The Department of Adult Blind and Deaf of the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind established pursuant to Section 21-1-15, in addition to all other powers and duties now encumbered upon it, is authorized:
(1) To maintain and develop workshops for training and employing blind, visually handicapped, deaf, and other severely handicapped persons.
(2) To develop, cooperate with and supervise similar shops in other localities in Alabama.
(3) To aid blind, visually handicapped, deaf, and severely handicapped persons in securing employment, in developing home industries, and in marketing their products.
(4) To act as the agent or salesman of workshops or other nonprofit agencies employing blind, visually handicapped, deaf, and other severely handicapped persons in the state under the supervision of such department in the marketing of their products and services. In order to carry out the duties hereby imposed, the Department of Adult Blind and Deaf shall issue a descriptive catalogue showing in detail such articles as are, or may be, produced under its supervision, and shall furnish copies thereof to all purchasing agents for any state department, agency, or institution and to the purchasing agents of the political subdivisions of the state and to other parties who may be interested. Upon receipt of requisitions for goods or services from the purchasing agents of the various state departments, agencies, and institutions or the purchasing agents of the political subdivisions of the state or other parties, the department shall distribute such orders among workshops and other nonprofit agencies under its supervision. The department shall keep accurate records showing the receipts from the sale of such products and services and all disbursements therefrom.