[NFBMT] MTBL Report to NFB

[rjaquiss]

Hello Everyone:

 

     The Montana Library for the Blind has sent a report. Since it was in
PDF, I converted it so it can be read. The report is below my signature. See
you all soon.

 

Regards,

 

Robert

 

Date: October 12, 2019

To: National Federation of the Blind Convention, Missoula, MT

2019 Montana Talking Book Library Report

What's happening at MSL?

NEW CIRCULATION CLERK

Karen Dimmitt left MSL in March and Martin Landry accepted the position of
Circulation Clerk. Martin previously worked for MSL as a Readers' Advisor,
managing patrons with last names beginning with A-G.

NEW READERS' ADVISOR

Melissa Wallace joined MSL as a Readers' Advisor in April and covered
patrons with last names beginning with A-G. Unfortunately, Melissa recently
left MSL and we are working to fill her position as soon as possible. In the
meantime, Jackie Crepeau (H-O) and Sarah Karasch (P-Z) are helping to cover
patrons with last names beginning with A-G.

PATRON COUNTS

As of early September, we have 2,507 patrons actively using the Talking Book
service. That number does not include the 1,359 patrons whose accounts
currently show as suspended due to inactivity or a request to pause service.
Often these patrons become active again, which brings our patron count to
3,866.

TALKING BOOK RECORDING STUDIO

We recently completed the following titles and they are available for
checkout:

                Blood on the Marias: The Baker Massacre by Paul R. Wylie
(DBC10167)

                They Left Their Tracks: Recollections of Sixty Years as a
Bob Marshall Wilderness Outfitter by Howard Copenhaver (DBC10130)

                Montana: Then and Now by Aaron Parrett (DBC10160)

                Montana for Kids: The Story of Our State by Allen Morris
Jones

We are currently working on the following titles. They should be available
for checkout soon:

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                56 Counties: A Montana Journey by Russell Rowland (This book
is in

high demand! Production experienced many delays due to family

emergencies experienced by volunteers working on the book, but it is

now in post-production and Erin Harris is finishing up the editing

process.)

                Montana Women from the Ground Up: Passionate Voices in

Agriculture and Land Conservation by Kristine Ellis

However, please be aware that recording and editing is still dependent on

staffing and volunteer availability.

DIGITAL CONVERSION

In 2018, 670 of our locally-recorded Montana books had not yet been

converted to digital and were only available in analog (cassette) format.

The MSL Commission approved the use of MSL trust monies to convert

these recordings to digital format. From April 2018 to April 2019, MSL staff

and volunteers worked to prepare shipments of master reels and print

copies of books to Potomac Talking Book Services in Rockville, Maryland.

A total of 59 boxes were shipped. As books were returned to MSL, the

newly digital titles were added to our catalog and made available to

patrons. When the project was completed in April 77% of the converted

titles had already circulated to patrons at least once, with many going out
to

patrons as soon as they were received back from the conversion process.

A small percentage of titles were unable to be converted and are being

reviewed to determine whether they can be re-recorded by MSL volunteers.

Unfortunately, NLS is still having technical issues with BARD, so not all

books have been uploaded and made available for download. Once the

upload process is repaired, we will add the remaining converted titles to

BARD.

C1 PLAYERS

The National Library Service declared the RC (recorded cassette) format

and C1 players obsolete as of December 31, 2017. We have held off on

removing C1 players as many of our Montana recordings were only

available in RC format. Now that the digital conversion process is complete,

we will be removing C1 players from our inventory and returning them to

NLS. We will be sending letters asking patrons with C1 players to return

them to MSL as we will no longer be sending cassette books or repairing

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the players. C1 players will be sent to an NLS-designated site to be

recycled.

What's happening at NLS?

NEW NAME

NLS will be changed its name from National Library Service for the Blind

and Physically Handicapped the National Library Service for the Blind and

Print Disabled. There will also be a new logo. This change took place on

October 1, 2019.

NEW PLAYER

NLS is still working on a next-generation talking book player. It will have

internet connectivity, so users would be able to download books from

BARD directly onto the player. It's still several years away.

BRAILLE EREADER PILOT

NLS plans to launch a pilot of braille eReaders in the summer of 2020. The

pilot will involve two devices: one manufactured by Humanware and one

manufactured by Zoomax. The purpose of the braille eReader pilot is to

test the functionality of both eReader devices, collect feedback from pilot

patrons, and validate distribution processes at network libraries.

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