[NFBC-Info] The Talking Books and Braille Center “Calendar” for (Mid) April 2020

LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired lhnews at lighthouse-sf.org
Tue Apr 14 19:29:50 UTC 2020


The Talking Books and Braille Center “Calendar” for (Mid) April 2020

What a lot has changed since our March Calendar of events went out.

The San Francisco Public Library system, based on the recommendations issued by the Department of Public Health, and as mandated by the Mayor, has been essentially closed since March 13th, with no definite date to reopen. Our staff very much misses the face-to-face and phone contact we have with so many of our patrons - we're still thinking of you!
We offer our apologies for not contacting you sooner. The good news is that we now have approval to begin offering a slightly curtailed Talking Books service working individually from our homes as we shelter in place.
Starting on April 13th, we cannot answer phone calls directly, but we will be picking up voicemail and email to answer within 48 hours, working Monday through Friday. We can help you with any technical questions you have. We can answer questions about resources, search for information, and work with you to choose books and movies and develop a stellar Reserve list for when library services are more broadly available.
We hope to coax those who are able to, to utilize BARD to access the full NLS catalog of books on your digital talking book player by downloading to your computer or through the app on your smartphone or other device. We can help those interested in listening to newspapers and magazines by phone, to sign up for NFB Newsline. We will also be able to order some Talking Books on cartridge through interlibrary loan from the Utah library, and have them mailed to you.
Because this work model is new to us, we will be discovering what is needed and developing service strategies in real time. We look forward to a period of collaborative learning with you!

We will be checking our voice mailbox throughout the day, Monday through Friday, call us at: 415-557-4253. You can also email us at, talkingbooks at sfpl.org<mailto:talkingbooks at sfpl.org>

With hopes for your continued health and wellbeing-
Jane, Tom, Erin, Nell, Ricardo, Liz, Nell, Jane, Kenya, Yelena and Hector

Here is a list of links to help you stay connected and tap into cultural resources, some of which are only available now as we 'Shelter In Place’. Expect more eResources in your in-box, soon.

Social Opportunities and mental health:
Covia/Well Connected - formerly known as Senior Center without Walls has book groups, classes and social groups by phone: 1 925-956-7400  https://covia.org/services/well-connected/
San Francisco's 'Peer Run Warm Line' is a place to go for emotional support *before* you reach a crisis point and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 1-855-845-7415/ https://www.mentalhealthsf.org/peer-run-warmline/
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 1-800-273-8255  https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org<https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/>
Head to Coursera to enroll in “The Science of Well Being<https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being>.”  One of Yale’s most popular online courses. You can audit the course for FREE, or you can pay $49 to work on the assignments. And to hear more from Dr. Santos about happiness, subscribe to her podcast on the subject called The Happiness Lab<https://www.happinesslab.fm/>

General
UCSF has current and exhaustive  list of community resources - use the table of contents to jump to relevant sections, see: https://bit.ly/3dW0hzp
Next Door is an online “neighborhood hub for trusted connections and the exchange of helpful information, goods, and services” that connects you with neighbors using the app: https://nextdoor.com<https://nextdoor.com/>

Audio Books Online:
If you have an SFPL library card, and know your PIN number, you are probably already accessing those collections, but here is the link anyway: https://sfpl.org/books-and-media/eaudiobooks. Please call us or the Main Library (415 557 4400) if you have a card but need a PIN number, and we can get you set up.
The SFPL eCollections are being heavily used, and wait times for a title are longer than usual, so you might want to try the Internet Archive:
The Internet Archive is making unlimited copies of their digitized library available to the public with their National Emergency Library project, which can be accessed by your screen reader: https://archive.org/details/nationalemergencylibrary/?iax=ntlemrlib%7cctalnk

The Internet archive also links to LibriVox, a collection of public domain texts read by individual volunteers, if you prefer a person’s voice:  https://archive.org/details/librivoxaudio

Cultural Offerings Online

To celebrate its 150th anniversary, Golden Gate Park is offering concert a week: https://bit.ly/2RsptUd

SF Jazz is streaming of some of their finest concerts each Friday at 5pm. Non-members can now get a $5. monthly membership and join in in the fun (concerts are free to SF Jazz Members). Sign up here:  https://www.sfjazz.org/watch/

The Metropolitan Opera is streaming a different opera each night! https://www.metopera.org<https://www.metopera.org/>
Again, the Internet Archive is a great resource, with a Live Music Archive: https://sfpl.org/books-and-media/eaudiobooks
For Dead Heads and Dead Heads in-training, tap their 14,400 file catalogue of Greatful Dead recordings: https://archive.org/details/etree?and[]=creator%3A%22grateful+dead%22<https://archive.org/details/etree?and%5B%5D=creator%3A%22grateful+dead%22>
Their wonderful collection of Old Time Radio can be found here: https://archive.org/details/oldtimeradio

Religious and Spiritual
Some live-streamed services are offered by Congregation Shomrei Torah, Santa Rosa including a Passover seder recorded April 10; https://jewishfed.org/news/events/virtualpassover-service-congregation-shomrei-torah
Hear daily Catholic Mass, including Easter Mass On Sunday April 12th, in English and Spanish from St. Mary’s Cathedral, here: https://www.youtube.com/archdioceseofsanfrancisco/live

And again, the Internet Archive steps up with sermons and religious lectures from many faiths, and in a number of languages, though mostly English: https://archive.org/details/audio_religion

________________________________

Our offices have had to close for now, but LightHouse is still very much open. Online assistive technology training, virtual socializing and community health and wellbeing classes are just a few of the sessions for which you can sign up. Visit our events calendar often to find out what’s on: lighthouse-sf.org/calendar<https://lighthouse-sf.org/calendar>

And give what you can to help us provide these crucial services by filling out the secure form on our donations page at: lighthouse-sf.org/donate<https://lighthouse-sf.org/donate>



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