A Guide to the Recording Services for the Visually Handicapped/Recording
Services for the Visually Impaired, 1958-2005 Recording Services for the Visually Handicapped/Recording Services for
the Visually Impaired Record Group 4-5
The Recording Services for the Visually Handicapped (RSVH), now the Recording Services for
the Visually Impaired (RSVI), was a volunteer group that recorded textbooks and other
academic materials for visually impaired students. For many years they had an office in the
Falls Church Public Library (now the Mary Riley Styles Public Library).
The recording group was started as the Northern Virginia Recording Group in 1958 by the
Falls Church Junior Woman's Club. In 1963 the Recording Services for the Visually
Handicapped was incorporated by the State of Virginia as an independent organization. The
name was changed to the Recording Services for the Visually Impaired in 2003.
The files were organized into six series: Series 1 has the articles of incorporation and
by-laws as well as a list of their board of directors. Board meeting minutes comprise Series
2 (although not a complete set) and correspondence is in Series 3. Series 4 has the subject
files and Series 5 hold the newsletters. The newsletters are often referred to as Annual
Reports. Newspaper clippings, photographs and a floppy disc make up Series 5 through 7.
Speeches relating the history of the RSVH can be found in the Subject files in the folder
labeled Speakers (RG 4-5-4-10).