[nfbwatlk] FW: WTBBL Reading Matters Newsletter, First Quarter 2013

Sat Mar 30 02:15:37 UTC 2013

From: WTBBL [mailto:wtbbl at list.statelib.wa.gov] 
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2013 11:23 AM
Subject: [wtbbl] WTBBL Reading Matters Newsletter, First Quarter 2013

READING MATTERS

David Junius, Editor 

First Quarter 2013

Washington Talking Book & Braille Library

2021 9th Avenue, Seattle, WA98121-2783 

8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday

Phone: 206-615-0400 . Statewide toll free: 1-800-542-0866 

wtbbl at sos.wa.gov . www.wtbbl.org

******** 

A Message from the Director by Danielle Miller 

Greetings, WTBBL patrons, friends, and family! I hope you enjoyed receiving
a print copy of "Reading Matters" in the mail last quarter. I believe there
was great value in the effort to reach people where they live and reconnect
with those not using the Internet. I received good feedback, such as calls
asking for our brochures and materials to share in the community and people
touching base about their service after many years. The newsletter will be
mailed in print in June and December and available electronically all four
quarters of the year on our website. If you prefer not to receive a print
copy, contact the library and let us know. 

I have great news on the staffing front. We hired library patron Shannon
Curry as our new Readers Advisor. We are delighted to have Shannon join the
WTBBL team and I'm sure you'll enjoy working with her and the many skills
and talents she brings to the library. Of course, we will still have our
skilled and talented Alan Bentson, so when you call or email, you'll be in
great hands no matter who helps you. 

Our new Secretary of State, Kim Wyman, is in office and is very supportive
of WTBBL, our mission, our goals, and of course, our patrons. We are excited
for a new chapter and the good things ahead. Enjoy this issue of "Reading
Matters" and be sure to contact us so you can keep reading the way you want,
when you want. 

******** 

It's Time to Return State Library to Capitol Campus by Secretary of State
Kim Wyman 

During my campaign for Secretary of State last year, I toured the Washington
State Library at the south end of Tumwater and the Washington Talking Book &
Braille Library in Seattle. While I already knew of WSL's many historical,
rare and valuable collections that reflect Washington's history, it's
another thing to actually see these collections that are unique to the
library, just like witnessing the unique and critical services that WTBBL
provides. 

Two of my top priorities as Secretary of State are to preserve the State
Library and revive the Washington State Heritage Center project, which was
approved by the Legislature in 2007 but suspended a few years ago, before
groundbreaking began, due to a state budget crisis. Our office will continue
to work together with Washington's library community to restore full General
Fund support for the State Library including WTBBL. 

The Heritage Center would house the State Library, State Archives,
historical exhibits, an educational center and other features. I'm asking
legislators to give the green light to proceed with this project, which
would bring the State Library back onto campus after a decade's exile in
Tumwater. WTBBL would remain in Seattle, but the Heritage Center would offer
many resources available to WTBBL patrons. 

The improving economy and budget situation are signs that it's now time for
the Heritage Center project to resume. It would be the one place on the
Capitol Campus that actually showcases Washington's past. 

Imagine how fun and thrilling it would be for visiting the Heritage Center
and experience our state's history in ways that may go beyond a book or
lecture. 

I'm a big fan of WTBBL. When I visited for the first time last summer, I was
amazed. The logistics of its operations are so similar to a county elections
shop, just with books rather than ballots. I was very impressed with the
staff's professionalism and expertise, and their passion for serving their
patrons. 

WTBBL's mission is to connect people who would otherwise have difficulty
with access to books, information, and resources. It is important work that
the entire staff is committed to doing well every day. I'm proud and honored
that the State Library and WTBBL are valuable, important parts of the Office
of Secretary of State. 

******** 

Meet New WTBBL Readers Advisor Shannon Curry!

My name is Shannon Curry and I am delighted to be serving as the new Readers
Advisor at WTBBL. 

Ever since I was a child, I've enjoyed a love affair with the written word.
There were never enough books around to suit me, and my teachers couldn't
order them fast enough to satisfy my insatiable appetites. 

I read avidly and was always up for something new and interesting. Not much
has changed since those days. There still aren't enough books to satisfy me,
and I'm always adding more books to my ever-growing "to be read" list. I
love all types of books, from lighthearted romances to gruesome horror to
nonfiction. 

I'm a Midwesterner who is far from her roots. I grew up in Lawrence, Kansas,
and graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in social work.
Before taking this job, I have been an actress, an assistive technology
trainer, and an advocate for victims of domestic violence. 

I moved to Washington in January of this year after visiting a friend and
being overwhelmed by the outgoing friendliness of the people I met here. I
love my new home here, and I'm excited to get to know everyone I'll have a
chance to work with.

******** 

Take the Library of Congress Survey! 

The Library of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped (NLS) is conducting a survey to understand how to
better serve the needs of readers of talking books and braille and why some
people don't use NLS. Take the survey now to let your opinions be heard and
help us better serve you! 

To take the survey online or to learn more about it, go to
www.LibraryOfCongress- Survey.com. Or, you can call (866) 545-1618 to
schedule a time to take the survey over the phone. You do not have to be a
current NLS reader to take the survey. 

The 25-minute survey is designed to learn more about your experiences with
talking books and braille, what types of library materials and services you
are looking for, and what NLS can do to get you interested in the free
Library of Congress talking book and braille program. 

If you aren't currently using NLS, let us know what services you want and
how we can add you to our list of NLS readers. If you are a current NLS
reader, let us know what we are doing well, where we can improve, and what
new services you would like NLS to offer. Your answers to the survey
questions will be kept confidential. 

Take the survey now and share it widely to help Library of Congress NLS (and
WTBBL) better serve all readers who use talking books and braille!

******** 

Technology at the Library by Eura Szuwalski

The Braille and Audio Book Download site, otherwise known as BARD, is
growing by leaps and bounds! In November 2012, 

web-braille and a large collection of music and foreign language audio books
were added to BARD, which will be their permanent online home. With the
addition of these books to the existing audio books and magazines, there are
more than 44,000 books available for download! 

What is BARD, you ask? BARD is the national site available for free to all
of our patrons to download audio and braille books and magazines. To sign
up, you fill out an application at bard.loc.gov for an individual or
institutional (schools, retirement communities, hospitals, etc.) account
using your email address and the patron or institution's address. 

If you aren't a computer user, we are happy to provide instructions to a
friend, teacher, caregiver or family member. After you find a book you want,
you download it to your computer and then move it, after unzipping the file,
to your flash drive (sometimes called a thumb drive). The flash drive will
then plug into the digital player that we provide you so you can play your
book. After downloading the file, the book is yours and access to the file
will never expire! 

Don't have a flash drive or want something sturdier like the cartridges we
send you in the mail? You can purchase the cartridges from several companies
and then you can download books onto your own cartridge! 

The following companies provide cartridges and the cable at various prices: 

.        American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. (APH) (800) 223-1839 -
www.APH.org 

.        Howell Mobility Products 

(248) 548-1788 - www.howellmobility.com 

.        National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, ext. 2216 - www.nfb.org 

.        Perkins Products

(617) 972 7308 - www.perkinsproducts.org

.        Twin Ports Low Vision Center: Duluth Lighthouse for the Blind

(800) 422-0833 - www.ighthousefortheblind-duluth.org/lvstore/ 

.        Vistas: Braille Institute

(323) 663-1111, Ext. 1245 - www.brailleinstitute.org 

Want something more portable than the digital player that we provide? There
are many commercial players that play our audio books and audio books from
many commercial companies. After purchasing one, you can register it on your
BARD account so you can fill it with downloaded books. 

The following is a list of commercially available audio book players by
company:

American Printing House for the Blind (APH)

.        Products: Book Port Plus, Braille Plus Mobile Manager, Book Port DT

.        Contact Information: www.aph.org or (800) 223-1839

HIMS

.        Products: BookSense, BookSense DS, BookSense XT, Sense Notetakers
(includes Braille Sense and Voice Sense)

.        Contact Information: www.hims-inc.com or (800) 520-4467

Humanware

.        Products: Victor Reader Stratus, APEX BrailleNote/VoiceNote, Victor
Reader Stream and Victor Reader Stream (New Generation)

.        Contact Information: www.humanware.com or (800) 722-3393

Independent Living

.        Products: Milestone 212, Milestone 312

.        Contact Information: www.independentliving.com or (800) 537-2118

LevelStar

.        Product: LevelStar Icon

.        Contact Information: www.levelstar.com or (800) 315-2305

PlexTalk

.        Products: Plextalk PTN2, Plextalk Pocket PTP1

.        Contact Information: www.plextalk.com . or (310) 693-7600 

If you have any questions or need help downloading your first web-braille or
digital audio books, give us a call at (206) 615-0400 or (800) 542-0866.
There are several staff members who can help walk you through the process
over the phone. If you live close to the library in Seattle, you can also
make an appointment to come in and use our computer lab or bring your
personal laptop for instruction. Family members and friends who are helping
patrons are welcome too! 

******** 

Adult Services Librarian Picks by Herrick Heitman 

Here are a few books recently issued by the National Library Service that
have Pacific Northwest settings.

Audio: Adult Fiction

DB 72102 Burning Up by Susan Andersen.

MTV video star Macy O'James temporarily returns to her hometown of
Sugarville, Washington, to help her family run their boardinghouse. New fire
chief Gabe Donovan and Macy are attracted to each other, but Macy's high
school reputation stands in their way. Strong language and explicit
descriptions of sex. 2010.

DB 72083 The Crying Tree by Naseem Rakha.

When Irene's 15-year-old son Shep is murdered in the family home, she vows
to watch his killer Daniel, also a teenager, die. After her failed suicide
attempt a decade later, Irene begins a correspondence with Daniel that
continues until he is 38 years old - and scheduled for execution. Strong
language. 2009. 

Audio: Adult Nonfiction

DB 71389 The Last of His Kind: The Life and Adventures of Bradford Washburn,
America's Boldest Mountaineer by David Roberts.

Biography of Harvard-educated mountaineer and photographer Bradford Washburn
(1910-2007) chronicles his ascents of Alaska's major mountains and
additional feats. Also describes his co-leadership of the first two American
expeditions to the Karakoram mountain range on the Pakistan-China border to
climb K2. 2009. 

DB 72102 The Alaska Native Reader: History, Culture, Politics by Maria Shaa
Tlaa Williams.

Essays selected by Alaska Native scholar examine indigenous worldviews,
arts, and cultural traditions. In "Memories of My Trap Line," a man
describes accompanying his grandfather on a dog sled to check their hunting
areas. Includes pieces on European and American colonization, languages, and
poetry. 2009. 

******** 

Youth Services Librarian Picks by Mandy Gonnsen

Immerse yourself into a new world and make new friends (or visit old ones)
by reading a series this spring. Reading a series and re-reading favorite
books help younger children master a story's plot and structure, as well as
reinforce vocabulary development. For older children, reading a series can
make reading a fun and enjoyable experience because they can delve deeper
into the lives and adventures of characters, and explore the richness of the
story and plot. Here are the "firsts" in new and old favorite series for
children and teens! 

More authors and titles are available by contacting Mandy Gonnsen, Youth
Services Librarian at mandy.gonnsen at sos.wa.gov.

For Younger Readers:

BR16029 Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems.

A trip to the laundromat becomes a momen-tous occasion when Trixie, too
young to speak words, realizes that her favorite stuffed animal is missing
and struggles to explain the prob-lem to her father. PRINT/BRAILLE. For
pre-school-grade 2. Caldecott Honor Book. 2004.

DB 25640 Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young by Jack Prelutsky.

A collection of over 200 delightful poems for children. Includes rhymes
about waking up, going to bed, hide-and-seek, animals, and nearly every
other conceivable topic of inter-est to the very young. For preschool-grade
2. Related Title: BR8879 For Laughing Out Loud: Poems To Tickle Your
Funnybone by Jack Pre-lutsky.

DB 74499 A Treasury of Curious George/Colec-cion de Oro Jorge el Curioso by
Margret Rey.

A collection of eight tales about a mischie-vous but loveable monkey named
George. Includes Curious George Takes a Train (2002), Curious George Visits
a Toy Store (2002), Curi-ous George and the Dump Truck (1999), Curi-ous
George and the Birthday Surprise (2003), Curious George Goes Camping (1999),
Curious George Goes to a Costume Party (2001), Curi-ous George Visits the
Library (2003), and Curi-ous George in the Big City (2001). For grades K-3
and older readers. English/Spanish lan-guage. 2011. Related Title: BR 12910
The Com-plete Adventures of Curious George by Margret Rey. 

DB 67749 Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by
Lenore Look.

Alvin Ho loves superheroes, but he is afraid of almost everything and has
never spoken a word in school. What he really wants is to have friends this
year in the second grade. For grades 2-4. 2008. 

DB 74219 Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke.

Four stories featuring young Anna Hibiscus and her adventures in Africa. In
one, Anna's mom, dad, and baby brothers Double and Trouble go to an island
on vacation. After they arrive, they realize it is more fun to travel with
their extended family. For grades 2-4. 2007.

BR16482; DB 61553; LP 21962

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very
Interesting Boy [#1, Penderwicks series] by Jeanne Birdsall.

A widowed father takes his four daughters, ages 4 through 12, and the family
dog on a three-week vacation at a Berkshire Mountain estate cottage. The
girls make friends with the owner's son, much to his snobbish mother's
dismay. For grades 4-7. National Book Award. 2005.

BRW 1121; DBW 7791; LP 23252 

Gregor the Overlander [#1, Underland Chronicles series] by Suzanne Collins.

When 11-year-old Gregor and his 2-year-old sister are pulled into a strange
underground world, they trigger an epic battle involving men, bats,
cockroaches, and spiders while on a quest foretold by ancient prophecy.
Sasquatch Award and Young Readers Choice Award nominee. For grades 4-7.
2005.

For Older Readers:

DBW 8007 Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley's Journal [#1, Diary of a Wimpy
Kid series] by Jeff Kinney.

Greg's mom is making him keep a journal (not a diary!) where he records the
trials of being an undersized middle-schooler among enormous guys who need
to shave twice a day! He struggles to survive and to maintain his friendship
with Rowley, who is becoming more popular. For grades 5-8. 2007.

DB 25315; BR07742 A Wizard of Earthsea [#1, Earthsea series] by Ursula K. Le
Guin.

An intricate fantasy about Sparrowhawk, a talented but arrogant student of
wizardry. On a rival's dare, Sparrowhawk summons up a shadowy, evil spirit
who threatens both the boy's life and the entire world of Earthsea. For
grades 6-9. 1968.

DB 72392 The Maze Runner [#1, Maze Runner series] by James Dashner.

A teenage boy wakes up in an elevator remembering nothing but his name,
Thomas. He soon meets a group of boys who welcome him to the Glade - and the
unsolved puzzle of the Maze. The next day a girl arrives with an unexpected
message. Some violence. For grades 6-9. 2009.

DBW 8392 Cinder [#1, The Lunar Chronicles series] by Marissa Meyer.

As a plague ravages the overcrowded Earth, Cinder, a gifted mechanic and
cyborg, becomes involved with handsome Prince Kai and must uncover secrets
about her past in order to protect the world in this futuristic take on the
Cinderella story. For senior high and older readers. 2012.

DB 70627 Heist Society [#1, Heist Society series] by Ally Carter.

Katarina Bishop leaves her family's notorious thieving business for a normal
teenage life at a boarding school. But when her father is suspected of
stealing from a mobster, Kat plans a dangerous heist to save him from
retribution. For senior high readers. 2010.

DB 61639; LP 23158 Uglies [#1, Uglies series] by Scott Westerfeld.

Tally, at age 16, is required to undergo a surgical procedure that would
turn her into a beauty. But Tally's new friend, Shay, refuses the operation
and runs away. The authorities insist that unless Tally finds Shay, she
can't become beautiful. For senior high readers. 2005.

******** 

Audio Books at WTBBL! by Theresa Connolly

Here are a few books recently completed by the staff and volunteers of
WTBBL's Audio Production department.

DBW 08446 Stories for Boys by Greg Martin.

This quirky, heart-wrenching memoir looks at family secrets, truth and
reconciliation, acceptance and forgiveness. As Martin struggles to come to
terms with revelations of his father's homosexuality following an attempted
suicide, he relates humorous stories about parenting two young sons mixed
with memories of his own happy childhood with the father he thought he knew.
Some strong language and descriptions of sex. Narrated by Barry Foy. 2012. 

Stories for Boys by Greg Martin is a 2013 Seattle Reads book selection and
available on cartridge, and for download from the WTBBL website at
http://www.wtbbl.org/login.aspx. 

The Low Vision Book Group will meet at the Central Library in Seattle on May
14 to discuss Stories for Boys. There will be also be a series of other
Seattle Reads events the first week of May. The link for the Seattle Reads
web page is at http://www.spl.org/audiences/adults/seattle-reads. 

DBW 08408 Plume by Kathleen Flenniken.

The Washington State Poet Laureate (2012-2014) writes about her personal
experience, and of the history of the people and work 

at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. Despite strong assurances to the
community that they were safe, the byproducts of the creation of plutonium
at Hanford poisoned the surrounding land, plants, fish, other animals and
the people who worked and lived nearby. Narrated by Melissa Tyler. 2012.

DBW 08400 Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth [#5, Diary of a Wimpy Kid
series] by Jeff Kinney.

Greg Heffley has always been in a hurry to grow up, but now that he really
is getting older, life is getting harder. Suddenly, he finds himself dealing
with the pressure of boy-girl parties and a lot of other awkward changes
that come with getting older. Can he do it without his best friend, Rowley,
at his side? Grades 5-8. Narrated by Erik Schwab. 2010. 

We have the first five books of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series available,
and will soon complete the sixth. There are descriptions of Greg Heffley's
drawings in all of them. It is difficult to know how best to include the
pictures, so we need your opinion. With The Ugly Truth, we tried something
new. The text is read by one person and the picture descriptions are read by
another. If you listen to the books, please, let me know if you like this
way of doing things. We really want to know! You can call Theresa Connolly
at (800) 542-0866 or email theresa.connolly at sos.wa.gov.

******** 

New Braille Books at WTBBL! by Ed Godfrey 

The following new braille books are now available for circulation, and have
been posted to the WTBBL site for downloading. Thanks to all of the
volunteer braille transcribers and proofreading teams who participated in
the production of these titles!

Adult Fiction

BRW 1318 Folly by Laurie R. King. 

After the deaths of her husband and daughter, Rae Newborn, a celebrated
artist, moves to the remote and uninhabited island of Folly, in San Juan
County, Washington. There she begins rebuilding a house and rebuilding her
life. She finds herself struggling with sadness, loneliness, panic, and
paranoia that she is being watched. 7 volumes. 2001.

BRW 1341 Raven Stole the Moon by Garth Stein. 

An upscale Seattle lifestyle lost meaning for Jenna Rosen when her young son
drowned in Alaska. On the second anniversary of his death, she impulsively
takes a ferry to Wrangell, where she grew up and which is not far from the
drowning site. Once there, Jenna often feels menaced. Her husband Robert
arrives in Wrangell after he learns from a private investigator that she is
living with a young fisherman. Only when a shaman risks his life to save
Jenna and to help put their son's soul to rest are the Rosens able to
resolve their grief. 8 volumes. 2010.

BRW 1369 Border Songs by Jim Lynch. 

Six-foot-eight and severely dyslexic, Brandon Vanderkool has always had an
unusual perspective, which comes in handy once his father pushes him off
their dairy farm and into the Border Patrol. Some sex and violence. 2010
Washington State Book Award winner for fiction. 6 volumes. 2009.

BRW 1357 Sonic Boom: The History of Northwest Rock, from "Louie Louie" to
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Peter Blecha. 

In this exploration of the Pacific Northwest's garage rock traditions, Peter
Blecha, Seattle's "rock 'n' roll archaeologist," weaves together the untold
tales behind the rise of the region's early dance halls, record labels,
radio stations, 1950s rockabilly, R&B, and doo-wop groups. Reveals how the
local Seattle music scene produced such disparate talents as the Ventures,
the Sonics, Jimi Hendrix, Heart, Robert Cray, Queensryche, Sir Mix-a-Lot,
and Nirvana. 6 volumes. 2009. 

BRW 1377 Lillian Walker, Washington State Civil Rights Pioneer: a Biography
and Oral History by John C. Hughes. 

Lillian Walker moved from Illinois to Bremerton in 1940. She soon became a
driving force for civil rights and active in local civic groups, including
the NAACP. 4 volumes. 2010.

BRW 1378 The Inimitable Adele Ferguson, Bremerton's Legendary Columnist: a
Biography and Oral History by John C. Hughes. 

Adele Ferguson was known as an outspoken and respected political columnist
for the Bremerton Sun. She knew the major figures in Washington state
government from the 1960s through 2010, and had strong opinions about all of
them. Includes some of her memorable newspaper columns, and her recipe for
fruitcake. 4 volumes. 2011.

BRW 1379 Nancy Evans, First-Rate First Lady: a Biography and Oral History by
John C. Hughes. 

Nancy Evans' husband, Dan, served as Washington's Governor from 1965 to
1977, and as a U.S. Senator from 1983 to 1989. During her years as First
Lady of Washington, Nancy Evans saved the Governor's Mansion. The book also
describes her longtime involvement with civic causes. 5 volumes. 2010.

BRW 1330 Booth Who? A Biography of Booth Gardner by John C. Hughes. 

Booth Gardner served in local and state politics in Washington State. He
served as Washington's Governor from 1985 to 1993. The book also covers his
campaigning for a Death with Dignity law after he was diagnosed with
Parkinson's Disease. 6 volumes. 2010.

BRW 1408 Plume by Kathleen Flenniken. 

Washington State Poet Laureate (2012-2014) writes about her personal
experience, and of the history of the people and work at the Hanford Nuclear
Reservation. Despite strong assurances to the community that they were safe,
the byproducts of the creation of plutonium at Hanford poisoned the
surrounding land, plants, fish, other animals and the people who worked and
lived nearby. 1 volume. 2012.

******** 

Volunteer Spotlight : John Ogliore

My name is John Ogliore. My father was born in Valguarnera Caropepe in
Sicily. Our name's original spelling is Oglialoro, but was changed when the
family immigrated to the United States in 1914. 

I record the Tuesday Seattle Times to be aired at noon and 6 p.m. on WTBBL's
Evergreen Radio Reading Service. I am also narrating my sixth book, Love in
the Driest Season by Neely Tucker. I started volunteering for WTBBL in
December 2006 after I retired. My late father-in-law was a longtime user of
the library due to macular degeneration. 

I was born and raised in Seattle and have degrees in business administration
from Central Washington University and the University of Puget Sound. I was
in the Army from 1968 to 1971, stationed primarily in Germany, and worked
for the Bureau of Customs from 1971 to 2006. 

For almost 20 years, I was also fortunate to be a track-and-field coach,
primarily at Inglemoor High School in Kenmore. I was a runner from 1977
until my last race in 2009 when I retired due to bad knees. 

I have been married to my wife Judy for 44 years. We have two sons, Michael
and Ryan, a 3-year-old grandson Jackson, and a newborn granddaughter
Caitlin. We also have a Labradoodle puppy named Archie that takes up a lot
of our time. He walks us five to seven miles a day. 

I am also a volunteer tour guide at the Pike Place Market, but I really love
volunteering at the WTBBL and consider it a privilege to be able to do so.
The staff is so helpful and friendly here and makes volunteering a real
pleasure.

******** 

Endowment Gifts Fund New Position by Carleen Jackson

WTBBL Youth Services Librarian Mandy Gonnsen has been at work for several
months now, reaching out to families with children who are unable to read
standard print, working with teachers and librarians to let them know the
resources that WTBBL provides for children and young adults, and energizing
the summer reading program, among many other tasks. We are thrilled to have
her as a member of the WTBBL team. 

What you may not know is how the Youth Services Librarian position is
funded. It is funded through the foresight of many donors over the years who
have contributed through their gifts and bequests to the WTBBL endowment
held by the Seattle Foundation on our behalf. 

With the significant growth of that endowment over the past few years (now
about $2.2 million), the interest income received by WTBBL each year from
the endowment is sufficient to fund the part-time Youth Services Librarian
position. 

The Board of Trustees that oversees fundraising for WTBBL, and distributes
funds from those contributions, agreed that the best way to reinvest the
endowment's earnings is in reaching out to young people to offer services
that they need to be successful in school and to enjoy reading. 

We know already that the program has been a success. We recently heard from
a mom with a dyslexic child who told us her child is once again able to
enjoy reading. Reading from a printed book was so frustrating and difficult,
but with audio books, the joy of reading is back! 

Growing our endowment is one way that we can grow our programs. Please
consider making a gift by will or other means to the Washington Talking Book
& Braille Library endowment at the Seattle Foundation or our new endowment
at the Inland Northwest Community Foundation. 

For information about how to do that, contact me at
carleen.jackson at sos.wa.gov, or call me at (360) 902-4126.

******** 

SUMMER READING IS COMING SOON!

Celebrate Summer 2013 by READING with WTBBL! 

Mark your calendars for our eight-week by-mail program that offers summer
reading charts, book suggestions, and fun activities in alternative formats
designed for children and teens with visual impairments, and physical or
reading disabilities. 

All children in preschool through grade 6 are invited to participate in the
"Dig Into Reading" program!

All teens, grades 7-12, are invited to participate in the "Beneath the
Surface" program! 

.        Registration starts April 15th (Registration forms will be mailed
and will be available on  www.wtbbl.org ) 

.        Kickoff event at WTBBL on June 22nd (visit www.wtbbl.org for more
details)

.        Program runs mid-June through mid-August

FOR MORE INFO, CONTACT Mandy Gonnsen at  mandy.gonnsen at sos.wa.gov (206)
615-1253 

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