Abstract: A system for generating audible information from indicia printed on a paper, the system being particularly applicable to indicia printed in ink by conventional printing techniques. A printed sound track is provided, the sound track being oriented on the paper in a direction defined as the manual scanning direction, this being the horizontal direction in most instances. The track consists of a multiplicity of elongated parallel sound track segments printed on the paper in closely spaced arrangement. The segments are oriented in a direction which is generally transverse a manual scanning direction, i.e., the vertical direction in most instances. Also provided is an optical scanner adapted to be manually scanned over the sound track in a manual scanning direction. The scanner includes automatic means for continuously scanning the segments longitudinally to produce electrical signals representative of audio information. Means are also provided for converting the electrical signals into audible signals.