[nabs-l] questions about reading braille, labeling, and canes

[sarah.jevnikar at utoronto.ca]

About your first question, I know the CNIB library in Canada allows  
for online ordering of books, and sometimes there is a multinational  
agreement to use that service. I don't know much about NLS but maybe  
NLS eligible people can use the CNIB?
Just a thought


Quoting Kerri Kosten <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>:

> Hi All!!
>
> I have a couple of questions.
>
> First, for braille readers out there, do you find you read more on
> your note-taker and braille displays and get your books from Bookshare
> and Web Braille or do you still call your library and order hard-copy
> books? Also, can you order hard-copy braille books either online or
> through email?
>
> I have been blind from birth and am a very very fast braille reader. I
> used to get books from the library and loved reading hard-copy
> braille, but then in 2007 when I got my notetaker which had a braille
> display on it I stopped having them send me hard-copy books. But, I
> find I miss reading hard-copy braille, and though reading on the
> braille display is nice it's kind of cumbersome.
> I am trying to figure out whether I should do the easy thing and just
> download my books from Bookshare and Web Braille and reading them on
> my display or go through the hassle that is calling the library,
> picking categories of books, and ordering them hard-copy.
> I really wish NLS had an online system where you could just go online,
> fill out a form, enter in the book title/author, submit it
> electronically, then just wait for the book to come through the mail.
> Even on the Web-braille website, it is very hard to browse...they
> don't have it set up so you can browse by category...I know you can
> type in keywords but for whatever reason every time I try this I don't
> get any relevant results.
> So I thought I'd ask what you all do!
>
> My next question has to do with labeling canned foods. A blind friend
> told me to use dymo tape, then get a hole puncher and some rubber
> bands, punch a hole in the tape, and somehow thread the rubber band
> through the hole? She explained to me how to do this...but I'm not
> getting it...the rubber band is round...I don't understand how you put
> the round rubber band through the hole in the label?
>
> I saw that you could order these pre-made labels with rubber bands
> already on them...so all you have to do is write what you want the
> label to say...then stick it on the can.
> Which way do you prefer/use? I'm very confused by the dymo tape way...
>
> My final question has to do with canes. I need to get a backup. I got
> a free white cane in January and really like it. However, I've been
> told that the Iowa Canes (the canes you get from the Iowa Center) are
> much sturdier and can last pretty much forever. What should I get as a
> backup...one extra nfb cane and then one Iowa one? I've never used an
> Iowa cane...but my friend has had hers for over three years and it
> hasn't broken yet...and my NFB one though I like it a lot because how
> light it is is already chipping.
> What do you prefer? What are the pros/cons of the Iowa canes? What are
> the differences between the Iowa canes and the fiberglass NFB canes?
> Also...does anyone know how much the Iowa canes cost if you order them
> and are out-of-state? I'm not from Iowa.
>
> Thanks,
> Kerri
>
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