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<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Personally, I am deeply disappointed in this closure. I've been a loyal NLS patron for years. I agree with all concerns listed here. There need to be reader advisors as well, something which was not cited in these concerns.</div><div><br></div>
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On Friday, October 8, 2021, 11:06:30 AM EDT, Elizabeth Rival via CT-NFB <ct-nfb@nfbnet.org> wrote:
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--></style><div><div class="yiv3963106695WordSection1"><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal">Hi, I also believe it important for our members to give us your opinions. Thank you Beth </p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal"> </p><div><div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in;"><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Deb Reed <deb.reed57@gmail.com> <br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, October 08, 2021 7:47 AM<br><b>To:</b> Maryanne.melley@gmail.com; tasnap@comcast.net; ngrice5456@aol.com; kdockendorff@gmail.com; juneblum49@gmail.com; nonniday@gmail.com; cbduquette@comcast.net; pduke58@comcast.net; rmirdi@aol.com; Rirelandjr@aol.com; hopegregory1@yahoo.com; judypeasesalley@gmail.com; geo.reed51@gmail.com; crival@comcast.net; erival@comcast.net; carole612@frontier.com; k1stm@frontier.com<br><b>Subject:</b> Email received yesterday concerning Library For The Blind and print disabled</p></div></div><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal"> </p><div><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal">Central Chapter Members,</p></div><div><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal">I thought it important to copy and paste the below email to you ahead of Saturday’s meeting, so that you could digest it and formulate any comments you wish me to pass on to Diane Weaver Dunne and the committee. Also as a sidenote, please bring your own beverage to the meeting, thanks!</p></div><div><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Good afternoon<span style="color:#1F497D;"> </span>Deb:</span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">I hope this email finds you well. In addition to heading up CRIS Radio, I also am a member of the State Library for the Blind and Print Handicapped Advisory Committee. During the past several months, a decision was made to close the LBPH in Rocky Hill and move remaining staff to a state library facility in Middletown. This coincided with sending the library’s audio book collection to the National Library Service’s regional center in Washington, D.C.; previously the LBPH’s Braille Book collection was sent to NLS’s Utah facility. Currently, the move to Middletown facility is on hold.</span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">The diminishment of an on-site book collection for people who are blind or print handicapped, as well as the relocation to the Middletown facility absent a direct para-transit system concerned the LBPH Advisory Committee, which we shared with the new State Librarian and with State Sen. Cathy Osten.</span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Sen. Osten asked that we reach out to members of other organizations that represent people who are blind or print handicapped and ask them to also identify what they think is needed for our community in terms of a state Library for the Blind and Print Handicapped. </span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Our committee’s concerns are listed below:</span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoListParagraph" style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:40.5pt;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">1.</span><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">LBPH should be located in a central location in the state, preferably in Hartford because it is located in a public transportation hub in the state.</span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoListParagraph" style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:40.5pt;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">2.</span><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">LBPH must be accessible for all abilities, preferably located on one floor.</span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoListParagraph" style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:40.5pt;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">3.</span><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">DOT Policies need to be changed to provide affordable, direct paratransit to the library from locations throughout the state.</span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoListParagraph" style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:40.5pt;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">4.</span><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">There should be an on-site collection of Braille and audio books made available for weekday check out by patrons, similar to access made available in town libraries.</span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoListParagraph" style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:40.5pt;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">5.</span><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">State needs to purchase its own on-site collection of Braille and audio books to prevent loss of collection due to NLS decisions;</span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoListParagraph" style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:40.5pt;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">6.</span><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Increased staffing is necessary to meet the needs of the blind community, including a LBPH director and appropriate number of reader advisors;</span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoListParagraph" style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:40.5pt;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">7.</span><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">LBPH needs to meet specific needs of Veterans who are blind.</span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoListParagraph" style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:40.5pt;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">8.</span><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Address concerns regarding the USPS announced slow-down of mail and its impact on receiving books in a timely manner.</span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Barbara Blejewski, chair of the LBPH Advisory Committee, and I would be most appreciative to hear any comments/concerns/suggestions from members of the NFB chapter that you head up as well. If you are able to reach out to your members, please send us their thoughts and concerns about the LBPH. Many thanks.</span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;color:#1F497D;"> </span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Best,</span></p><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Diane</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal"> </p><div><div><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal">Sincerely,</p></div><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal"> Deb Reed</p><div><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal">Central CT Chapter President </p></div><div><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;">National Federation Of The Blind</span></p><div><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;">Phone - 860-973-3679 </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;">Cell-860-378-5370</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal">Email - <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" ymailto="mailto:deb.reed57@gmail.com" target="_blank" href="mailto:deb.reed57@gmail.com">deb.reed57@gmail.com</a></p></div><div><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="yiv3963106695MsoNormal"> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>_______________________________________________<br>CT-NFB mailing list<br><a ymailto="mailto:CT-NFB@nfbnet.org" href="mailto:CT-NFB@nfbnet.org">CT-NFB@nfbnet.org</a><br><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org" target="_blank">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org</a><br>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for CT-NFB:<br><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org/spiderweb1%40sbcglobal.net" target="_blank">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org/spiderweb1%40sbcglobal.net</a><br></div>
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