Biography

Scott J. Norris is the Manager of the Braille and Talking Book Library (BTBL). He also served a 20+ year tenure as the Adaptive Technology Librarian at BTBL. He consults with libraries of all types on adaptive technology issues. Scott also trains library staff and patrons in various types of adaptive technology. That includes the new braille eReader provided to patrons free of charge by the National Library Service (NLS). He is a fluent Braille reader.

Scott also consults with the state’s website management division, eMichigan. Scott evaluates and makes recommendations concerning the accessibility of internal and public-facing State of Michigan web sites and applications. Scott is the current chair of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Accessibility Advisory Council.

Scott is a nationally known speaker who has presented for the American Library Association’s Public Library Association, the Michigan Library Association annual conference, the Rural Libraries Conference, Advanced Workshop for library directors, and the NLS Conference, among others.

Scott received his J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1993 and his MLIS from Wayne State University in 2001. He is a long-term Lions Club member and past chapter president. He is currently vice-president of the Bretton Woods Lions Club.

Scott biked across the U.S. from Washington State to Connecticut over two summers in 1980-1981. He raced in ultra marathon cycling events on a tandem for 17 years. He was a member of the Alpine Valley Ski Patrol East Troy, Wisconsin for 22 years. In 2015, he began bow hunting with his partner Joe Hamlin. Scott got his first deer in 2018. Scott has been married to Sonya Schryer Norris for over 20 years. They live in Lansing, Michigan with their cat, Scout.