Download Magazines
By Alicia Waters | April 19, 2010
BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) participants can view a list of Recently Added Magazine Issues online. From the Talking Books PLus (TBP) webpage, under Quick Links, go to BARD. After logging in with your email address and password, at the BARD Main Page, scroll down under Find Magazines to Recently Added Magazine Issues.
If you have not applied to BARD and need a digital machine, call Talking Books Plus at 574-9310. Staff will help you through the process. Only TBP members can apply. Other qualified individuals must first apply for TBP service.
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Download Training at Insight
By Alicia Waters | April 16, 2010
INSIGHT is an organization that serves the needs of Rhode Island’s blind and visually-impaired population of all ages. They offer classes on an ongoing basis for anyone with visual impairment/blindness who would like to learn how to download books from the National Library Services (NLS) website to a blank cartridge. Insight trains people who are blind/visually impaired and who use JAWS or ZoomText to access the computer. Classes are adapted for individuals or small groups. There is no charge for the class which lasts between 60 – 90 minutes. All participants receive instructions to take home in their choice of format – regular print, large print, braille or audio cassette. Participants must have the NLS digital machine or a qualified equivalent, applied for the BARD program and have a BARD username and password. Insight, also, sells the blank cartridge and cable needed to download the books. To register for class, contact Rick Andrade at randrade@in-sight.org or (401)941-3322 x109.
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NFB-Newsline on the Web
By Alicia Waters | April 16, 2010
NFB-Newsline is now available on the Web and can be downloaded to a Victor Reader Stream, Icon or Braille+, BookSense or Book Port Plus. Get access to over 300 publications and 5 Spanish-language newspapers. Anyone who cannot read printed newspapers due to vision loss, dyslexia or a physical disability can sign up to receive NFB Newsline.
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Pratt-Smoot Act
By Alicia Waters | March 15, 2010
This blog article is a belated Happy Birthday that the regional library network for the Blind celebrated on March 3rd. Seventy nine years ago, the Pratt-Smoot Act became law and national library service was established on March 3, 1931. The Librarian of Congress was authorized to arrange with other libraries “to serve as local or regional centers for the circulation of such books, under such conditions and regulations as he may prescribe.” Records indicate that library service for blind patrons began in the late-nineteenth century. Read a history of service to blind and physically handicapped readers in the link provided.
The words in this posting, a history of service to blind and physically handicapped readers, has a link to another webpage.
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Mystic Seaport Pass
By Alicia Waters | March 15, 2010
Free passes for Talking Books Plus members and their families to visit Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the Sea in Mystic, Connecticut, are available on request from NLS. Mystic Seaport hosts a variety of events throughout the year.
NLS has one pass for each day of the week, Sunday through Saturday. Each pass provides free admission to Mystic Seaport for two adults and three children on the printed day.
TBP members who wish to reserve a pass should contact NLS directly by sending an e-mail to jcau@loc.gov. They should include their name, address, telephone number, and the date(s) and day(s) of the week they wish to visit Mystic Seaport, as well as alternate dates for the visit. Passes also may be requested by writing the Mystic Pass Coordinator, Publications and Media Section, NLS/BPH, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20542. Postal service to NLS is subject to security inspection, so letters should be sent six to eight weeks in advance of the period needed.
For more information contact:
Jane Caulton, Head, Publications and Media Section, NLS
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Tax Documents in Alternative Format
By Alicia Waters | March 5, 2010
NLS has been informed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Alternative Media Center that it will not provide IRS tax documents in braille for automatic distribution to libraries.
A current list of accessible tax products is available by download. Individuals may also order hard-copy braille and large print documents by calling the IRS toll-free number 1-800-829-3676.
For more information contact: Dawn Stitzel, Head, Reference Section, National Library Services for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Email: dsti@loc.gov
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Digital Machine Starting Automatically
By Alicia Waters | March 2, 2010
To Talking Books Plus members who are enjoying the new digital talking book machine (dtbm), please note that when a powered off machine is plugged into an outlet which experiences a power outage, the machine will automatically startup when power is restored. That’s because the machine is actually still on when the power is off. The sudden startup of the machine on its own could frighten folks if they don’t know this can happen. If the plugged-in player does not have a cartridge inserted, the machine will simply say “player on” but if a cartridge is in the machine, the cartridge will start to play the book. The voice coming from the machine is not a prowler in your home. It’s just the narrator from the book talking to you. When the machine is not plugged in and the machine is powered off, the machine is obviously not affected when power is restored from an outage. According to NLS, leaving a cartridge in the machine plugged in or unplugged will not harm the machine.
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Olympic Games Books
By Alicia Waters | February 11, 2010
For those wanting to whet their appetite for the 2010 Winter Olympic in Vancouver, Canada, here are some books of general interest about the olympic games and Vancouver.
Olympic Games
The Boys of Winter by Wayne Coffey RC62247, DB062247 Downloadable Talking Book
The Game by Ken Dryden RC20824
The Highlights of the Olympics: from ancient times to the present by John Durant BRA11585
The Hour of the Olympics by Mary Pope BR14203, RC54426
The Olympics, a history of the modern games by Allen Guttmann RC36082
The Story of the Olympics by Dave Anderson RC50298
Vancouver, Canada
Apple’s America: the discriminating traveler’s guide to 40 great cities in the United States and Canada by R.W. Apple DB60635 Downloadable Talking Book
Note: Downloadable Talking Books are only available to Talking Book Members who have a qualified digital machine and have been approved to use BARD: Braille and Audio Reading Download. Read more about the digital machine and BARD on the TBP website.
The words in this posting, digital service and BARD, have links to other webpages.
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Downloading Tip
By Alicia Waters | February 5, 2010
This blog is being used to share what one librarian calls “workarounds” for patrons who are downloading BARD titles to their digital machine. One patron claims to load her downloaded BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) books to a MP3 player and then plays the books on the NLS digital book machine by connecting it to the MP3 player via a cable. This tip is not an endorsement of how to download. It is merely posted to share information from other users of BARD.
Topics: Digital Update, General, News & Info | No Comments »
Blank Cartridge Update
By Alicia Waters | February 2, 2010
Blank cartridges for downloading digital books from the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) system are no longer available from Independent Living Aids, LLC. American Printing House for the Blind and Adaptive Technology, a division of Perkins Products of the Perkins School for the Blind, are selling blank digital talking book cartridges. Visit links for both American Printing House for the Blind and Adaptive Technology to get pricing and GB. Adaptive Technology sells the USB cable as well.
The words in this posting, American Printing House for the Blind and Adaptive Technology, have links to other webpages.
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