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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>I serve as Chair of the the Library Consumer Advisory Committee, a committee made up of library users of our library at the Iowa Department for the Blind. It has been a while since we’ve reported on what has been happening at the library, so let’s get that corrected here.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Below we have information from Sarah Willefard, our able Librarian.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>New Library Program Highlights<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Library News is a monthly audio newsletter produced by the library staff. It gives updates on programs, services and events happening at the library. Library News also has fun interviews and information regarding the library, reading, books and literacy. Library News is added to patron digital audio Circulation cartrdiges each month. It will soon become a podcast that can be subscribed to as well.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>D-List (Digital List including Special Titles) offers patrons a chance to broaden their reading selections by choosing to receive the D-List titles. Each D-List highlights a different area of the library collection. For example, the VOICE D-List highlights books narrated by our local volunteer narrators. Each patron who chooses to receive the VOICE D-List will receive a series of six cartridges each with 10 books that all contain books narrated by the Iowa Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped volunteer narrators. The Library also participated in The Great American Read by offering all the 100 books in a series of 10 cartridges to those interested patrons. Look for more D-Lists in the future! Please contact the library if you are interested in participating.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111111'>The library is also introducing a new feature to Library News called Beyond the Book. Every other month the library will highlight an audiobook in our collection. The library will introduce the book and then you will have the chance to request that title, and, if you would like, offer a review or your thoughts on the book. A select few reviews will be featured in the next segment of Beyond the Book in Library News. You can email your review to </span><a href="mailto:library@blind.state.ia.us"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>library@blind.state.ia.us</span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111111'> or you can call in your review to Leslie at 515.452.1329. Here’s your chance to reach out to other patrons about the books you like or hear your review in Library News!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>2020 Braille Challenge<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#201F1F'>The 14th annual Iowa Regional Braille Challenge takes place on Saturday, February 29, at the Iowa Department for the Blind and Physically Disabled. The snow date is schedule for Saturday, March 7.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#201F1F'>The Braille Challenge is the only academic competition of its kind in North America for students who are blind or visually impaired. The Braille Institute developed the Braille Challenge to motivate students to practice and hone their Braille literacy skills, which are essential to academic and employment success.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#201F1F'>Blind or visually impaired students in grades 1 through 12 who can read and write Braille are eligible to participate in the Braille Challenge. Contestants are divided into five categories and tested on fundamental Braille skills, such as reading comprehension, spelling, speed and accuracy, proofreading, and charts and graphs<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#201F1F'>All students can compete in the preliminary Braille Challenge events, which are held from January through the end of March throughout the United States and Canada, but only the top 50 students (10 in each category) with the highest scores are invited to Los Angeles for the final round — two days of competition, camaraderie and fun!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>New Library Hours<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Beginning June 2020, the library will be open on the second Monday of the month from 8:00am – 8:00pm and on the third Saturday of the month from 10:00am – 2:00pm. Patrons are welcome to call or visit during these extra hours. Also, the library has two more S.O.A.R. Saturdays before summer on Saturday, March 28<sup>th</sup> and Saturday, April 25<sup>th</sup>. Families can enjoy fun activities and stories and the library is also open during these times.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Upcoming Events<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Elizabeth Perowsky Volunteer Workshop and Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, April 22, 2020. Watch the Iowa Department for the Blind website for more information.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222222'>Sarah Willeford<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222222'>Library Director, Iowa Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222222'>Iowa Department for the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222222'>515-494-8439<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#0B5394'><a href="https://blind.iowa.gov/" target="_blank"><b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1155CC'>https://blind.iowa.gov</span></b></a></span><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#0B5394'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#6200B8'> </span><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#0B5394'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:black'>“A proud partner in the American Job Center network”</span></b><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#0B5394'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>