Learning Ally (RFBD)
By Alicia Waters | April 20, 2011
Learning Ally, formerly Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, a national nonprofit since 1948 provides equal learning opportunities for all. Individuals with visual and learning disabilities are helped to overcome reading obstacles in achieving academic and personal success. Membership is free for students. Considered the nation’s largest library of downloadable audiobooks, Learning Ally offers more than 65,000 downloadable textbooks and literature titles. Members now can access their downloadable audiobooks from iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.
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February Bestseller List
By Alicia Waters | March 22, 2011
The February 2011 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 list when they appear on one of the above bestseller lists for a month or more. Titles in the February Bestseller List with an NLS number will not appear on future lists.
The acronyms used for newspapers and book clubs in the NLS bestseller list are:
Code Source
LAT Los Angeles Times
NYT New York Times
WP Washington Post
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Reading Across RI on WHJJ
By Alicia Waters | March 18, 2011
Reading Across RI events This Weekend:
Listen in on Saturday morning to Reading with Robin, featuring RI Center for the Book members discussing The Unforgiving Minute and other Center for the Book activities 7 am, 920 AM – WHJJ . Call in with your burning questions: 1-866-920-WHJJ .
Living Literature presents The Unforgiving Minute this Sunday, 3/20, at 2 pm at Providence Public Library (Barnard Room, 3rd floor.) Free and open to the public.
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Blind Author, Beth Finke
By Alicia Waters | March 17, 2011
It was a great honor to hear author, Beth Finke talk at a Lbphra Bookbreak session. Besides authoring two books, award winning children’s book, Hanni and Beth: Safe and Sound RC/DB067181 and an autobiography, Long Time, No See RC056482, Beth is a NPR commentator. Her essays air on the NPR Morning Edition. She also teaches a writing course for senior citizens in Chicago. Members can order her books through the Talking Books Plus (TBP) online catalog. Annotations are provided in the catalog. Follow Hanni and Beth’s adventures at the Safe & Sound blog.
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Low Vision Technology Seminar
By Alicia Waters | March 9, 2011
In conjunction with Tech Access, Freedom Scientific, and Silver Lining Technology, INSIGHT will be hosting a Low Vision Technology seminar at INSIGHT on Tuesday, March 29th. The seminar is an opportunity to learn about and try the latest in low vision technology. The program will run from 10AM – 3PM. There will be structured presentations and opportunities for hands on demonstrations from 10AM – 1PM that folks have to pre-register for (lunch will be provided). There will also be an “open” tech fair from 1PM – 3PM for anyone who does not want to attend the full seminar. There is also information available on the INSIGHT website including the links to register for the program.
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RARI Author Breakfast
By Alicia Waters | March 3, 2011
Join Reading Across Rhode Island’s 9th Annual Author Breakfast at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet with Craig Mullaney, author of the Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier’s Education on Saturday, April 30, 2011. Register for the Breakfast.
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NLS celebrates its 80th anniversary
By Alicia Waters | February 23, 2011
On March 3, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) – the Library of Congress’ talking book and braille program – will celebrate 80 years of helping visually impaired and physically disabled individuals enjoy reading their favorite books and magazines. This free library program brings reading materials via the U.S. mail at no cost to members in digital audio, cassette and braille formats straight to the homes of members from preschoolers to centenarians. With computer access and authorization, members can elect to download digital audio books and magazines often within minutes. The NLS collection of more than 400,000 titles of bestsellers, classics, biographies, romance and other genres delights many readers. Magazine lovers enjoy free subscriptions to more than 40 periodicals in audio format. Talking Books Plus is proud to be the NLS network library for the State of Rhode Island.
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Valentine Day Reading
By Alicia Waters | February 8, 2011
Warm your heart on Valentine’s Day with the following titles:
DB 68757
Very Valentine
by Adriana Trigiani
Thirty-something Valentine Roncalli seeks her future in the family’s exclusive hand-crafted wedding shoe company while juggling work and romance. Trigiani vividly captures both New York and Italy and infuses this novel with humor, warmth, and hope.
DB 61559
The Trouble with Valentine’s Day
by Rachel Gibson
En route to visit her grandfather in Gospel, Idaho, ex-PI Kate Hamilton overnights at a ski lodge where she unsuccessfully propositions a handsome stranger. Humiliated, Kate arrives in Gospel only to be formally introduced to her rejecter, ex-hockey player Rob Sutter. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex.
DB 66637
Twenty Wishes
by Debbie Macomber
Four widows–Anne Marie, Lillie, Barbie, and Elise–meet at Anne Marie’s bookstore, and each makes twenty wishes to improve her life. Anne Marie assists Ellen, an at-risk child; Barbie meets Mark, who uses a wheelchair; Elise starts a foundation in memory of her husband; and Lillie falls in love. Bestseller.
DB 67118
Blame It on Cupid
by Jennifer Greene
Eleven years ago Merry promised her friend Charlie that if anything happened to him, she would take care of his daughter. Now that Charlie has died, his daughter and Merry’s neighbor Jack, a divorced father, have doubts about Merry’s parenting skills. Explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language.
DB 67429
Hold Me Tight: seven conversations for a lifetime of love
by Sue Johnson
Clinical psychologist explains her “emotionally focused therapy,” which views a love relationship as an attachment bond. Uses case studies and exercises to teach couples ways to save and enrich a relationship. Commercial audiobook. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex.
DB 69519
A Bride in the Bargain
by Deeanne Gist
Washington Territory, 1865. Widowed lumberjack Joe Denton needs to find a new wife so he can keep his government land. Anna Ivey travels out west to forget her sorrows and discovers that she’s been promised to be Joe’s bride. The two coexist until love comes into their hearts.
DB 70170
Upside Down, Inside Out: a novel
by Monica McInerney
Irish art-school dropout Eva Kennedy goes on holiday in Australia to visit childhood friend Lainey. As a lark they introduce Eva as a well-known sculptor/singer. Meanwhile, successful industrial designer Joseph Wheeler backpacks while on business down under. Joseph and Eva meet and fall in love with each other’s persona.
DB 70594
Dance to the Piper
by Nora Roberts
Dancer Maddy O’Hurley meets music mogul Reed Valentine and the two fall in love despite different outlooks and experiences. Descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook.
DB 66317
My Nerdy Valentine
by Vicki Lewis Thompson
While working as an intern for a sex therapist, Amanda Rykowsky begins receiving valentines from an anonymous admirer. When the messages grow more threatening, mild-mannered stockbroker William Sloan poses as Amanda’s boyfriend to thwart the culprit. The fake relationship soon leads to real attraction. Explicit descriptions of sex.
DB 68200
O’s Big Book of Happiness: the best of O, the Oprah magazine : wisdom, wit, advice, interviews, and inspiration
Many of this collection’s more than one hundred articles and interviews from Oprah Winfrey’s magazine focus on personal fulfillment. Topics include dieting and exercise, aging, faith, relationships, and dreaming big. Other entries cover such issues as global conflicts and the environment. Some strong language.
DB 68413
The Letters
by Luanne Rice
After their son Paul dies, estranged husband and wife Sam and Hadley communicate through letters. Hadley writes from Maine and Sam from Alaska, where he visits the site of Paul’s plane crash. Their correspondence reveals the history of the couple’s love, their journeys through grief, and reasons for hope.
DB 70599
Where the God of Love Hangs Out
by Amy Bloom
Presents a series of interconnected stories in which a young woman struggles to come to terms with her roommate’s murder, in-laws confess their indiscretions in an unlikely place, and two middle-aged friends discover a comedic attraction.Strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. Commercial audiobook.
DB 69753
Crossfire: a high risk novel
by JoAnn Ross
South Carolina. FBI special agent Cait Cavanaugh reluctantly teams up with her old flame–former Navy SEAL Quinn McKade–to stop a serial sniper who is shooting military officials. Meanwhile reporter Valentine Snow receives anonymous clues about the killings. Strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex.
DB 68844
Love Letters from a Duke
by Elizabeth Boyle
London, 1814. Felicity Langley believes she has been corresponding with a future duke for four years, when in fact her communications have been with his grandfather. After the old gentleman dies, the new duke of Hollindrake arrives to set Felicity straight–but she thinks he’s her new footman. Some explicit descriptions of sex.
The above titles are suggested readings of NLS Valentine’s Day inspired works. The list was provided by the LBPHRA listserv.
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Student Scholarships
By Alicia Waters | February 4, 2011
NFB (National Federation for the Blind) annually offers blind college students in the United States and Puerto Rico a chance to be awarded one of 30 national scholarships ranging from $3,000 to $12,000. For more information, visit the NFB website. This year’s deadline for applying is March 31, 2011.
The Mouse Hole Scholarship Program founded by Blind Mice Mart has awarded over $13,050 in scholarships to students since 2004. The scholarship is open to visually impaired students and to sighted students with visually impaired parents. Visit the Blind Mice Mart for information about past awards and to watch for future announcements of application deadlines.
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Blind Mice Movie Vault
By Alicia Waters | February 4, 2011
Need a good audio movie with description to listen to while snow bound this winter? A Talking Books Plus member suggested Blind Mice Movies. The DVS Audio Movies are in mp3 format and can be downloaded for free. The movies have been uploaded to SendSpace.com and are ready for download. Register for a free account and get the Send Space Wizard for easier downloading. For faster downloads, get a free or Max account from SsendSpace. For more information, visit Blind Mice Movie Vault.
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