Braille Transcription  ♦  Large Print Reproduction  ♦  Braille Writer Repair  ♦  ADA Signage

Prose and Cons Braille is part of Cornhusker State Industries (CSI) and serves customers across the United States.

We are recognized by the National Library of Congress as a provider of quality Braille and large print materials. The mission of the Prose and Cons Braille Unit is to continue providing quality educational materials for school systems across the country. It is our goal to expand our operation in order to better serve the blind and visually impaired community.

Our Braille/Large Print textbooks are listed on the American Printing House database LOUIS. Our catalog is available for download.

Prose and Cons Braille began operations inside the maximum-security unit of the Nebraska State Penitentiary in 1980. The program began as a volunteer project for inmates interested in learning Braille transcription. The Braille project offered an opportunity for inmates to learn a skill and produce a service that is helpful to society.

In 1985 Cornhusker State Industries took over the Braille project and added it to existing industry programs. Prose and Cons has grown into a shop employing 30-40 men. The shop does not receive grants or aid, and must charge a fee for all materials produced. Braille transcription, Large Print materials, and Braille writer repair services have been provided to virtually every state in the United States, as well as some foreign countries.

EXPERIENCE

Prose and Cons has assisted approximately 125 men with their training and eventual certification by the Library of Congress in Literary Braille. In addition, some men have received certification in Nemeth Code, reentering society and securing careers in the Braille field. Currently, Prose and Cons Braille has workers certified in Literary Braille, Nemeth Code, Music Braille, and an endorsement in proofreading along with a certified certificate from the NBA Formats Course.

TECHNOLOGY

Over the last twenty years, Prose and Cons has grown in response to the ever-increasing demand for Braille materials. We strive to stay ahead of evolving Braille technologies, and use Braille translation software for most materials (Megadots and ED-IT PC). We emboss with several embossers from Enabling Technologies, including Bookmaker and Braille Express 100, for double-side Braille.

OTHER SERVICES

In addition to transcription work, inmate workers also perform essential supportive tasks including the creation of tactile diagrams, thermoform production, Braille writer repair and Large Print services. The unit is very proud to offer quality transcription work with tactile diagrams for math, geography, science, and any other diagram that can be feasibly recreated in a tactile format.