[il-talk] Fw: Talking Book Center Electronic Subsciption Service

Tue Mar 29 00:55:03 UTC 2016

From: Ruda, Sharon 
Sent: Monday, March 28, 2016 2:06 PM
To: Antonietta Tesfaye ; Bogdan, William ; Deborah Watson ; Deliah Jackson ; James Dunnington ; Larry Whewell ; Linda Hendle ; Margaret Varney ; Maryann Bartkowski ; William Sean Martin 
Subject: FW: Talking Book Center Electronic Subsciption Service

Please share with anyone who might be interested. Now that there is no printing, this is the only way we can send it out. If you can put it up on your web site, that would be great. Thanks, Sharon

From: Russwinkel, Sharon 
Sent: Monday, March 28, 2016 1:52 PM
Subject: Talking Book Center Electronic Subsciption Service

Per your request, you have been added to the electronic subscription service.  If at any time you wish to cancel your subscription to this service, please email sursswinkel at ilsos.net with your request.

The information that follows may also be read by opening the document attached to this email.

ILLINOIS STATE LIBRARY TALKING BOOK AND BRAILLE SERVICE

TBBS

SPRING 2016

Illinois State Library

TBBS

300 S. Second St.

Springfield, IL 62701-1796

Jesse White

Secretary of State 

& State Librarian

In this issue:

Advisory committee

Analog-to-digital conversion update

Return C-1 players

Contact information

Book selection

Currency reader

Audio descriptions for Netflix movies 

and TV shows

AppleVis

Be My Eyes app

TBBS NewsLink is available in braille and large print, on cassette, on NFB-NEWSLINE, via email by contacting the State Library, or on the Talking Book and Braille Service (TBBS) website at www.ilbph.org (click TBBS NewsLink).

Advisory committee

Three seats need to be filled on the Talking Book and Braille Advisory Committee for the term beginning July 1, 2016. The committee assists the State Library by improving services offered through TBBS. The meetings are held quarterly by conference call. Members of the committee serve three-year terms and represent TBBS users in all regions of the state. Applications will be accepted until April 15. If you are interested in serving on the committee or would like more information, please call Maryann Bartkowski at 630-698-4490.

Analog-to-digital 
conversion update

The National Library Service (NLS) has announced that the conversion of books from the analog cassette collection (RC) into digital audio (DB), which has been underway for more than 10 years, is entering its final stages. Except for a small number of medical and scientific works that were excluded as obsolete, every usable analog cassette book will be converted. Because the procedure is highly mechanized, the order of conversion is unpredictable, and NLS cannot accommodate requests to speed up the conversion of specific titles. NLS asks for forbearance during this process.

By mid-2016, NLS contractors will have converted approximately 3,000. In the following two years, NLS expects to assign the remaining 14,000 titles for conversion. These will be posted to BARD as rapidly as NLS Bibliographic Control and Quality Assurance staff can process them. The converted titles can be downloaded from BARD or requested on cartridge from TBBS.

Return C-1 players

The National Library Service ceased production of cassette books and players in 2010, and stopped circulating audio magazines on cassettes in 2013. As NLS nears the end of converting all usable cassette books (those with RC numbers in green mailing containers) to digital format (those with DB numbers in blue mailing containers), it is no longer necessary to have the cassette player.

TBBS has nearly 300,000 digital books available for circulation, while the cassette collection includes fewer than 1000 RCs and 1500 Old Time Radio Shows. The cassette tapes are easily damaged and are not replaced when broken. While the library-issued cassette machine is needed to play RCs, the Old Time Radio Shows can be played on any commercial cassette player.  

Please return the cassette player unless you are still using it for materials you receive from TBBS. It is U.S. Federal Government property and must be handled according to federal regulations. Follow these instructions to return the machine postage free via the U.S. Postal Service:

• Use the original box or pack the machine in any box you have on hand with one exception — do not use or reuse a USPS Priority Mail Box or you will be charged postage.

• Call 800-426-0709 to request a FREE MATTER FOR THE BLIND mailing card with the Illinois Machine Sub-lending Agency’s address.

• Affix the card to the front of the box and take to the post office or give to your mail carrier.

• Do not use Fed Ex or UPS to return the cassette player, you will incur charges. 

Contact your Reader Advisor if you have any questions or concerns regarding the return of your cassette player.

Contact information

Please remember to update your contact information anytime you move or change your phone number or email address. Please notify the library if you only use a mobile phone. Your service could be suspended if books are returned due to an incorrect mailing address and we are unable to reach you. The best way to keep your account active is to make sure your contact information is accurate — that way your books will never be returned as “undeliverable.” 

Book selection

Over 46 percent of TBBS patrons receive all of their books based entirely on their subject preferences. This selection method means that you are only getting books that might be of interest to you because they fall into your general reading interests. It is to be expected that you will not like every book you are sent. TBBS strongly encourages you to choose what you want to read so you are more likely to get books you like. There are several options for doing so. You may mail, phone or email your requests to your service center. 

Talking Book Topics Catalog — is useful for browsing new audiobooks. It is divided into subject categories and contains short descriptions of each new audiobook, including whether it has sex, violence or strong language, or is unrated. New issues are produced bimonthly, and you may sign up for a subscription in large print or on digital audio cartridge. Current and past issues are available at www.loc.gov/nls/tbt/index.html or on NFB-NEWSLINE, or may be downloaded from BARD. 

Braille Book Review Catalog — is useful for browsing new books. Subscriptions are available in braille and large print. The braille version contains a brief description of new braille and audiobooks; the large-print version lists only new braille books. Current and past issues are available at www.loc.gov/nls/bbr/ or on NFB-NEWSLINE, or may be downloaded from BARD. 

TBBS Online Catalog — allows you to search and browse the TBBS collections. Patrons with a User ID and password may also request books and review their account information. Call your Reader Advisor to receive a User ID and password. This catalog is available at https://webopac.klas.com/il1aopac/.

NLS Online Catalog — is a comprehensive list of all the books available in every format and includes items recorded at individual Talking Book Libraries. It is useful when searching for a particular title, author or subject. Not all items will be available directly from TBBS, but may be available via Interlibrary Loan; you must contact your Reader Advisor to request them. This catalog is available at http://nlscatalog. loc.gov.

Recommendations — if you hear about a book from family, friends, television or radio, contact TBBS to see if it’s available. Newly published books may take three or more months to be recorded or turned into braille books. 

Websites and Social Media — readers share reviews and recommendations on websites like Goodreads (www.goodreads.com) and LibraryThing (www.library thing.com). Other sites may focus on a particular genre, like romance, suspense or fantasy. Check out your local public library’s website, or those of bookstores for ideas. Don’t forget individuals, businesses and organizations may use social media like Facebook and Twitter to promote or recommend books. 

Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) — allows registered users to search for and download audio and braille books using a computer, smartphone or tablet. Get the books you want when you want them at https://nlsbard.loc.gov/ login/IL1A. 

Librarian Selection — your Reader Advisor uses a computer program to select books that fall into your general reading interests. This method works best for those who are flexible in what they are willing to read or have a wide variety of interests. Be sure to contact TBBS if your interests change. Of course, you are always welcome to make your own requests in addition to your librarian’s selections.

Currency reader 

All U.S. citizens and legal residents who are blind or visually impaired can receive a free iBill currency reader from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP). Although TBBS was involved with the initial rollout, all new orders must go directly to the BEP. To request an application, contact the BEP call center at 844-815-9388 (toll-free) or email meaningful.access at bep.gov. Applications are also available for download at http://www.moneyfactory.gov/uscurrencyreaderpgm.html. Mark “Yes” on the application after the statement “Applicant is currently a registered patron of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress,” and no further certification is needed — the BEP will verify that you are registered with NLS. Mail the completed application to BEP; postage is required.

BEP staff members are available at the call center to help patrons who suspect currency readers are malfunctioning, and to authorize the delivery of a replacement device, if necessary. They also are equipped to handle questions about more routine operations such as changing a battery or adjusting the settings.

Personal mobile devices can be used to identify currency with apps developed by the BEP. The EyeNote® App is built for the iOS platform, and the IDEAL® Currency Identifier operates on the Android platform. These free apps are available from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Audio descriptions for Netflix movies and TV shows

Audio description is an optional audio track for movies and TV shows. It features a narrator’s voice describing the action on the screen during natural pauses in the dialog and sound effects, including physical actions, facial expressions, costumes, settings and scene changes. Netflix’s streaming video service has recently added audio description to a select number of movies and TV shows, including Netflix original series Orange is the New Black, Grace and Frankie, House of Cards and Daredevil. Netflix subscribers can select the link “Audio Description,” located at the bottom of the Netflix streaming home page. A search displaying all of the movies and TV shows currently available with an audio description track will launch. Some TV shows may not have audio descriptions available for all seasons or episodes. The following devices currently allow you to enable audio descriptions, with more to be added soon:

• Android phones and tablets

• iOS 8.0 or later iPhones and iPads running Netflix App version 7.1.4 or later

• Apple TVs running system software 7.2 or later

• Browsers on PCs or Macs

• PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4

• Xbox 360 and Xbox One

• Roku 3

• And many newer Smart TVs, Blu-ray players and streaming media players

To ensure your device has access to all available features, please make sure to download and install all available updates. If you need help with your Netflix account or to troubleshoot an issue while watching video or using audio descriptions, please contact Netflix customer service by clicking on “Start Live Chat” or “Call Us” at the bottom of the screen.

AppleVis

AppleVis is a community-powered website for Apple products users who are blind or visually impaired. The site familiarizes users with the accessibility features on Mac computers, iOS devices and the Apple Watch, and answers questions they might have. 

The searchable website contains user-submitted information on thousands of apps and includes descriptions, reviews, recommendations, app deals, tutorials, guides, a forum, blog, podcasts and accessories reviews. There is even an AppleVis iOS Hall of Fame for the apps that are fully accessible to VoiceOver users. For more information visit, www.applevis.com. 

Be My Eyes app

Be My Eyes is an app that connects people who are blind or visually impaired with sighted volunteer helpers from around the world via live video chat. The app lets you “borrow” the helper’s eyes for small tasks like identifying or locating an item, reading an expiration date or describing your surroundings. When you use the app to request assistance, a live audio-video connection is set up as soon as the first sighted user accepts your request; this can take a couple of minutes. The volunteer can then view your environment through the camera on your smartphone. With a connection established, you can converse with the volunteer, introduce yourself (if you like), and ask for help with whatever identification task is at hand. You can disconnect at any time.

Launched in January 2015, this free app has over 30 language settings and is compatible with iOS 7.0 or later Apple devices. The Android version is under development. More than 335,000 volunteers and 25,000 people who are blind or visually impaired have already registered for service. For more information visit, www.bemyeyes.org. 

Toll-free numbers

• Illinois State Library TBBS . . . . . 800-665-5576, ext. 1

• Chicago Public Library Talking 

  Book Center . . . . . 800-757-4654 

• Illinois Talking Book Outreach Center . . . . . 800-426-0709

The announcement of products and services in this newsletter should not be considered an endorsement or recommendation by the Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille Service. Products and services are listed free of charge for the benefit of our readers. TBBS cannot be responsible for the reliability of products or services mentioned.

************************************************
Disclaimer - This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and contain privileged or copyright information. You must not present this message to another party without gaining permission from the sender. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute or use this email or the information contained in it for any purpose other than to notify the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State. 

If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately, and delete this email from your system. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where the sender specifically states them to be the views of the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State. 
************************************************
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: ISL TBBS Spring.docx
Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
Size: 21432 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/il-talk_nfbnet.org/attachments/20160328/0ff81150/attachment.docx>