting library services and being active in outreach efforts on behalf of WTBBL.

PAC membership represents the diversity of WTBBL users through such factors as patron eligibility, geography, experience, and library usage. Members serve three-year terms and may serve a second consecutive three-year term. Terms begin January 1.

Members meet three times a year in February, June, and October. Meetings are open to all to attend and details about the meetings will be sent out on the WTBBL listserv. All meeting minutes are available by request by calling (800) 542-0866.

Membership consists of the following:

  • a patron who is blind
  • a patron who is visually impaired
  • a patron who is deaf-blind
  • a patron with a reading disability
  • a patron with a physical disability other than blindness that makes holding a book or turning pages difficult
  • a patron who is an adolescent or the parent of a child who is a patron
  • a patron who is a veteran
  • a representative from the Washington Council of the Blind
  • a representative from the National Federation of the Blind of Washington
  • general patron representatives

Bylaws of the Patron Advisory Council:

Available for download:  PDF,  Word Document

Current Members 2023:

Jeffrey Abrams (Kirkland)

Alco Canfield (Spokane)

Sarah Edick (Tacoma)

Phil Faris (Spokane)

Betty Fitzpatrick (Vancouver) – Chair

Leslie Fitzpatrick (Vancouver)

Holly Gearhart (Renton)

Reginald George (Yakima)

Annee Hartzell (Walla Walla)

Stephanie Lucash (Seattle) – Secretary

Alice MacDonald (Walla Walla)

Heather Meares (Walla Walla) – Vice Chair

Doug Payne (Redmond)