[nfbwatlk] WTBBL's Reading Matters Newsletter

[Mike Freeman]

From: WTBBL [mailto:wtbbl at list.statelib.wa.gov] 
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2014 9:09 AM
Subject: [wtbbl] WTBBL's Reading Matters Newsletter

 

 

Reading Matters is provided in text, pdf, Web-braille and audio versions on
our website at http://www.wtbbl.org/newsletter.aspx.

          

 

READING MATTERS

Fourth Quarter 2014

David Junius, Editor

 

Washington Talking Book & Braille Library

2021 9th Avenue, Seattle, WA98121-2783 

8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday

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

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

 

THAT ALL MAY READ...

 

********

 

Note from Director

 

          WTBBL went "all in" to the digital era November 1st when we ceased
circulating audio books on cassette. 

The end of cassettes has been a long time coming. The players could no
longer hold up, tapes became damaged or missing, and the newer digital
technology provides better sound and improved usability. If you had been
receiving cassettes, you can contact the library to have your number of
digital books adjusted or increased. 

 

When the National Library Service releases new books, they may be available
immediately on BARD, but not yet available as a cartridge. For computer or
personal device users, downloading from BARD (Braille and Audio Reading
Download) to a memory stick or directly to a New Generation Victor Stream
Reader or an Apple iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch can be the quickest way to
get new books. But, if you'd prefer, copies on digital cartridge will be
available and we will be more than happy to send them to you. Our goal is to
have all patrons reading what they want in the best format for them. If we
can help in any way, please contact us.

 

          We have also been beautifying the physical environment at WTBBL -
our front hallway, in particular. On the west side of the hallway is a mural
created by Cornish College of the Arts student Marissa Sohn. The background
is a deep charcoal grey and then strips of white braille paper build a map
of the streets of Downtown Seattle down the length of the hall. The mural is
very tactile and has been enjoyed by many people visiting the library. On
the opposite wall, we have a gorgeous photography exhibit by photographer
Stephanie Jarstad. The exhibit features eight very large, close-up portraits
of people who are blind. Next to each portrait are three smaller photographs
taken by the blind individual. The images are striking and feel very
personal. We had a reception for the opening of the exhibit that was very
well attended. The photographs will be up through December if you would like
to come see them.

 

          I'm very pleased to have been able to see many of you at the
recent conventions held by the National Federation of the Blind of
Washington and the Washington Council of the Blind. October and November
seem to be the busiest part of my year and also the most fun. I look forward
to seeing you or talking with you soon. As always, please feel free to
contact me with your questions or suggestions.

 

Thank you, Danielle

danielle.miller at sos.wa.gov

(206) 615-1588

 

********

 

Moving Our State Library Into the Future by Secretary of State Kim Wyman

 

          Libraries are in a critical transition period. The traditional
paper-and-book-based library located in a building isn't viewed as essential
by those who use the Internet for news, information and research. 

 

          This shift away from brick and mortar libraries is why we created
the Library 21 program to further modernize the Washington State Library. We
want to pivot the State Library so it continues to be relevant and effective
in serving patrons as the tech era zooms forward. 

 

          Today's patrons want books and materials available in multiple
platforms, from paper to audiocassette to digital. I think that is the key
to Library 21 - identifying how people want to experience their reading and
gathering of information and using technology to meet patrons' needs and
expectations. 

 

          The State Library has already started down the digital road. It
has digitized many historical collections, including maps and newspapers.
Our clear goal is to digitize even more of its holdings. 

 

          We will need to deal with obstacles. About 90 percent of the State
Library's materials, for instance, are copyrighted. If we want to replace
physical books with e-books, we will need licenses so they can be circulated
digitally. That costs money.

 

          Another obstacle is the physical work of digitizing materials.
This takes time, equipment and many volunteers. We can follow the example of
our State Digital Archives, which uses an army of volunteers to digitize
paper-borne documents. 

 

          One grand goal I have is merging the State Library and State
Archives into one information and research service. 

 

          Patrons don't focus on where the information, book, map or other
resource is housed. They want to find what they need - fast. We must adapt,
just as our culture is adapting at stunning speed. 

 

          These changes won't be easy, but they are necessary as we move
into the future. 

 

********

 

>From the Registrar's Desk by Tyler Kaye

 

          As part of a federal initiative to provide improved accessibility
in identifying U.S. currency, WTBBL patrons who are blind or visually
impaired may request an iBill Talking Banknote Identifier. NLS has partnered
with the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to provide the currency readers
free of charge to eligible individuals.

 

          The iBill is a compact device that announces a note's value in one
of three ways: voice, pattern of tones, or pattern of vibrations. Insert a
bill into the device and press the button on the side to identify its
denomination. The currency reader does not identify foreign or counterfeit
banknotes. The size of a key fob, it can be carried in a pocket or purse,
clipped to a belt, or attached to a keychain or lanyard. It operates on a
single AAA battery, which typically lasts for more than a year. The initial
battery is included.

 

          Full national distribution of the currency readers is scheduled to
begin in January, but a pilot period is currently underway for eligible
library patrons to make requests. If you are interested in an iBill Talking
Banknote Identifier, call WTBBL at (206) 615-0400 or (800) 542-0866.

 

 

     In October, WTBBL hosted a networking event for staff of long-term care
facilities, such as activity directors, social workers, and recreational
therapists. Many of these professionals work with residents that could
benefit from talking books or are already users of the library.

 

     Guests were given an overview of WTBBL services along with information
about eligibility and the application process. They also had an opportunity
to use a talking book player and watch a book being downloaded from the BARD
site. This was followed by a tour of the library, including our shipping
area and recording studios and a visit with our readers' advisors.

 

     We are considering similar outreach events for long-term care workers
at WTBBL and in other areas of the state. If you know of a group of
colleagues that would be interested in hosting an Introduction to WTBBL,
please contact David Junius at (206) 615-0417 or david.junius at sos.wa.gov.

 

********


Youth Services News and Book Picks by Mandy Gonnsen


 

          This winter, WTBBL will once again host a preliminary contest for
the 2015 Braille Challenge, a program from the Braille Institute of America.
The contest is open to students in grades 1 through 12. To learn more about
the program or to register, please contact mandy.gonnsen at sos.wa.gov or (206)
615-0400. More information will be available at www.wtbbl.org/youth.aspx. 

 

          Check out these new arrivals for youth! More titles are available
by contacting the Youth Services Librarian at mandy.gonnsen at sos.wa.gov.

 

BRJ 1353 Curious George and the Bunny by H.A. Rey.
Curious George wants to know how it feels to hold a bunny. When he finds
Mother Bunny and her babies in a small house, Curious George takes out one
baby bunny to hold. But a simple game of hide and seek leads to disaster!
Can Curious George find the baby bunny and bring the bunny back to Mother
Bunny? For preschool to grade 2 and younger readers. 1998.

 

DB 28430 Rainy Day: Stories and Poems by Caroline Feller Bauer.
A collection of stories and poems all about rain. Myra Cohn Livingston,
Langston Hughes, Eve Merrian, and many other writers are included. For
grades 2-4 and older readers. 1986.

 

DB 31831 Stuart Little by E. B. White.
When Mrs. Little's second son is born, everybody notices that he is not much
bigger than a mouse. In fact, they soon discover that he is a mouse! Because
of his size, Stuart is always getting lost, but this is the least of his
unique problems. For grades 4-7. 1945.

 

DBW 8077 Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George.
Poor country girl Creel persuades a shoe-hoarding dragon to give her an
exotic pair of slippers, not realizing their mysterious power. Creel sets
out for the king's city, where she finds work as a seamstress, meets
princes, and becomes the heroine of the Dragon War. For grades 5-8. 2007.

 

DB 79109 We Were Liars by E. Lockhart.
Spending the summers on her family's private island off the coast of
Massachusetts with her cousins and a special boy named Gat, teenaged Cadence
struggles to remember what happened during her fifteenth summer. Unrated.
Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2014.

 

********

 

Another Way To Read: The BARD App

 

          A newer way to access talking books and web-braille books is the
BARD Mobile app. The app is currently available for the iPhone, iPad, or
iPod Touch. An Android app is currently in development and should be
available within the next several months. The BARD (Braille and Audio
Recording Download) download site has over 40,000 books and is growing
daily. BARD also has approximately 30 magazines in audio and braille. There
is much at your fingertips and the app can be a nice way to access and
listen to materials on a small device.

 

          For iOS devices, go to the App Store and search for "NLS BARD" or
"BARD mobile." The image displayed in the search screen looks very similar
to a digital talking book machine. The app is free and you can select the
"free" button, then you will be taken to an "install" button to select and
begin installation. You will need an iTunes account to complete the process.
Once the app is installed, sign in with your BARD account. The app will
remember your login.

 

          Once you've signed in, you will see several options on the home
screen: "Bookshelf," "Get Books," "Settings," and "Now Reading." Bookshelf
is where you find the books you have already downloaded and this is the spot
where you will select the downloaded book you wish to read. Get Books allows
you to look at newly added titles or browse BARD. This is also where your
wish list lives. If you are using Voiceover, you may find it easier to go to
the BARD site on your computer and add books to your wish list that way,
since finding the keyboard to enter text into the search feature on the
"Browse Bard" section of the "Get Books" tab can be difficult. 

 

When you select a book you are interested in, the entry will have book
number, title, author, reading time, narrator, subject descriptions, and an
annotation. If you would like to read that book, select the "add to my wish
list" link at the bottom of the annotation. To read the book right away, go
to your wish list and select the title. You will be asked if you want to
download. Agree to download and then, once completed, the book will appear
on your bookshelf where you can choose it to begin reading. You will know
that a book is finished downloading because the phone will make a noise that
sounds like a ringing doorbell.

 

          To read your book, double-tap the buttons on the screen to play,
stop, fast forward, rewind, navigate, etc. With a little practice, reading
with the app is quite simple and you can keep downloaded books forever.
Please feel free to call the library if you have questions or need any help.


 

********

 

Shipping Wheels Keep on Turning by Sally Jo Hagen

 

          In September WTBBL circulated its one millionth digital book! It
turned out to be one we recorded right here at WTBBL! It's digital book DBW
8142, Dancing to the Concertina's Tune: A Prison Teacher's Memoir by Jan
Walker, which will be our book club selection at WTBBL at noon on March 5th,
and will be led by Herrick Heitman, who has worked in Washington's prison
libraries.

          With digital books taking over in the circulation numbers, it is
prime time to check in with us and make sure you are getting the type and
quantity of books you would like. Just call the library and we will be more
than happy to help you out. 

          Changing over from cassette to digital does not only pertain to
books but also to the players. While it is true there is less to repair on
the digital machines, they do still need our attention. The repair room has
been cleaned out and updated for digital machine procedures. If you like to
tinker and have some spare time, how would you like to come and prepare
digital machines for patrons and update their service records in our
database?  

          If you are interested or would like more information about
volunteering, please contact David Junius at david.junius at sos.wa.gov or
(206) 615-0417.

 

********

 

Brown Bag Book Club

 

               The next Brown Bag Book Club will be on Thursday, March 5th,
at noon, led by Herrick Heitman, the Electronic Services and Instruction
Librarian. The book will be the one-millionth digital book circulated by
WTBBL, and a locally-produced book as well, Dancing to the Concertina's
Tune: A Prison Teacher's Memoir by Jan Walker. It's available from WTBBL as
digital book DBW 8142, which is available as a download, and as braille book
BRW 1316. 

 

          America's soaring prison population is separated from the outside
world by the concertina, the rigid spirals of razor wire that top the high
chain-link fences of state and federal penitentiaries. For nearly two
decades, educator Jan Walker crossed this line at medium- and
maximum-security correctional facilities to teach adult felons. In stirring
and intimate prose, Walker weaves together the true stories of male and
female inmates with reflections on her own life and career to reveal the
challenges, rewards, and emotional toll of her work.

 

Questions? Call David at (800) 542-0866.

 

********

 

Volunteer Spotlight on Florrie Munat

 

          While raising a family in Connecticut in the 1970s and '80s, I
began working as a freelance writer for children. I published three
nonfiction books for Scholastic and numerous stories, poems, and articles
for magazines such as Cricket, Highlights for Children, Storytelling,
Cobblestone, and Microsoft's My Personal Tutor software. 

 

          In 1981, I earned my master's degree in library science from
Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven. I worked as a reference
and young adult librarian at the public library in Middletown, Connecticut,
for five years, before retiring to Washington State in 1989 and returning to
freelance writing.

 

          After spending six years providing care for my husband, I wrote a
memoir, Be Brave: A Wife's Journey Through Caregiving. I recorded Be Brave
for WTBBL, and excerpts from the book have been reprinted on the Lewy Body
Dementia Association website and in the newsletter of Grace Church on
Bainbridge Island.

 

          Reading audiobooks presents several challenges. In order for an
audiobook to be as identical to the print version as possible, book
narration for me becomes an exercise in attempting perfection. I find myself
checking and double-checking pronunciations and re-recording even slight
mistakes. 

          

          Of course, a reviewer vets every book, but I take pride in
finishing a recording needing as few corrections as possible. I recently
recorded The Rescue of Belle and Sundance by Birgit Stutz and Lawrence
Scanlan about an elaborate horse rescue in the snowy mountains of British
Columbia - a subject I knew nothing about, but which I found fascinating. I
also enjoy recording books set in Washington State, such as Jim Lynch's
Truth Like the Sun (Seattle) and Mary Daheim's The Alpine Xanadu (Snohomish
County). I'm looking forward to my next recording, Jess Walters' We Live in
Water, which takes place in Spokane.

 

********

 

Giving Thanks by Laura Mott

 

          As you receive this newsletter and celebrate the holiday season we
want to extend our most heartfelt thank you to all our WTBBL patrons,
volunteers and donors. You help make WTBBL the special organization it is
and we couldn't do what we do without you.

 

          We are just halfway into our Annual Campaign and are headed
towards making our goal of $70,000. As always, we're reminded how lucky we
are to be part of the WTBBL family, surrounded by generous individuals,
foundations and companies who are committed to ensuring that all may read.
We have much to be thankful for and as a token of our thanks, we have
provided our patrons with a 2015 large-print calendar. If you didn't receive
a calendar and are interested in one, please contact us at (800) 542-0866.
Calendars are limited while supplies last. 

 

          If you haven't done so already, we hope you'll consider taking
part in our Annual Campaign this year. Giving can easily be done by writing
a check to WTBBL or going online to www.wtbbl.org/donate.

 

          Donors' dollars have helped us in so many ways: from aiding in our
circulation of books and downloads, to purchasing new books, funding our
library's youth program and reaching out to new patrons across the state. We
couldn't have done these things without the support of our donors!

 

          Thanks seems hardly enough for all the support you give WTBBL.
both monetary and in just knowing there are great people like you who
believe in our mission. Enjoy your holiday season and New Year, and thank
you again from the bottom of our hearts!

 

Laura Mott, Director of Development

(360) 902-4171 

laura.mott at sos.wa.gov

 

-------------------- 
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