Ordering Textbooks

To order braille or large print textbooks, the teachers of students with visual impairments (TVIs) must be authorized by their administrator using the Staff Authorization or Removal form.

 

Tips for Ordering Materials 

• In order to ensure that your students will have the materials they need, FIMC-VI must receive all textbook requests well in advance.
• In some cases, the required braille or large print books will be in FIMC-VI's inventory.  If a braille book is not available, the transcription process may take six months or more, depending on the complexity of the text. 
• If the braille book has been previously transcribed from a national edition, TVIs often select that edition to speed up delivery time.  There are usually only minor differences between a Florida edition and a national edition.  Purchasing a previously transcribed book takes about two months versus six months or more for a newly transcribed book.
• Initial transcriptions for technical materials (math and science) in Unified English Braille will have longer production times due to the smaller number of qualified vendors available.
• Initial transcriptions for all braille materials are procured from outside vendors, so FIMC-VI cannot guarantee official shipping dates for these items.   
• You do not need to wait until you have a student's entire textbook list to start placing orders.  
• Depending on when an order is placed for an initial braille transcription, FIMC-VI may use discretion to have production start past page 1 of a textbook.  You may receive chapter 2 or 3 first while the preliminary pages, the table of contents, and the beginning chapters may arrive last.  In these situations, teachers should plan to provide students with the initial chapters through other means.

Obtaining Textbook Lists

FIMC-VI will send out a reminder each year, normally at the beginning of March, for braille requests to be submitted for the following school year. Where schools are reluctant to confirm class allocations or resources anticipated, FIMC-VI staff are available to assist you to work with school administrators. Classroom teachers and administrators need to understand the importance of knowing what materials are needed early in order for your student to receive the accessible format learning resources they require to meet their learning objectives.

Using the Online System

Once a student is registered with FIMC-VI, you may order textbooks and other literary materials using their FIMC-VI student number. 

After signing in to the Online System, click "New Orders" to search for a book by title, author, or ISBN.  When searching for a textbook, always start with the ISBN found on the inside front pages of the textbook.  A separate order must be made for every book in each format that is needed.  When viewing items in the Online System, items that are in stock will be readily available, whereas items that are listed as obtainable will have a longer wait time.  

Please check that the correct shipping address is used for each order.  To have an address added to the system, email Kathee Cagle.  TVIs are responsible for ensuring that school office staff are aware that orders will be arriving for a student.

Special-Order Requests

If an item is not available in the desired format, you will need to make a special-order request by clicking the "Special Order Request" link in the Online System.  Follow the prompts to complete the process.  Braille special order requests will have longer production times than large print requests. 

Ink-Print Requests

If you receive an email requesting the ink-print for a textbook order, mail that physical print textbook to FIMC-VI via first class mail as soon as possible.  This print textbook will not be returned to you, and the production process will not begin until FIMC-VI receives it.  Use the following address when sending these to us: FIMC-VI, Attn: Denise/Shipping - Ink-print, 1208 Wishing Well Way, Tampa, FL 33619.

Cancellations

Production and procurement will continue until orders are completed or cancelled.  Notify FIMC-VI as soon as possible when you need to cancel a book order.  All cancellation notices must be emailed to Kathee Cagle.
 

    Returning Textbooks to FIMC-VI

       Teachers may review their Order History in the Online System to confirm what materials they have borrowed and need to return to FIMC-VI.  

All non-consumable materials received throughout the school year must be returned to FIMC-VI no later than July 1.  

When shipping textbooks to FIMC-VI, use the following guidelines:​

• Keep volumes of one book together in one box if possible.  If you need more than one box for a book, put a note in the box indicating which volumes are present.
• Number the outside of the boxes, along with your name and district: Anderson/Hillsborough 1 of 16 boxes
• If any volumes are lost, consumed, or damaged, place a note referencing that volume in the box.
• If volumes from more than one book will be in a box, place a piece of paper between the books.
• Use this shipping address: FIMC-VI, Attn: Denise/Shipping-Textbooks, 1208 Wishing Well Way, Tampa, FL 33619.
• Ship textbooks via Free Matter for the Blind.  According the USPS, the words "Free Matter for the Blind" should be written on the package where the postage would typically be placed.  

​

Lost, Consumed, or Damaged Textbooks

Any large print and braille textbook volumes that are lost, consumed or damaged must be reported to Kathee Cagle (include the access number, title, and volume).  If an entire textbook cannot be returned to FIMC-VI, you may use the "Existing Orders" section of the Online System to report this.  Please recycle any consumed or damaged volumes at your location.    

 

Renew or Reassign Textbooks

If a student will need to keep a textbook over the summer or following school year, or if you have another student who will need the textbook next school year, use the Renew/Reassign feature in the "Existing Orders" section of the Online System.