News
ISSN 1046-1663
July-September 2002, Vol. 33, No. 3
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped
The Library of Congress
Winner of digital player design contest chosen
NLS and the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA),
cosponsors of the 2002 Digital Audio Playback Device
Competition for Students, selected the prize-winning entries
on June 7 in Washington, D.C. Six judges convened at NLS to
evaluate 146 submissions from 28 design schools around the
country. At the end of the day they announced the names of
three third-prize winners, two second-prize winners, and the
first-prize winner, Lachezar Tsvetanov, a senior at the
University of Bridgeport. Tsvetanov's design, a model called
"Dook," earned him a cash award of $5,000 and an expenses-
paid trip to the annual meeting of IDSA in Monterey,
California, in July to receive the prize. Tsvetanov's
faculty advisor, Robert Brainard, was honored with a $2,000
cash award as well.
     The student design competition, which began January 1,
2002, and solicited entries from fifty-five IDSA-affiliated
schools, was established to give students a "unique
opportunity to inspire the next generation of audio playback
machines" (see News July-September 2001, Vol. 32, No. 3).
The massive digital conversion project currently in progress
at NLS will lead ultimately to a complete transition from
analog to digital technology in service operations and
revolutionize not only talking-book recording, duplication,
and playback procedures, but braille delivery systems,
communications within the network, and interactions with
other agencies as well. "The upgrade to digital versions of
not only the playback machines but also the vast collection
is the greatest challenge NLS has ever faced," NLS director
Frank Kurt Cylke has remarked. The machine competition was
not intended to yield a working prototype for a playback
machine--that is one to two years in the future--but to
generate ideas, stimulate creative thinking, and encourage
more widespread understanding and acceptance of universal
design principles throughout the professional design
community.
     Cylke conceived the design competition, which was
coordinated by John Bryant, head of the NLS Production
Control Section, in cooperation with Gigi Thompson, IDSA's
senior manager of communications. Jim Mueller, working
designer, IDSA member, and chair of IDSA's Universal Design
Professional Interest Section, served as professional
advisor.
     Mueller regarded the competition as a springboard to
help propel NLS into the new century's technological
realities. "The competition did exactly what it was designed
to do, and that was to give NLS new ideas and concepts for
them to begin to make decisions about what the digital
playback device should look like and what it should do," he
remarked. "This was also a great opportunity for the
students to do field research, think about the commercial
and user applications, and to make real-life models for the
client to inspect." Mueller, who also served as a juror,
affirmed the multifaceted benefits conferred by the contest.
"It has presented students with the unique opportunity to
design a product that makes books and magazines accessible
to hundreds of thousands of people with visual or physical
disabilities each year. By encouraging students to design
for all ages and abilities, the competition has given them
vital insight toward successful design practice in the
twenty-first century."
     First-prize winner Tsvetanov, a native of Sophia,
Bulgaria, studies at Bridgeport under a full scholarship he
won for academic excellence. "It was great to work on a
product addressing the challenges faced by those whose needs
are frequently overlooked," he commented. "This was not only
a design exercise, but also a life experience." His winning
design, Dook, resembles a book that opens to reveal a
speaker and a media cartridge port. Hinged along the
"spine," which also houses a volume control and storage
space for a power cord, Dook may be opened fully and laid
flat for maximum tabletop stability or opened partially and
stood upright, allowing full directionality of its speaker.
Folded shut, Dook may be easily carried in a purse, a
backpack, or even a large pocket. The main controls are
readily accessible in any position. Aiming across
generations of visually impaired readers, Tsvetanov thought
that older people might feel more comfortable with
"something in front of them that resembles a
book...something they were familiar with before losing their
sight," while younger readers would be drawn to the shape
because it would not make them feel conspicuous in a crowd.
     Two second prize winners will each receive $2,000:
 Christopher Garnaas and Laura Hackbarth, Milwaukee
Institute of Art and Design. Entry called "Nero." Faculty
advisors: Pascal Malassign (IDSA fellow) and Bill O'Dell.
 Anna Mastriano, University of Bridgeport. Entry called
"Book Talk." Faculty advisor: Roy Watson.
     Three third-prize winners will each receive $1,000:
 Nicki Kuwahara, California State University, Long Beach.
Entry called "Digital Talking Book." Independent, self-
directed project.
 Brian Potempa and Michael Matheau Potempa, Milwaukee
Institute of Art and Design. Entry called "Insight Personal
Assistance Device." Faculty advisors: Pascal Malassign
(IDSA fellow) and Bill O'Dell.
 Emilie Williams, North Carolina State University. Entry
called "D1." Faculty advisor: Percy Hooper (IDSA member).
     All six winners attended the IDSA annual meeting in
Monterey, California, July 20-23, as guests of NLS to
receive their awards in person.
(photo caption: First-place winner "Dook," named for its
resemblance to a print book, is hinged along the spine to
allow easy access to controls when open and to fold flat for
carrying. The spine houses a volume control and has storage
space for a power cord.)
DTB design contest judges
 Jim Mueller, IDSA member and chair of the IDSA's
Universal Design Section. Mueller has developed products for
people with disabilities and served as a consultant to
product manufacturers. Mueller is a national advocate of the
idea of universal design and coauthor of the seven
"Principles of Universal Design," used by competition jurors
in evaluating the student entries.
 Michael M. Moodie, NLS research and development officer.
Moodie, who has been deeply involved in all aspects of NLS
digital planning, organized and chaired the NISO Digital
Talking Book Committee up to the acceptance of the DTB
standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
on March 6, 2002.
 Thomas Bickford, senior reviewer for audio books, NLS
Quality Assurance Section. Bickford's background in foreign
languages and literature has made him an avid consumer of
audio reading materials as well as a professional in the
field. He began reading talking books in 1948 with The Three
Musketeers, as narrated by Alexander Scourby and played on
hard disks at 33-1/3 rpm using steel needles. He has
witnessed numerous technological upheavals in his lifetime.
 Philip Vlasak, partner of Personal Computer Systems of
Michigan, a company that creates computer games for blind
persons using the Windows operating system. He earned his
bachelor's and master's degrees in Industrial Design from
Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. Until he lost his sight in
1982, he worked as a designer for a retail store chain.
 Brian Matt, IDSA member and founder and CEO of Altitude,
Inc., a Boston-area product design and development firm. He
received his bachelor's degree in Industrial Design from
Rochester Institute of Technology. Matt is a member of the
board of directors of the Association of Professional Design
Firms, has held various senior IDSA offices, and is an
active member of the Design Management Institute.
 Sam Leotta, IDSA member and retired industrial designer.
He began his career before World War II and during the war
designed bomber and fighter aircraft. Later he established
an industrial design firm that provided product design,
development, engineering, graphics, and office-space
planning services throughout the country for forty-seven
years.
(photo caption: Contest judges: standing, Jim Mueller
(IDSA), Michael Moodie (NLS), Philip Vlasak (IDSA), Brian
Matt (IDSA); seated, Sam Leotta, (IDSA), Tom Bickford (NLS))
The DTB design contest: what have we learned?
Although manufacture lies some years in the future, the
development of a digital talking-book playback machine took
another small step forward as the IDSA/NLS-sponsored student
design competition entered the evaluation and judgment
phase. The six competition judges convened early on the
morning of June 7 in the Pratt-Smoot meeting rooms at NLS to
confront the daunting task of examining and rating 146 model
talking-book players submitted by student designers from
twenty-eight design schools around the country.
     No two of the students' creations were alike; they
ranged in size from palmtop to desktop, and in shape from a
boomerang to a football--though many seemed to draw their
inspiration from existing consumer electronics: personal
stereos, organizers, or game controllers. Construction
materials were limited only by the students' imaginations:
models were built of balsa and bass wood, carved and molded
plastic, Bondo, styrofoam, rubber, and PVC, and colored
across a wide spectrum. Along with their models, students
were asked to submit a documentation package that included
development sketches, an annotated account of human-factors
research, mechanical and technical drawings and
specifications, software-generated 3-D color images, and
color slides.
     By the end of the day the judges, suffering from what
Tom Bickford identified as sensory overload, had gone a
little giddy; the final decisions had to be made, and the
six decision makers came together around a table to compare
notes, review their ratings, and speak on behalf of their
favorites. The models were no longer arrayed in militarily
exact rows on the long table tops, but were passed from hand
to hand, some now showing signs of wear. The judges had
given a few of the late-stage entries pet names--the
Starship Enterprise, Darth Vader's death mask, the hamburger
press--and in the aura of mirth and anticipation, a
resemblance might forgivably have been noted between the
scene of judgment and a disorganized toyshop after a long
day. But the work somehow got done and the difficult
decisions were reached: Lachezar Tsvetanov's meticulously
constructed "Dook" was declared triumphant.
     Director pleased. NLS director Frank Kurt Cylke said,
"This contest has given NLS an opportunity to examine what
the brightest students in the industrial design world
proposed as solutions to the complex design challenges a
digital talking-book player presents. We're truly pleased
with the caliber of the entries and look forward to
examining them further."
     Judgment criteria. Entries were judged for creativity
and ingenuity within two sets of constraints: the models
were to possess the characteristics outlined in an NLS-
authored document on the design requirements for a future
talking-book player, and they were to adhere to the
principles of universal design advocated by IDSA.
     The seven Principles of Universal Design, formulated by
a team of designers, architects, researchers, and engineers
that included contest judge Jim Mueller, were applied to the
contest entries in the form of seven questions, used by the
judges to rate the models along a scale from excellent to
unacceptable. Is the design useful and marketable to people
with diverse abilities? Does the design accommodate a wide
range of individual preferences and abilities? Is use of the
design easy to understand regardless of the user's
experience, knowledge, language skills, or current
concentration level? Does the design communicate necessary
information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient
conditions or the user's sensory abilities? Does the design
minimize hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental
or unintended actions? Can the design be used efficiently
and comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue? Is
appropriate size and space provided for approach, reach,
manipulation, and use, regardless of the user's body size,
posture, or mobility?
     In addition to the universal design principles, judges
looked at a few additional features that are specific to
NLS: the design should include a readily accessible media
cartridge, controls for eighteen specified features and four
jacks, and the ability to direct the speaker's output. The
design also had to exhibit compatibility with assistive
devices such as mouth sticks.
     The player was required to be stable yet movable,
usable without vision, easy to clean and spill-proof, self-
contained and portable, and durable.
     Finally, a set of criteria was applied to the process
of design creation and to the procedures followed by the
students in reaching their objective: is the design solution
well thought out? Is the selection of materials and
processes appropriate? Has the student demonstrated research
into the design solution? Has the student demonstrated
attention to detail, proper model craftsmanship, and
documentation of work?
     Staff reaction. The two members of the NLS staff who
served as judges were gratified by the response elicited by
the competition. Michael Moodie and Tom Bickford were both
impressed by the effort put forth by the creators of the
models, many of which had a finished "off-the-shelf"
quality. The exhaustive research conducted by many entrants
particularly impressed Moodie, and the underlying grasp of
relevant issues that their research implied. A number of the
models reflected their designers' awareness that the
machines must function within a complex system--a system
that embraces the interests of patrons, librarians, and
distribution, repair, and maintenance personnel--and could
not stand on aesthetic merit alone.
     Both judges found sources of inspiration in the models
and inventive approaches to the problems of machine design.
Moodie singled out several areas where the designers'
ingenuity shone: stability combined with portability--the
need for a low center of gravity for table-top use, the
capacity to be moved readily from place to place, and ease
of use in transit; speaker directionality--an anticipated
improvement over the C-1 machine with its upward-facing
speaker; power-cord storage and management; tactile icons
for the operating controls; and the means of media cartridge
insertion and ejection--including various systems of ramps
or tactile markers.
     Tom Bickford also emphasized the many good new ideas
with which NLS was presented. As a partisan of portability,
he was particularly engaged by the array of innovative
carrying straps and handles the students had developed.
Though many submissions went beyond the requirements of the
competition, and some offered features that were outlandish,
even the rejects helped to concentrate vague or unfocused
thinking, perhaps helping to specify which design elements
would be disadvantageous in the DTB player of the future.
Some otherwise good entries were reluctantly disqualified
because they broke a contest rule: one attractive model was
rejected because, with its "docking station," it violated
the contest's one-piece construction stricture. But Bickford
reiterated the understanding that the competition would not
yield a production prototype. "Most entries showed a lot of
imagination, creativity, and serious thought, and in due
course we'll get a good machine out of this process."
     Project coordinator John Bryant was happily surprised
at the vigor with which student designers undertook this
project, and the interest and thoroughness they brought to
meeting the challenge. And one of the main benefits of the
competition, he said, was "making students aware of the need
to bring the principle of accessibility to all of their
design work--and how much of a need there was still to make
people aware of these issues."
(photo caption: Hours of hands-on effort went into
evaluating a wide range of creative models for technological
concepts, usefulness to patrons, and durability. Photo by
Gary D. Cotton)
(photo caption: Brian Matt and Michael Moodie hard at work)
(photo caption: Jim Mueller and Tom Bickford contemplate one
of the 146 contest entries.)
Braille collection tops advisory group agenda
The Collection Development Advisory Group, made up of
readers, consumer group representatives, and librarians from
across the country, presented twenty-one recommendations for
enhancement of the NLS book collection at its Washington,
D.C., meeting May 22-24, 2002.
     At the top of its list was the expansion of the
print/braille collection. The committee recommended that NLS
add ten additional titles, equally divided between grades K-
3 and 2-4, each year. The group also recommended that more
popular books, such as bestsellers, be added to both the
braille and the audio collections. It requested that more
high-interest, one-volume books suitable for adults learning
to read braille be selected for grade 2 braille production,
and that grade 1 braille titles similar to those selected
for adults be produced for young adults and teens.
     Members of the committee also asked NLS to continue "to
select clean, religious, spiritual, and inspirational
fiction titles," and that these characteristics be reflected
in the annotation. They asked NLS also to continue updating
its collection of nonfiction books on science, countries,
medicine, and celebrities; to produce books for young adults
"with themes of self-esteem and disability-coping skills"
and to continue producing books on the military and
veterans.
     The librarians, readers, and consumer organization
representatives commended NLS for adding print/braille
titles for older juvenile readers, for including the
spelling of authors' names at the end of recorded books, and
for producing "well-written annotations."
(photo caption: Committee members discuss recommendations.
Clockwise: Jane Toleno, Jill O'Connell, Lissa Shanahan,
George Brummell, Ever Lee Hairston, Randy French (chair),
Emma Schroth, Kathy Blackburn, Blas Yslas Sr., Sue Sugimura)
Collection Development Advisory Group
Consumer Organization Representatives: Jill O'Connell
(California), American Council of the Blind; George Brummell
(District of Columbia), Blinded Veterans Association; Ever
Lee Hairston (New Jersey), National Federation of the Blind
Readers-at-Large: Jane L. Toleno (Minnesota), Midlands;
Diana Brash (Pennsylvania), North; Kathy Blackburn (Texas),
South; Blas Yslas Sr. (Colorado), West
Librarians: Lissa Shanahan (Indiana), Midlands; Renee
Snowten (Pennsylvania), North; Randy French (Virginia),
South; Sue Sugimura (Hawaii), West; Emma Schroth
(Louisiana), Children's/Young Adult
Massachusetts patrons meet famous authors
In April of this year, Massachusetts "whodunit" lovers heard
the inside scoop on popular sleuths and thrillers from the
people who know them best--their creators. Hosted by the
Perkins School for the Blind Braille and Talking Book
Library, a special brunch gave library patrons and local
residents a chance to meet three bestselling mystery
writers. The library wanted to provide a unique and
interesting program for its patrons and raise awareness of
its services to blind and visually handicapped individuals.
Currently, some 17,000 individuals benefit from services
offered by the Perkins School, which estimates that it
reaches only 11 percent of the eligible population in the
Northeast. Library patron Dean Denniston says that access to
the printed word is crucial: "Whether we read with our eyes,
our ears, or our fingers, I can think of nothing more
beneficial."
     Kim Charlson, regional librarian, moderated the panel,
which featured the following authors:
 Barbara Neely, radio host and creator of the Blanche
White mystery novels. Her first book in the series, Blanche
on the Lam, won three of the four major mystery awards for
best first novel--the Agatha, the Macavity, and the Anthony.
 Robert B. Parker, creator of the streetwise Boston
private eye Spenser. His novels inspired the popular
television series Spenser: for Hire and two made-for-TV
movies.
 Michael Palmer, former emergency-room-physician-turned-
novelist. His chillingly realistic medical suspense
thrillers appear frequently on the New York Times bestseller
list, and one, Extreme Measures, became a 1996 film.
     A standing-room-only crowd greeted the authors, who had
graciously donated their time. Palmer said that one of the
great heroes in his life is his brother-in-law, who, though
blind, graduated from law school with honors and bicycled
solo across the country. "It's a joy to come here because I
know how much reading means to him," said Palmer.
     Following a lively question-and-answer session
conducted by Kevin J. Lessard, director of the Perkins
School for the Blind, the authors signed autographs for
their enthusiastic fans. Attendees wholeheartedly praised
the program.
(Material for this article was provided by Kim Charlson,
Massachusetts regional librarian.)
(photo caption: Barbara Neely. Photo by Teresa Salgado)
(photo caption: Michael Palmer. Bantam Books)
(photo caption: Robert Parker signs a reader's book.)
Pinellas, Florida, intern spurs PSA airings
The Pinellas Talking Book Library (PTBL) has set a national
record. In just over one month, from May 27 to June 30, NLS
public service announcements (PSAs) in the Rita Moreno
series aired 398 times over sixteen stations on the
Verizon/Americast cable system. This achievement was the
result of the efforts of Michelle Lewin, a Library and
Information Science graduate student at the University of
South Florida.
     The Pinellas library, working in cooperation with its
Daytona Beach regional, selected the PSAs Diagnosis and Rita
Moreno to distribute to the media. Lewin undertook the
public service announcement project as part of an
internship. She also cataloged and entered large-print books
into the KLAS circulation system during her one-month stay
at PTBL.
     Her supervisor, Marilyn Stevenson, subregional
librarian, was ecstatic about her media success. "She had a
very short amount of time to do an incredible amount of
work, and she did an excellent job. Because of our close
proximity, her efforts should impact not only Pinellas
subregional, but also Hillsborough and Manatee subregionals.
Michelle was able to complete both assignments in four
weeks, working close to full time each week," she says.
     Stevenson says Lewin worked the entire month of May
researching the media and making contacts. "She contacted
four nearby TV stations; two local TV stations (Americast
and Public Access Pinellas); eight radio stations, several
of which broadcast over more than one frequency; and seven
newspapers," Stevenson explains.
     According to Lewin, who graduated in August 2002, "The
hardest part of the job was actually going to places cold
and trying to get in to talk with people. The big stations
won't see you or make appointments to discuss your PSAs;
they just want them sent in," says Lewin. She found that
most stations post guidelines for submission on their web
sites or the requirements are available by phone.
     Lewin continues, "Making cold phone calls wasn't as
hard, but it did take some thought as to what to say, who to
ask for, how to shmooze the receptionist into transferring
you to the right person, or at least giving you the name of
the right person so the PSA could be sent directly to him or
her."
     "My Americast contact was especially friendly and
cooperative. I found out who the advertising person was by
calling the receptionist and telling her who I represented,
then explained to the contact about the talking-book library
services. She agreed to show the PSAs from May until
December and told me that if I wanted to continue them after
that, I should just call her and let her know!" Lewin says
she believes she got such a great response because the
talking-book program "represented something that she thought
was important."
     Stevenson describes Lewin, who started work in June as
the director of library resources at the Tampa Technical
Institute-Pinellas Campus, as "friendly, outgoing,
assertive, and a great believer in talking books and the
positive impact they have on our population."
     Stevenson was not surprised by the outcome of having
one person dedicated to implementing the PSA campaign. "I
knew we would have a good response from community providers
and can expect a ripple effect as others also run the PSAs."
(photo caption: Michelle Lewin)
ASCLA (ALA) awards
Steve Prine, head of the Network Services Section at NLS,
won two 2002 awards of the Association of Specialized and
Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) during the annual
meeting of the American Library Association (ALA), of which
ASCLA is a division. ASCLA awards recognize outstanding
achievement by librarians and libraries serving special
populations. The ALA met June 15-18 in Atlanta.
     Prine's citation for the ASCLA Service Award commended
his 25 years of work for ASCLA in numerous positions and a
variety of roles, while his ASCLA Leadership Achievement
Award citation praised his depth of knowledge gained over
decades, as well as his open mind, commitment to service,
and special brand of humor, all welcomed throughout the NLS
network of cooperating libraries. Reached in Washington for
comment, Prine said he would be "deeply honored by either
[award], but both in one year is overwhelming!"
(photo caption: Steve Prine with his two ASCLA awards)
Julie Klauber, librarian at Talking Books Plus, Outreach
Services, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, New
York, is the recipient of the 2002 Francis Joseph Campbell
Award, also presented at the ASCLA President's Program at
the Atlanta ALA meeting. The award, which includes a medal
and citation, is given for an outstanding contribution to
the advancement of library service to blind and physically
handicapped persons. NLS's Ruth Nussbaum, awards committee
chair for the award's sponsor, the Library Service to People
with Visual or Physical Disabilities Forum of ASCLA's
Libraries Serving Special Populations Section, cited Klauber
for creating and maintaining the newsletter Disability
Resources Monthly and the web site "Disability Resources: A
Monthly Guide to Disability Resources on the Internet" at
<www.disabilityresources.org>. "These current and constantly
updated resources are invaluable guides for librarians and
the general public. Julie's boundless energy and devotion to
the dissemination of information have made a profound impact
on the library service to individuals with blindness or
physical impairments."
     Also at the ASCLA President's Program and Awards
Ceremony at ALA, the prestigious Exceptional Service Award
for 2002 was bestowed on Michael Gunde, who is bureau chief
of Braille and Talking Book Services, Division of Blind
Services, Florida Department of Education. He is regional
librarian for Florida in NLS's network of cooperating
libraries. This award recognizes professional leadership,
effective interpretation of programs, pioneering activity,
and significant research in serving a constituency including
patients, the homebound, professional hospital staff, and
inmates. Awards committee chair Jan Walsh commended his
professionalism, leadership, intelligence, energy, and
advocacy on behalf of persons with disabilities, praising
his "unique combination of innovation and practicality."
(photo caption: Julie Klauber, Campbell Award winner)
New regional facility opens in Springfield, Illinois
The Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille Service
(TBBS) officially opened its doors to the public on June 27
during an 11:30 a.m. grand-opening celebration. Jean
Wilkins, director of the Illinois State Library (ISL),
greeted guests. Jesse White, Illinois secretary of state,
and Carolyn Hoover Sung, chief of the NLS Network Division,
spoke to participants before the ribbon-cutting and
reception. Staff from the six Illinois subregionals were on
hand to visit with patrons and guests.
     Tours of the building were given to the approximately
seventy-five guests. The new facility, at 401 E. Washington
Street in Springfield, is located to take advantage of other
government departments that share similar clientele. The
Illinois Assistive Technology Project, the Springfield
Center for Independent Living, the Bureau of Blind Services,
the Department of Aging, and an assisted-living complex are
less than a block from the site.
     Because of the location, the library facility includes
a public browsing area complete with two adaptive computer
stations and an Optelec magnifier. A collection of
descriptive videos is also available on-site for
circulation. Two conference rooms are available for use by
other government agencies, support groups, and registered
users.
     The Illinois State Library began administering the
talking-book program in January 2000, when the regional
library in Chicago closed. The ISL had been funding the
program through grants to the Chicago Public Library. When
that library decided to stop offering regional library
service because of building problems, it was logical for the
ISL to begin administering the program it had funded since
the 1970s.
     While awaiting the completion of the facility in
Springfield, ten new staff members were hired and began
providing service from a temporary location at the ISL.
Although the biggest part of the collection and records were
in storage for two years, the staff was able to circulate
new items as they arrived. Magazine duplication began in
earnest, with 4,000-5,000 copies of twenty titles being
produced each month.
     Services throughout Illinois are provided by six
subregional libraries called Talking Book Centers (TBCs),
which in turn receive materials, training, and support from
the regional. Bibliographies are custom-designed for any
Talking Book Center that requests them. Statewide readers'
advisory workshops are held semiannually. The TBC directors
meet four times a year by teleconference and in person.
Regional library staff visit the TBCs quarterly to provide
computer training on the Keystone Library Automation System
software and to monitor machine inventory.
(Material for this article was provided by Sharon Ruda,
Illinois regional librarian.)
(photo caption: Getting ready for the ribbon-cutting
ceremony are Carolyn Sung, chief of the NLS Network
Division; Sharon Ruda, Illinois regional librarian; Jesse
White, Illinois secretary of state; and Jean Wilkins,
director of the Illinois State Library.)
Ann Arbor, Michigan, exhibit draws large crowd
April 17 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was the warmest day of 2002
so far--nearly 80 degrees of unexpected sunshine. It was a
perfect day for people to attend Visions 2002: What's New in
Technology and Services for the Visually Impaired. The crowd
was huge. Counters indicated that at least 1,500 people
participated, more than doubling the attendance of Vendor
Fair 2000.
     Visions 2002 was held at the Morris Lawrence Building
on the campus of Washtenaw Community College. The event was
cosponsored by the Washtenaw County Library for the Blind
and Physically Disabled (LBPD) and the Michigan Commission
for the Blind, who in turn partnered with agencies who work
with and for people with disabilities in the greater
Washtenaw County area.
     More than 1,200 patrons and visitors came from all over
Michigan (including a couple from as far away as Marquette
in Michigan's Upper Peninsula) and from Ohio, Indiana, and
even Canada. In addition, 135 sighted individuals
volunteered to be assistants. Volunteers came from
Greenhills School in Ann Arbor and Manchester High School
Honor Society, Washtenaw County/MSU Extension, St. Andrews
Episcopal Church, and Friends of Ann Arbor District Library,
and included clients of Washtenaw County Community Mental
Health and members of the Washtenaw County Library Board.
     Over 70 businesses and organizations exhibited.
Attendees received a large-print or braille program that
included an annotated listing of exhibitors with telephone
numbers and web site addresses.
     Visions 2002 was an invaluable and unique experience
for the disabled communities and visually impaired, as
evidenced by the comments received from participants.
Readers found low- and high-tech solutions to meet their
daily needs. One library patron purchased a machine that
enlarges and automatically focuses print so that he can
instantly read materials that were formerly inaccessible to
him. Comments from attendees were very positive, with the
majority looking forward to another event in 2004.
     Vendors, including doctors from the University of
Michigan Kellogg Eye Center, raved about Visions 2002. Some
commented that this was the best event of its size from the
Midwest to the East Coast, and all indicated they would
participate again.
     Volunteers, too, thoroughly enjoyed Visions 2002.
Volunteer activities were coordinated by Sonia Matthews from
the Washtenaw County LBPD staff, and volunteer coordinator
Michelle Rueter, who is a purser for Northwest Airlines.
     Volunteers received training from Virginia Dean, a
teacher at the Michigan Commission for the Blind, on "what
to do when you meet a blind person." Michelle Rueter
provided volunteers with insights on how to greet and help
attendees make the most of the exhibit area. Students from
sixth grade through senior high, who were happy to be
skipping school, found satisfaction in greeting attendees
and helping them get refreshments.
(Material for this article was provided by Margaret Wolfe,
subregional librarian at the Washtenaw County library in Ann
Arbor, Michigan.)
(photo caption: Area potter Kay Yourist provided guests with
hands-on opportunities to work with clay.)
(photo caption: Young volunteers help attendees around the
exhibit area.)
(photo caption: A patron tries out a reading aid.)
Puerto Rico regional library uses many resources for
Spanish-language books and magazines
The Puerto Rico Regional Library for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped was established on February 20, 1975,
through an agreement between the Library of Congress
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped and the Puerto Rico Department of Education.
This agreement opened a window of information and knowledge
for thousands of blind Puerto Ricans who could finally enjoy
reading along with the rest of the population.
Materials available. The library's collection consists of
books and magazines on disc, on cassette, in braille, and in
large print. It is estimated that the collection in Puerto
Rico has around twenty-five thousand titles in different
languages, English predominating. The collection covers
different topics, the most requested being health, religion,
biography, history, and fiction. Of the seventy-five
magazines provided free of charge to users, two are in
Spanish: Buenhogar and Selecciones del Reader's Digest. In
addition, network libraries produce Geomundo and Buena Vida.
     In spite of the large number of Spanish titles, the
collection consists mainly of books in English. Although it
is said that Puerto Rico is a bilingual country, the reality
is that only about 11 percent of the population understands
English well enough to read it. A 1995 survey of the 1,600
users of the service at that time coincided with the overall
studies on bilingualism; that is, 89 percent of the
library's users indicated that they did not understand
English and could not read the language. After reading all
the available books in Spanish, the users who do not read
English (but who are avid readers) must wait for NLS to
record more books in Spanish as part of its foreign language
collection. At present, NLS records about thirty to forty
titles a year in Spanish.
Other resources for Spanish materials. Other organizations
in Latin America cooperate with the Puerto Rico Library for
the Blind. The Braille Foundation of Uruguay provides the
library with four monthly magazines and with braille books
for children. The Foundation for the Development of Special
Education of Venezuela also provides braille books for
children. From the Library of the National Institute for the
Blind of Colombia, the Puerto Rico library receives braille
books for children and adults; their books for children are
notable in that they also have print texts and raised-line
illustrations. This facilitates and promotes reading between
blind and sighted children, and permits parents and teachers
to assess the reading progress of blind children. The
National Braille Publishing House of Argentina also provides
braille books and magazines to the Puerto Rico Library for
the Blind.
     This cooperation has allowed the Library for the Blind
to acquire more recorded and braille materials to satisfy
the reading needs of its users.
Puerto Rico recording project. When the Library for the
Blind was established in Puerto Rico, one of the objectives
was to convert the library into a recording center for
Spanish books and to cooperate with the NLS network of
libraries, helping to develop this area of the collection.
This object was never realized despite efforts to achieve
it.
     The project, called "Adopt a Talking Book," was
revitalized in 1998. The library, together with the Society
of Friends of the Library for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped, dedicated itself to the task of recording books
by Puerto Rican children's authors. In the first phase,
recording equipment was purchased and the recording booth
was constructed. Funds for this were acquired by means of
proposals and campaigns undertaken by the Friends Society.
This phase took about two years, and it was not until 2000
that recording commenced, with a total of ten titles. In
this initial recording phase, they hope to record around
thirty books, including one or two books for scholars.
     Once recorded, the books will also be produced in
braille, as an important step in promoting braille reading
among blind children of Puerto Rico. The primary goal is to
participate in the development of a network collection of
bibliographic materials in Spanish and add in a modest way
to the marvelous service that has benefited the lives of so
many users in Puerto Rico over the past twenty-seven years.
(Information for this article is from a report, Building a
National Service in a Multilingual Environment, presented at
the ACURIL (Association of Carribbean University Research
and Institutional Libraries)/IFLA (International Federation
of Library Associations and Institutions), Section of
Libraries for the Blind, preconference held in Jamaica May
25 and 26 by Igri Enriquez, Puerto Rico regional librarian.)
Eagle Scout candidate creates Connecticut garden
James Dossot approached the regional library looking for a
project for his Eagle Scout candidacy--something that would
be meaningful and would benefit others. The staff's
suggestion of a sensory garden was the most appealing to
him. The idea was to design a garden that would come alive
for people with different disabilities by combining
plantings that have color, texture, and smell with wind
chimes and flowing water to bring sound and relaxation to
the garden.
     Dossot worked with landscape architecture students from
the University of Connecticut for the garden design. He
contacted individuals and companies to donate the required
materials: plants, stone dust for the pathway, soil, and
mulch. He recruited individuals to create the flower beds
and the pathway, including people who could provide the
needed construction equipment.
     Regional librarian Carol Taylor says, "The end result
is much more than the library could ever have imagined."
     The garden design spans the entire front of the library
on both sides of the walkway. Visitors pass by a weeping
cherry tree, roses, bee balm, rosemary, lilac, hosta,
coreopsis, ornamental grasses, daisies, and rhododendron, to
name a few of the plantings. A stone dust pathway leads off
to the left across the front of the building, past a bench,
and to a turnaround for wheelchairs. The water fountain (to
be provided later by the library) will be located close to
the bench, with the wind chimes hanging under the building's
eaves.
     Taylor adds, "What a thrill it has been to see this
young man in action, planning and organizing this tremendous
undertaking! Jim has continued to monitor the plantings and
discussed with us the garden's maintenance needs, so we will
have a wonderful garden that our library patrons can enjoy
for many years to come."
(Information for this article is from Carol Taylor,
Connecticut regional librarian.)
(photo caption: Volunteers working to create the sensory
garden.)
The Program
The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped of the Library of Congress publishes books and
magazines in braille and in recorded form on discs and
cassettes for readers who cannot hold, handle, or see well
enough to read conventional print because of a temporary or
permanent visual or physical handicap.
     Through a national network of state and local
libraries, the materials are loaned free to eligible readers
in the United States and to U.S. citizens living abroad.
Materials are sent to readers and returned by postage-free
mail.
Books and Magazines
Readers may borrow all types of popular-interest books
including bestsellers, classics, mysteries, westerns,
poetry, history, biographies, religious literature,
children's books, and foreign-language materials. Readers
may also subscribe to more than seventy popular magazines in
braille and recorded formats.
Special Equipment
Special equipment needed to play the discs and cassettes,
which are recorded at slower than conventional speeds, is
loaned indefinitely to readers. An amplifier with headphone
is available for blind and physically handicapped readers
who are also certified as hearing impaired. Other devices
are provided to aid readers with mobility impairments in
using playback machines.
Eligibility
You are eligible for the Library of Congress program if:
 You are legally blind--your vision in the better eye is
20/200 or less with correcting glasses, or your widest
diameter of visual field is no greater than 20 degrees;
 You cannot see well enough or focus long enough to read
standard print, although you wear glasses to correct your
vision;
 You are unable to handle print books or turn pages
because of a physical handicap; or
 You are certified by a medical doctor as having a reading
disability, due to an organic dysfunction, which is of
sufficient severity to prevent reading in a normal manner.
How to Apply
You may request an application by writing NLS or calling
toll-free 1-800-424-9100, and your name will be referred to
your cooperating library.
News is published quarterly by:
National Library Service for the
Blind and Physically Handicapped
Library of Congress
Washington, DC 20542
All correspondence should be addressed to the attention of
Publications and Media Section.
Editor: Vicki Fitzpatrick
Writers: Jane Caulton, Nancy Galbraith, Irene Kost, and
Edmund O'Reilly