[Nfbf-l] Braille and Talking books Library Update
Holly
hbeanie at gmail.com
Sun Feb 9 18:39:47 UTC 2014
Yes the do have some. Call your reader advisor to see what is available.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Feb 9, 2014, at 1:22 PM, "Darlene Laibl-Crowe" <dlaiblcrowe at att.net> wrote:
>
> Thanks for the update! Great work for the library!
>
> I do have one question, will the library provide audio descriptive videos?
>
> Thanks!
> Darlene
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Nfbf-l [mailto:nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Patricia A.
> Lipovsky
> Sent: Sunday, February 09, 2014 12:08 PM
> To: NFBF List
> Subject: [Nfbf-l] Braille and Talking books Library Update
>
> Library Update
> by Susan Roberts
>
>> * The library is within days of completing the renovation project
> that was begun in April 2013. While there will be some follow-on work, the
> original project is nearing completion. Here are the highlights:
>
>> o Phase one saw the renovation of the 1992 and 1997 annex buildings to
> house library administration, a volunteer work area, a small area for
> library story times, a dedicated area for Braille and print production and
> digital duplication; a larger area for machine repair; a dedicated area for
> processing mismatched materials - cartridges and cases that come back
> separated; areas so that the Braille collection can be in one space and the
> digital collection in another; staff work areas, totally renovated restroom
> facilities, a larger staff break room (that houses that great ice maker you
> purchased for us) and a smaller coffee bar near the volunteer work area
> (where the Keurig Coffee Maker is installed).
>
>> o Phase two included the demolition of the former administration
> building, the demolition of about 75% of the Cope annex and the remodeling
> of the remaining Cope annex.
>
>> o Phase three included the upgrade of the mail room, the removal of 75%
> of the Braille annex (also known as the North annex), the landscaping and
> installation of the underground drainage system.
>
>> * We will have some follow on work that is already in the pipeline
> and there is also a possibility of even more refinements if funds remain
> available. That will include:
>
>> o Construction of a new parking area closer to the new main entrance of
> the library
>
>> o Replacement of the scissor lift for the postal truck at the loading
> dock area
>
>> o Upgraded exterior lighting
>
>> o The construction of a covered walkway between the main building and
> the recording studio
>
>> * Later in the year after all of the follow on work is complete,
> we do plan to have an open house so that our customers, neighbors and
> friends can see the amazing transformation of the facility.
>
>>> * The library continues to work toward the total conversion to
> the digital cartridge format and will follow the NLS lead to have all audio
> cassettes removed from the collection by 2015.
>
>> * All materials being produced in audio format are now being
> produced on digital cartridge. We have the 7 magazine anthologies, the
> White Cane Bulletin and the Florida Blind Veteran's Association newsletter
> all circulating. Additionally, NLS rolled out their "magazine on
> cartridge" program in March for Florida so patrons are no longer receiving
> new materials in audiocassette format. There have been some problems with
> the NLS roll-out that are being addressed on the national level. Also,
> there were some very unpopular changes made to Talking Book Topics that are
> being revisited. And, the biggest change is that the audio copy of TBT now
> must be returned so that the cartridge can be recycled.
>
>> * In December, we received the new production printer and are now
> able to mass produce printed materials at a far more efficient rate and in
> better quality than before. We are printing the newsletters for the
> Subregional libraries on a rotating schedule along with mailings for DBS,
> our CRP's and various consumer groups.
>
>> * The organized outreach and customer development activities are
> going extremely well. Since July 1, 2013, the net patron gain has been
> nearly 100% with over 1800 new customers and less than 900 patrons
> discontinuing service. This is the first year that we have seen that
> remarkable of an increase and can be directly linked to the outstanding work
> of Kara Riley.
>
>> * The library staff is working very hard toward new goals for this
> year and the productivity is increasing remarkably. The production section
> has stepped up the release of magazine anthologies with one going out every
> 2 - 3 weeks, more books are being produced than ever before and they are
> being selected for inclusion by a statewide workgroup. Braille production
> is also increasing with books all books that are being recorded also being
> produced in Braille. Braille books are submitted to NLS for inclusion in
> the BARD program and this year there is a goal to shepherd a minimum of 2
> audio books through the very strident NLS quality assurance program.
> Additionally, NLS is planning to accept all locally produced books into the
> BARD program with the disclaimer that they have not passed the NLS QA
> program..
>
>> * The Library will be assuming the "sponsor" role for Newsline in
> a few weeks and will be able to handle customer registration immediately
> upon request without the information having to be filtered through the NLS
> combined mailing list system and then to Newsline. This work will be
> absorbed by existing staff at the outset and we hope to get authorization
> for an additional staff position to handle this.
>
>> * With changes in DOE regulations, we will soon implement a new
> process for the intake and monthly record keeping for volunteers. Going
> forward, all volunteer activity will have to be done either at the library
> or at an outreach event with a library staff member. Additionally, monthly
> time sheets, by day and time, will be required including a signature.
> These will now have to be submitted to DOE or their records. There is no
> doubt that the volunteer program is a value-added activity and through the
> statewide collection of data in DOE, this quasi-public-private partnership
> will receive the recognition that it deserves.
>
>> * There have been a number of problems encountered with the
> battery life of the digital talking book machines. These machines are very
> complex computerized instruments and NLS continues to learn ways that the
> options that are built into the system can be utilized to improve the
> machines. Our machine manager, Cheryl Davis is working very closely with
> NLS and is, in turn, able to better address the issues that are happening
> with these players. We are also now able to replace virtually everything
> involved with these machines from the buttons to the computer components and
> there are very few machines
> that cannot be reconditioned and put back into a nearly new condition.
>
>> You can see that our days getting more and more busy; there are a number
> of other initiatives that we are beginning on an administrative level that
> we will share as they move through the stages from planning to execution.
> The library is doing quite well, the customers base is growing and our
> staff are stepping up to the challenges.
>
>
> "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
>
> ?Oscar Wilde
>
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