Be My Eyes App Jan 15 release
By Alicia Waters | January 14, 2015
An app called be my eyes, which connects blind people who need assistance with sighted volunteers through their iPhone’s back facing camera, is due for release on the 15th of January. You can find out more about it by visiting the website: www.bemyeyes.org
Source: bardtalk Wed 1/14/2015 7:59 AM
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Walmart adds ScriptTalk at local pharmacies
By Alicia Waters | January 13, 2015
Walmart has made ScripTalk available to its mail order pharmacy customers for the past 2 years and will now implement ScripTalk at any of their local pharmacies when a customer requests it. All the customer has to do is ask their local pharmacist for audible prescription labels. If the pharmacist is not familiar with the program, the customer should tell the pharmacist to “Search for ScripTalk on The WIRE.” The pharmacist will know that The WIRE is Walmart’s internal communication system for its pharmacists and that they just need to search for the term “ScripTalk” to find instructions on how to get it implemented locally.
Walgreens is now offering a Talking Pill Reminder via its mail order pharmacy and at its local pharmacies. Customers make a request for the Talking Pill Reminder directly to their local pharmacist or by calling Walgreens’ national customer service number, 1-800-925-4733.
Information from:
John Little, MSPH, Attorney at Law
PO Box 1850, Auburn, Alabama 36831
http://johnlittle.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6cdbf718b02c198158cbb38cd&id=f85d4184b4&e=bf46dd4d60 | jl@johnlittle.com
Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC)
Certified in Healthcare Management (FACHE)
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Acclaimed Narrator Mitzi Friedlander retiring
By Alicia Waters | January 13, 2015
Acclaimed narrator is to be honored February 5, 2015. Mitzi Friedlander, a Talking Book narrator at the American Printing House for the Blind (APH), is retiring. During her extraordinary career, which spans over a half century, she has recorded more books than any other Talking Book narrator in the nation.
Her fans, locally and nationally, will celebrate her accomplishments at a retirement ceremony that will take place February 5, 2015 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at APH. You may send Mitzi good wishes via email to rwilliams@aph.org or you may send hard-copy notes to her c/o Roberta Williams, APH 1839 Frankfort Avenue Louisville, KY 40206.
A well-known figure in Louisville’s theatrical world, Mitzi earned the first Master’s Degree in Theater Arts given by the University of Louisville. She has performed with Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, the Louisville Ballet, the Kentucky Opera Association, and the Louisville Children’s Theatre. She has also taught Theatre Arts at the University of Louisville and at Indiana University Southeast.
The versatile actress, who has recorded over 2,000 titles during her 50+ years at APH, has lent her voice to nonfiction pieces, works of fiction, scientific publications, and children’s literature.
Through her work as a narrator in the APH studio, Mitzi became the first recipient of the Didymus Award for narration of 1,000 Talking Books for the Library of Congress. She is familiar to over half a million people in the listening audience as the voice of such classics as Gone With the Wind, Charlotte’s Web and several of Sue Grafton’s “alphabet” series of detective novels. In 1993 this nationwide audience selected her as one of their favorite Talking Book voices, honoring her with the Alexander Scourby Award for excellence in the narration of nonfiction titles.
Hear a sample of Mitzi Friedlander’s work.
The Talking Book program, administered by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress, provides recorded literature to 500,000 blind, visually impaired, and physically impaired Americans.
http://www.loc.gov/nls/ The National Library Service (NLS) contracts with American Printing House for the Blind to prepare these “Talking Books.”
About the American Printing House for the Blind –
The American Printing House for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is the world’s largest company devoted solely to researching, developing, and manufacturing products for people who are blind or visually impaired. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest organization of its kind in the United States. Under the 1879 federal Act to Promote the Education of the Blind, APH is the official supplier of educational materials for visually impaired students in the U.S. who are working at less than college level. APH manufactures textbooks and magazines in braille, large print, recorded, and digital formats. APH also creates hundreds of educational, recreational, and daily living products.
Written by
Roberta Williams
Public Relations Manager
Publicity, Tours, InSights Art
American Printing House for the Blind
1839 Frankfort Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206
502-899-2357
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Norwegian by Night available
By Alicia Waters | January 12, 2015
The 2015 Reading Across Rhode Island book, Norwegian by Night by Derek B. Miller is available to Talking Books Plus members. Request DB079894. To download a copy, visit the BARD website or request a hardcopy from the TBP collection online or phone 574-9310 or send an email request to olis.tbplus@olis.ri.gov or mail a paper book order to: Talking Books Plus, One Capitol Hill, Providence, RI 02908. Talking Books Plus members must be signed up for BARD to download the book.
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A Journey Through History discussion group Feb 13
By Alicia Waters | January 12, 2015
On Friday, February 13, 2015 at 9:00 pm the A Journey Through History discussion group will be talking about The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America by Russell Shorto. Talking Books Plus members may download or reserve a copy to be mailed to them. Visit the Book Nook Room to participate in the discussion. Talking Books Plus members who are not already BARD members may sign up for download service at BARD.
Request DB58272
Below is a description of the book taken from the RI Talking Books Plus Catalog- Portrait of the “first New Yorkers”–the earliest European inhabitants of Manhattan predating the thirteen “original” English colonies. From archival documents including letters, deeds, journals, and court proceedings, the author reconstructs the multiethnic Dutch settlement and clash of two seventeenth-century powers that ended in 1664 when England took over Manhattan. 2004.
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Science Fiction Group Discussion Feb 12
By Alicia Waters | January 12, 2015
On Thursday, February 12, 2015 at 9:00 pm the Science Fiction discussion group will be talking about The Companions by Sheri S. Tepper. Talking Books Plus members may download or reserve a copy to be mailed to them. Visit the Book Nook Room to participate in the discussion. Talking Books Plus members who are not already BARD members may sign up for download service at BARD.
Request DB59249
Below is a description of the book taken from the RI Talking Books Plus Catalog –
ETs and Earthers are conflicted over the possibilities for habitation and profit on the planet Moss. Jewel Delis has an agenda for exploring the new world, as does a group of humans who were stranded there long ago. 2003.
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December 2014 Bestsellers List
By Alicia Waters | January 12, 2015
The December 2014 Bestsellers List compiled monthly by NLS combines information taken from the bestseller lists of the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and the Washington Post.
Bestsellers are included in the report when they appear on one of the above bestseller lists for a month or more.
Once a title appears in the report with an NLS book number, it will not appear on future reports.
The acronyms used for newspapers and book clubs in the NLS bestseller report are:
Code Source
LAT Los Angeles Times
NYT New York Times
WP Washington Post
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NFB NEWSLINE service
By Alicia Waters | January 12, 2015
Hello. My name is Scott White and I’m the Director of NFB-NEWSLINE.
NFB-NEWSLINE is a free service available to anyone who is blind, visually impaired or print-disabled. It offers 400 publications to choose from, including 9 National Newspapers like the Wall Street Journal and USA Today, 14 Breaking News sources such as CNN, BBC and ESPN Online, 14 International papers including Financial Times and Vancouver Sun, as well as 43 magazines like Family Circle, Time, Smithsonian and more. NFB-NEWSLINE® also offers at least two newspapers for every state, and some states carry many more. A complete list of publications offered on NFB-NEWSLINE® can be found on our website: https://nfb.org/participating-newspapers .
Another feature of NFB-NEWSLINE® is the localized weather alerts. A blind person can hear the emergency tones but will be unable to read the messages scrolling across a TV screen. With NFB-NEWSLINE’s emergency weather alerts, when a subscriber hears the tones, he or she can sign into NFB-NEWSLINE and the weather report will be read on the spot. Any available weather alerts will be provided as soon as the subscriber signs into NFB-NEWSLINE.
NFB-NEWSLINE also has TV Listings, Job listings and retail ads.
NFB-NEWSLINE’s wide array of publications and announcements can be accessed anytime, on the subscriber’s schedule, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are a variety of ways to access. Subscribers can use a touch-tone telephone, or they can access the service via the website, On Demand emails, using portable players, such as the NLS Digital Player, or even via their iPhone, iPad or iPod! And it’s always free.
Thank you and have a nice day.
Scott White, Director
NFB-NEWSLINE
National Federation of the Blind
Phone: 410-659-9314 x2231
swhite@nfb.org
Note: Anyone who is a Rhode Island Talking Book Library member is already eligible to sign up for NFB-NEWSLINE. To learn the best way to sign up for NFB-NEWSLINE, please contact Rhode Island Talking Books Library at olis.tbplu@olis.ri.gov or call 401-574-9310.
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Accessible Mobile Reading Apps
By Alicia Waters | January 6, 2015
A 2014 Guide to Accessible Mobile Reading Apps from NLS
This reference publication describes software applications (apps) for mobile devices or phones that can be used by consumers who are visually impaired to read books, newspapers, magazines, or other print material. These apps convert digital text to speech or provide braille output to a compatible braille device. Many of these apps can be downloaded through the standard channels, such as the iTunes or Google Play. Please consult the Selective Bibliography for resources that contain detailed instructions on downloading and using an app on a mobile device.
Please contact the app developers directly to inquire about specific mobile platform compatibility and accessibility. Categories for the apps are listed as they appear in the iTunes or Google Play store in order to facilitate organization and searching. Except where explicitly noted, items listed in this reference circular are not part of the free library program provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, and their listing does not imply endorsement.
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ScripTalk Labels free for CVS/caremark blind members
By Alicia Waters | January 5, 2015
Woonsocket, Rhode Island (January 5, 2015) – CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) announced today that it now offers the ScripAbility prescription accessibility system through its mail service pharmacy to CVS/caremark members who are blind or visually impaired. The system includes ScripTalk talking prescription labels as well as braille and large print labels. In March of this year, the company announced that ScripTalk talking labels were available from CVS/pharmacy for prescriptions ordered for home delivery through its online pharmacy, CVS.com. Today’s announcement further expands CVS Health’s offerings to its blind and visually impaired customers and members.
The ScripTalk talking labels provide a safe and convenient way to access information on prescription labels for individuals who cannot read standard print. The ScripTalk labels are free to CVS/caremark members who are blind or visually impaired. Members can also obtain a free ScripTalk reader from Envision America that will enable them to listen to the information on the ScripTalk label.
“We are pleased to further demonstrate our commitment to providing our visually impaired members and patients with enhanced support, by offering them the ScripTalk service through our mail service pharmacy,” said Jon Roberts, President of CVS/caremark, the pharmacy benefit management business of CVS Health. “Ensuring all of our members have access to important information about their prescriptions is in keeping with our purpose of helping people on their path to better health.”
Today’s announcement is the result of collaboration between CVS Health, the American Council of the Blind (ACB), and several CVS/caremark members. ACB President Kim Charlson praised the new initiative: “Access to prescription label information through audio, large print or braille is essential for the safety and independence of customers who are blind or visually impaired. We commend CVS Health on its efforts in this important area, and for their leadership role within the industry to more effectively serve their customers with visual impairments.”
Members can request a product from the ScripAbility suite by contacting Caremark’s call center.
Media Contacts:
CVS Health, Christine Cramer 401-770-3317 Christine.cramer@cvscaremark.com
ACB, Kim Charlson, President 617-501-5853 kim.charlson@perkins.org
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