Update
ISSN 0160-9203
April-June 2000, Vol. 23, No. 2
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
The Library of Congress
Cincinnati Elfun chapter celebrates a milestone
Nearly one hundred volunteers and guests attended a buffet
luncheon commemorating the tenth anniversary of the General
Electric Senior Elfun--Cincinnati Chapter--Talking Book Repair
Program last March. Attendees included Larry Trowell, chapter
chairperson; Pat Crans, global president of the Elfun Society;
Hank Baud, executive director, Cincinnati Association for the
Blind (CAB); Anna McEachirn, talking-book coordinator, CAB;
Michael Lucas, state librarian, Ohio; Judy Bow, head, State
Library of Ohio Talking-Book Program; and Brad Kormann, chief,
Materials Development Division.
     Richard Meyer, co-leader of the repair project, introduced
the guests and used a slide presentation to illustrate the ten-year history. Bernie Burdick, also co-leader, described the
group's activities and introduced its members. Other accolades
and commendations were presented, including a plaque from Judy
Bow and a presentation from Anna McEachirn. Brad Kormann also
presented a commendation from NLS, outlining the group's
accomplishments in the following words:
     "The General Electric Senior Elfun--Cincinnati Chapter--Talking Book Repair Program is commended for ten years of
outstanding and faithful service to the National Library Service
for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of
Congress. GE Elfuns have repaired more than 25,890 talking-book
machines. In addition, 14,000 amplifier boards were repaired
during the same period. Total savings to NLS have been
$1,356,149--a remarkable effort. GE Elfuns have provided an
invaluable service to the nation's blind and physically
handicapped individuals. On their tenth anniversary of repairing
talking-book machines, the Library of Congress expresses
appreciation to the GE Senior Elfun--Cincinnati Chapter. Well
done!!
     --Frank Kurt Cylke, director, NLS  Library of Congress"
     GE's repair program continues to grow. In 1999, it expanded
its services to include California, Maryland, Washington, and
Wisconsin. During the year, 3,556 machines were repaired and
shipped, an increase of 21 percent over 1998. Volunteers worked
12,329 hours, a 16 percent increase. The group also developed a
C-1 playback head tester and installed a "play-time" clock into
nine C-1 machines in order to improve understanding of the life
expectancy of a reconditioned machine.
(photo caption: Elfun Society Cincinnati Chapter chairperson
Larry Trowell (left) and NLS's Brad Kormann at the tenth
anniversary celebration.)
(photo caption: Awards and a buffet help celebrate Cincinnati GE
Elfuns' ten years of service.)
Fresno Pioneers named Very Inspirational People
Nine Telephone Pioneers who regularly volunteer at the Fresno
Talking Book Library in California were honored on a special
visit by a local television station. "On Tuesday morning,
February 8, the unsuspecting men were hard at work at the library
as usual, when in walked a television crew from KJEO-TV (Channel
47) to surprise them with the Very Inspirational People award for
February," explained subregional librarian Wendy Eisenberg. The
repair group received an engraved VIP plaque and a trophy. They
and other recipients of the monthly award will be honored at an
end-of-the-year banquet.
     The station aired the story on the next day's news,
highlighting the Pioneers' dedication and commitment. Two of the
volunteers were interviewed, and a patron spoke about the
importance of their work. Fresno County librarian John K.
Kallenberg stopped by to congratulate the men and was also
interviewed. The Pioneers were featured on promotional spots
throughout the month, and the story was posted on Channel 47's
web site.
     Many of Fresno's Telephone Pioneers have volunteered for
more than ten years (and one has twenty-three years of service).
In 1999 they contributed a total of 1,315 hours of their time,
repairing 1,537 cassette players and 50 disc players. "The men
are good friends and enjoy being together on Tuesday mornings,
but they are also very dedicated to their jobs," said Eisenberg.
"We couldn't function without their work, and we congratulate
them on this well-deserved honor."
Volunteers master new skills
During the months of January, February, and March, certificates
in braille transcribing were awarded to fifty-nine persons.
Fifty-six were awarded in literary braille transcribing, one in
mathematics braille proofreading, and two in mathematics braille
transcribing.
LITERARY BRAILLE TRANSCRIBERS
Alabama
Janet K. Butler, Talladega
Susan Parker Carlisle, Talladega
Arizona
R. Cody Allison, Douglas
Robert Earl Brehaut, Florence
Jeane Chancellor, Tucson
Michael William Phillips, Douglas
Arkansas
Andy Childress, Wrightsville
Ken L. Fletcher, Wrightsville
California
Charles H. Campbell, Sacramento
Doris M. Craig, Pomona
Derek Moran Foster, Los Angeles
Bonnie L. Grimm, Fontana
Kathleen Kaser, San Diego
Ronald L Koehler, Represa
Lynnelle A. McCray, Riverside
Melita J. Waters, Santa Ana
Haruko Zrucky, Chula Vista
Colorado
Joan A. Bush, Colorado Springs
Dorothy Love, Colorado Springs
Connecticut
Michael Arthur Borino Sr., Cheshire
Ronald Crespin, Cheshire
Richard J. Duclos, Cheshire
Gary M. Greco, Cheshire
Leeroy J. Harris, Cheshire
Florida
Elsie Corrao, Orlando
Judy H. Wright, Orlando
Georgia
Linda B. Wynn, Atlanta
Illinois
Linn Sorge, De Kalb
Joan M. Thomas, De Kalb
Iowa
Barbara J. Cross, Fort Madison
Lois E. Horgeshimer, Waterloo
Thea Leslie, Cedar Rapids
Kathleen Kay Wulf, Holstein
Kansas
Beverly J. Nichols, Shawnee Mission
Kentucky
Ezra Henry, Lexington
Massachusetts
Jon Ingall, Boston
Michigan
David Abdalla, Jackson
Christina Oakes, Grand Rapids
Minnesota
Emily Gayle Carlson, Cokato
Christopher A. Zagar, Duluth
Nebraska
Joe Nelson, Lincoln
Michael L. Polfus Sr., Lincoln
Nevada
Mike L. Antonucci, Las Vegas
Brenda Barran, Las Vegas
Andrel L. Simmons, Las Vegas
New Jersey
Lynn A. Oliver, West Orange
New York
Hector Luis Ortiz, Napanoch
Robert K. Wooley, Napanoch
Ohio
John Thomas Barnes, London
Oregon
Barbara Couch, Medford
South Dakota
Corey C.F. Schaefer, Sioux Falls
Texas
Ronald James Kasek Sr., Tyler
Leticia G. McIver, Garland
Wisconsin
Randy D. Bandemer-Purifoy, Oshkosh
Mm K. Chun, Madison
Wyoming
Tammy Dee Christiansen, Rock Springs
MATHEMATICS BRAILLE PROOFREADER
Dr. Abraham Nemeth, Southfield, Michigan
MATHEMATICS BRAILLE TRANSCRIBERS
Milton Reese, Grafton, Ohio
Susan W. Stokes, Lincoln, Nebraska
New Telephone Pioneers head visits Colorado regional
Jim Gadd, newly appointed chief operating officer of the
Telephone Pioneers of America (TPA), and his wife, Cindy, visited
the Colorado Talking Book Library in Denver on December 2. Bob
Toye and Bob Orton, both from the TPA headquarters in Denver,
joined the Gadds for the visit. Librarian Barbra Goral provided a
tour of the facility. Bob Orton explained machine reconditioning
processes--the Pioneers' part of the library's volunteer efforts.
Braille Authority of North America (BANA) notes
The Executive Board of the Braille Authority of North America
(BANA) met last October 29-31 in Annapolis, Maryland. BANA
officers elected for the year 2000 were Phyllis H. Campana,
chairperson; Eileen Curran, vice-chairperson; Frances Mary
D'Andrea, secretary; and Susan Reilly, treasurer.
     The host organization for the conference was the National
Federation of the Blind (NFB). The Braille Institute in Los
Angeles was accepted as a new BANA member organization.
     Main points of discussion included the following:
     Braille Formats: Principles of Print to Braille Translation,
1997 (Volume 1: Rules) is now available at <www.brl.org>, a web
site maintained by the Shodor Foundation under BANA auspices. A
link to the site is found on BANA's web site,
<www.brailleauthority.org>.
     Through the generosity of the American Printing House for
the Blind, permanent office space has been provided for BANA.
BANA's new mailing address is P.O. Box 6085, Louisville, KY
40206.
     The group renewed its commitment to the Unified Braille Code
(UBC) Research Project and pledged to take a leadership role
through financial support. One goal is to facilitate meetings of
UBC project committees that have not yet completed their work.
     BANA also hosted the November 2-5, 1999, meeting of the
International Council on English Braille (ICEB) in Baltimore,
Maryland. The following ICEB officers were elected: Betty
Niceley, president (see In memoriam, below); Darleen Bogart
(Canada), vice-president; Raeleen Smith (New Zealand), secretary;
Kim Charlson (USA), treasurer; Reinette Popplestone (South
Africa), public relations; William Poole (UK), member-at-large;
Jean Obi (Nigeria), member-at-large; and Bruce Maguire
(Australia), member-at-large.
Manager of prison recording team recognized
Richard Smith, manager of the Montana State Prison's Cassette
Book Recording Team, received a special certificate of
appreciation for his nine years on the team. Smith has narrated
35 books and monitored 13 narrations by others. He has also
narrated or monitored several magazines, including Montana, the
Magazine of Western History, Wild Outdoor World--WOW, and manuals
such as the International Bow Hunters Manual. As team manager, he
has been responsible for coordinating the recording of all books
and magazines at the prison, recruiting new team members,
maintaining recording equipment, and providing quality assurance
of the tapes produced.
     Mike Schulz, chairperson of the Montana Library Commission,
presented the award certificate and thanked Smith for his years
of outstanding work. Schulz is not the only one with such
sentiments. Many patrons have written to the library with
commendations. One patron, after reading Michael Holzack's
Forgotten People: A Year among the Hutterites, wrote "Compliments
to Richard Smith, a great reader."
(photo caption: Team manager Richard Smith (right) receives a
special appreciation certificate from Michael Schulz, Montana
Library Commission chairperson.)
Insight for the Blind grant to increase volunteers
Insight for the Blind (Insight), a talking-book production
facility in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, received a grant from the
Sun-Sentinel newspaper to help recruit new volunteer narrators,
monitors, and reviewers. The Sun-Sentinel, published by Chicago
Tribune Publications, is Fort Lauderdale's largest daily
newspaper. The grant, known as a "People Plus Award," encourages
individuals to contribute to the local community through
volunteer service with nonprofit groups.
     Insight is also making plans to produce a newsletter
designed to motivate and energize its current volunteer corps and
to recruit new volunteers willing to be trained to read for those
who are blind. The organization has an active volunteer roster of
150 individuals: the youngest is 12 (a summer intern); the oldest
is 93. The group is celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary this
year and is supported entirely by private gifts, grants, and
bequests.
(photo caption: Davidson Taylor (left), Sun-Sentinel executive
and volunteer narrator at Insight for the Blind, presents the
People Plus Award to Insight's president, Judge George
Richardson, and volunteer Victoria Garber.)
Meetings
National Braille Association (NBA)
Fall Regional Meeting and Workshops, Omni New Haven Hotel, New
Haven, Connecticut; Thursday, October 26-Saturday, October 28,
2000
     Twenty-sixth National Conference and Workshops, Hilton
Milwaukee City Center Hotel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Thursday,
April 26-Saturday, April 28, 2001
     For more information about these meetings, contact National
Braille Association, Three Townline Circle, Rochester, NY 14623-2513; (716) 427-8260; web site:
<members.aol.com/nbaoffice/index.htm>.
California Transcribers and Educators of the Visually Handicapped
(CTEVH)
CTEVH XLII Annual Conference, San Francisco Airport Marriott
Hotel, Burlingame, California; Thursday, April 26-Saturday April
28, 2001
     For more information about this meeting, contact CTEVH, 741
North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90029-3594; (323) 666-2211;
web site: <edtech.sdcs.k12.ca.us/epd/ctevhhome.html>.
Visual Aid Volunteers of Florida (VAVF)
VAVF 2000 Conference of Volunteers (Hotel TBA), Jacksonville,
Florida; May (dates TBA) 2001
     For more information about this meeting, contact Rella
Corris, VAVF president, 4295A Mango Tree Court, Boynton Beach, FL
33436; (561) 738-0737; e-mail: <scorris@juno.com>.
New workroom presented by Pittsburgh library staff
The staff of the regional library in Pittsburgh recently
presented a refurbished workroom to the Telephone Pioneers who
faithfully repair malfunctioning NLS equipment at the western
Pennsylvania LBPH. The room is large and bright, with air
conditioning and lots of windows for natural light. Individual
work units designed especially for the Pioneers' needs were
installed, complete with workbenches, electrical outlets, and
shelving in each unit.
     Library project manager Kathleen Kappel hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception on December 15 to celebrate the
completion of the workroom. She recognized the Pioneers' years of
dedication and their kind resistance to having the library spend
money on the project!
     "Thank you for giving us and our readers so many hours of
repair work. We couldn't have maintained our high quality of
service without you," she said. The group donated more than 2,500
hours and repaired more than 500 machines last year.
     The retired Bell Telephone employees who meet each week at
the LBPH repair and adapt cassette and disc players and keep the
parts inventory complete. "They arrive with little fanfare and
greet our staff with smiles," says Mrs. Kappel.
     Pioneers spokesman Ed Carlin says, "We love the challenges.
There's nothing like solving a problem and saving resources at
the same time." Others echoing that sentiment were Bill Adams,
Jack Goerl, Fred Dollin, Burt Kennedy, Bob Lewis, and Fritz
Selden.
     LBPH staff member Don Ciccone also assisted in the workroom
project. Although his job title is book selector, his
contribution to the library as a whole is much greater than that--he narrates the cassette version of Three Rivers News and helps
out in other areas. Carnegie Institute's Special Projects staff
members Larry Armstrong and Ron Diulus also helped the project
progress smoothly.
     Mrs. Kappel also recognized agency head Sue Murdock, who
authorized the workroom project, and LBPH secretary Frieda Smith,
who managed preparations for the reception.
Braille group in New York celebrates 35 years of service
Volunteer members of the First Baptist Church Braille Service of
Rochester, New York, gathered to celebrate thirty-five years of
service at a festive luncheon held last June. Three active
members of the group were honored for their many hours of
continuous service: Marguerite Robertson (Rochester) for thirty-three years of service, Helen Matthews (Rochester) for twenty-seven years of service, and Margaret Hiliger (Penfield) for
twenty-five years of service. Some of their projects through the
years included formatting, brailling, proofreading, and teaching
classes. Four members of the braille classes of 1965 and 1966
were also present at the luncheon.
(photo caption: Helen Matthews, Marguerite Robertson, and
Margaret Hiliger (left to right) celebrate their years of service
with Rochester's First Baptist Church Braille Service.)
Texas volunteer receives mayor's commendation
Tom Sweazea, a volunteer with the Texas State Library and
Archives Commission's Talking Book Program, received the
Chairman's Commendation from the Mayor's Committee for People
with Disabilities at the library's 19th annual awards ceremony on
October 26. Sweazea was honored along with eleven other Austin
individuals and companies that have made extraordinary
contributions in the field.
     Since 1990 Sweazea has contributed some 1,029 hours toward
the production of nearly 200 recorded books and magazines. He
volunteers seventeen hours each month, on average, operating the
reel-to-reel tape machine for the narrators. In 1999 he logged
205 hours of work, usually in three two-hour stints each week--in
addition to his full-time job.
     "The Talking Book Program gives you the most for your
volunteer buck," Sweazea says. His efforts serve a dual purpose,
giving him the satisfaction of bringing the joy of reading to
others and providing a break from his fast-paced, high-tech job.
"Most of my personal reading time is devoted to technical things,
so I enjoy the books we work on at the studio very much."
     Peggy D. Rudd, director and librarian of the state library,
praised his effort, saying "We are very pleased to congratulate
Mr. Sweazea for being recognized by the mayor's committee for his
dedication and hard work on behalf of the Talking Book Program."
     "Tom Sweazea and our other studio volunteers help make many
Texas literary works available that our library patrons would
otherwise not have access to," said program director Jenifer J.
Flaxbart. Texas volunteers record about 150 books (including
roughly a dozen in Spanish) each year to supplement NLS's
national collection.
(photo caption: Texas state librarian Peggy Rudd congratulates
volunteer narrator Tom Sweazea.)
`Make a Difference Day' in Florida
"During the past year, Florida's Bureau of Braille and Talking
Book Library Services has experienced substantial growth, both in
the number of patrons served and in books circulated.
Approximately 25,000 books are sent and returned each week,
requiring many hours of work, primarily by volunteers," says Doug
Hall, head of Consumer and Community Relations at the regional
library in Daytona Beach. "Because of our dependence on volunteer
work (almost 90,000 hours last year), the library is coordinating
Saturday volunteer activities with other local organizations and
individuals."
     One such event ocurred on October 23, when sixty volunteers
arrived at the library. They were among the millions
participating in the ninth annual nationwide "Make a Difference
Day." As the day began, volunteers received a tour of the
facility before being placed in one of four work areas--recording, providing clerical assistance (stapling, labeling, and
mailing announcements), shelving (some fifteen tubs of books), or
dealing with returned books. The largest group sorted some 7,000
returned books and rewound about 10,000 cassettes.
     This initiative was created by USA Weekend magazine in
partnership with the Points of Light Foundation; it was sponsored
in part by a local newspaper, the Daytona Beach News Journal, and
local volunteers. Among the groups represented were the United
Way Senior Aides, Rambling Retirees Travel Club, and the Beach
House Alternative School. Many other volunteers were there as
interested individuals, helping out with a worthy cause.
In memoriam
Betty J. Niceley
Betty J. Niceley died February 13 at Norton Audubon Hospital in
Louisville, Kentucky. She was on the Braille Authority of North
America (BANA) board of directors and was elected president of
the International Council on English Braille at its November 1999
meeting. Niceley was also a recipient of the 1997 Bill Cox
Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Louisville. She
had retired from the Kentucky Department for the Blind after
working there for twenty-eight years.
     Niceley was an active member of the National Federation of
the Blind (NFB), having served on the group's executive board and
as president of the Kentucky chapter. She was also a founding
member of the National Association to Promote the Use of Braille,
an NFB affiliate.
     She is survived by her husband, Charles; a daughter, Sharon;
a stepdaughter, Barbara Miller; brothers Bobby R. and Robert W.
Gooden; and seven grandchildren.
Louis Braille Award ceremony
Cynthia Fastman, a volunteer braille transcriber at Associated
Services for the Blind (ASB), received a Special Recognition
Award at ASB's annual Louis Braille Award ceremony last October
13. Mrs. Fastman has been an advocate, fundraiser, volunteer, and
staunch supporter of ASB for over two decades. During that time
she has spent many hours transcribing and teaching braille. She
is head of ASB's Volunteer Custom Braille Group, chairperson of
the Volunteer Committee, and a participant on several other
committees. As a certified braillist, she also works diligently
transcribing textbooks for blind students.
     "I don't want glory. I want to help," says Mrs. Fastman. "As
a child, I met a blind man and never forgot the experience. In a
way, it led me to the work I do today." In 1978, after a brief
career as a second-grade teacher, Mrs. Fastman turned to ASB to
fulfill a desire to "spend my time productively and to make a
direct connection to people's needs," she says.
     Mrs. Fastman has served as chairperson of ASB's Volunteer
Braille Transcribers and on the board of directors of both ASB
and the National Braille Association. One project that
illustrates her dedication to the field began in 1997, when she
decided to transcribe a Hebrew prayer book into braille for a
congregation in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. "I got everybody into
it--my rabbi, my family and friends, even the Jewish Braille
Institute in New York City." The project was a huge success, but
Mrs. Fastman simply viewed it as "another way to contribute to
the community."
     The Louis Braille Award has been presented by ASB since 1959
to honor individuals and organizations who have made significant
contributions on behalf of the blind and visually impaired. The
award is also given to blind and visually impaired persons who
have made outstanding achievements and have provided inspiration
to others with a visual disability. The proceeds from the award
ceremony are used to benefit ASB's clients.
     Dr. Francis A. Salerno was also honored with the Louis
Braille Award at the October event. Dr. Salerno is a blind
internist who graduated from Temple University's school of
medicine and is now chief of geriatrics at Lehigh Valley
Hospital. He was named clinician of the year by the American
Geriatrics Society in 1993 and physician of the year by St.
Joseph's University in 1992. He has also been recognized by the
American Medical Association and by the Pennsylvania state
senate.
     AT&T received a corporate award for its support for the
inclusion and employment of people with disabilities. Emphasizing
abilities rather than disabilities, AT&T has implemented a hiring
and training program for blind and visually impaired individuals
in its Relay Services effort. The company also has the Visual
Impairments and Blindness Expert System (VIBES) program on its
web site and is known for its support of disability-related
organizations.
     Three hundred guests enjoyed the reception, dinner, and
presentations at Philadelphia's Ritz Carlton Hotel. The event was
hosted by Dr. Charles Lee, president of the College of
Physicians. Dr. Lee is actively involved in numerous community
and volunteer projects.
(photo caption: Cynthia Fastman, recipient of the Louis Braille
Special Recognition Award)
Announcement
Popular sheet music now available in braille from Opus
Technologies
Opus Technologies is pleased to announce that it has signed a
braille music publishing agreement with Hal Leonard Corp. of
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the world's largest print music publishing
company. The agreement grants Opus Technologies the rights to
publish and sell braille editions of music titles from Hal
Leonard's extensive catalog of print music.
     For its first offering, Opus Technologies is publishing
braille editions of 25 individual sheet music pieces. These
consist of the piano-vocal-guitar (pvg), easy piano (ep), or
piano solo (ps) versions of the following ten best-selling
popular songs:
1. Forrest Gump Main Title (Feather Theme): ep, ps
2. Great Balls of Fire (Jerry Lee Lewis): pvg
3. Heart and Soul: pvg, ep, ps
4. Imagine (John Lennon): pvg, ep, ps
5. Memory (from Cats): pvg, ep, ps
6. My Heart Will Go On (Love Theme from Titanic): pvg, ep, ps
7. Tears in Heaven (Eric Clapton): pvg, ep, ps
8. Unchained Melody (the Righteous Brothers): pvg, ep
9. What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong): pvg, ep, ps
10. Yesterday (the Beatles): pvg, ep
Each braille music piece is professionally transcribed and
proofread according to the latest international standards for the
music braille code, using uncontracted braille for all literary
elements. The braille material is embossed double-sided on
standard 11-inch by 11.5-inch braille paper, with twenty-five
lines per page and forty cells per line.
     For the piano-vocal-guitar and easy piano versions of songs
with lyrics, the braille music consists of three parts: (1)
preliminary matter consisting of title page and transcriber
notes; (2) a vocal-guitar part using the line-by-line method,
with three lines for lyrics, chord symbols, and melody; and (3) a
piano part using the bar-over-bar method, with three lines for
melody, right hand, and left hand. Each part starts on a separate
sheet, so that a blind vocalist/guitarist can use the vocal-guitar part while a blind pianist uses the piano part. For piano
solo versions, the braille music consists of two parts: (1)
preliminary matter and (2) a piano part using the bar-over-bar
method, with two parallel lines for right hand and left hand.
     Opus Technologies is selling both the braille and the
corresponding print sheet music at the following prices: $9.95
(braille), $3.95 (print), and $12.95 (braille and print). The
braille music pieces can be bound individually or together with
other pieces, using 19-hole comb binding with plastic front and
back covers, for an additional $2 per binding. Shipping and
handling is $5 per U.S. order ($10 for Canada, inquire for other
countries).
     Based in San Diego, California, Opus Technologies has been
developing and selling software, print, and braille materials for
learning and using braille music since 1992. Opus Technologies
has also published How to Read Braille Music, 2nd edition, by
Bettye Krolick, and distributes the New International Manual of
Braille Music Notation (available in print, braille, and
multimedia CD-ROM). The address is 13333 Thunderhead Street, San
Diego, CA 92129, USA, phone/fax: (858) 538-9401, e-mail:
<opus@opustec.com>, web site: <www.opustec.com>.
Braille student-instructor dialog
The Braille Development Section receives numerous questions
concerning a variety of problems in braille transcribing. This
article addresses some of them. The question-and-answer format is
intended to give clarity.
Student: I am currently transcribing a book that contains a lot
of dialect. For example, the word "taken" is written "ta'en" in
print. After reviewing Section 34E of the official code, English
Braille, American Edition, 1994, I am still not sure whether it
is permissible to use the "en" sign after the apostrophe in
braille.
Instructor: Good question. Section 34E of the official code says
that part-word contractions should be used rather liberally in
dialect. Since the use of the "en" sign after an apostrophe does
not violate any of the lower-sign contraction rules presented in
the official code, and because readability is not hindered in any
way, the "en" contraction may be used in "ta'en."
Student: I realize that according to Section 27E of the official
code, the capital and double capital sign should be repeated
after the oblique stroke. However, should the italic sign be
repeated after the oblique stroke?
Instructor: It is true that this point is not addressed
specifically in the official code. However, since the capital and
double capital sign are repeated after the oblique stroke, it is
recommended that the italic sign should also be repeated after
it.
Student: I have another question about the oblique stroke. Is the
oblique stroke still represented by dots 3-4? I was told that it
had been changed.
Instructor: At the present time, the oblique stroke still
consists of dots 3-4 for materials produced in literary braille.
Student: Similarly, I have been told that Section 4A of the
official code has been changed. In plural abbreviations, numbers,
or letters, the apostrophe is no longer being inserted before the
letter "s" in braille. Is this true?
Instructor: Absolutely not. For all materials produced in
literary braille, the apostrophe is to be inserted before the
letter "s" in plural abbreviations, numbers, or letters, even
though it has been omitted in print.
Student: I am transcribing a book that contains an italicized
passage consisting of several paragraphs. I am aware that in such
passages, the double italic sign should be placed at the
beginning of each new paragraph, and the single italic sign
should precede only the last word of the last paragraph. However,
one of the paragraphs in the passage contains only one word. How
should this be treated in braille?
Instructor: It is recommended that even though a paragraph in an
italicized passage consists of only one word, the double italic
sign should be placed before that word. Placing the single italic
sign before the word may give the braille reader the impression
that the italics have been terminated.
Student: I understand that a new heading need not always start on
a new braille page. However, I am still a little confused about
how many lines of text should accompany a heading before it
becomes necessary to start it on a new braille page.
Instructor: You are not alone. Section 18.4A of the Instruction
Manual for Braille Transcribing, 1984, says that a new heading
should be accompanied by at least two braille lines of text.
Section 17 of the official code, however, says that at least one
braille line of text should accompany a heading. Whenever there
is a conflict between the instruction manual and the official
code, follow the official code.
Student: In dialect, when "th'" is used for the word "the" as in
"Where should this music be? i' th' air or th' earth," should the
"th" sign be used in braille?
Instructor: Yes. When "th'" is used for "the," the "th" sign
cannot be mistaken for the word "this." The whole-word
contraction for "this" can never be used as part of
a word. Therefore, the "th" sign should be used in braille.
www.kanoworms@nls.com
by Ray Hagen
To date, there are no official guidelines for reading web site
names and e-mail addresses out loud. These "klever" sobriquets
are showing up in more and more books, so deal with them we must.
But not to panic. It's not our job to explain to listeners the
intricacies of the World Wide Web or electronic mail, just to
communicate the information in the book. So assume that the
listener will have at least as much familiarity with the terms as
the average radio or TV listener, and consider these suggestions:
Punctuation Codes:
    =    always said as "dot"
@    =    "at"
/    =    "slash"
\    =    "backslash"
~    =    "tilde" (til-duh)
-    =    "dash" or "hyphen" (torvill-dean)
_    =    "underscore" (torvill_dean)
Abbreviations:
    net and com are said as words (the latter rhymes with
"bomb").
    http, edu, and aol are spelled out as initials.
    org and gov can be either said as words or spelled, your
call. Making them words is very common usage, and it's easier and
quicker to say them that way. As for www--well, it comes up a
lot. Just say "w w w." (Just our luck that the most frequently
used three-letter combination features the only three-syllable
letter in the alphabet.)
User Addresses:
    torvill-dean = say it as "torvill dash dean" or "torvill
hyphen dean"
    torvill_dean = say "torvill underscore dean"
    torvill&dean = say "torvill and-sign dean, one word" or
"torvill ampersand dean, one word"
    torvillanddean@bellatlantic.com = say "torvill and dean one
word, at bell atlantic, one word, dot com"
    While we're at it, the title of this article is said as "w w
w dot can uh worms, one word, spelled k a n o worms at n l s dot
com"
Spelling:
General rule re spelling: don't unless you have to. But beware of
traps. Uncommon words and names (or common ones with offbeat or
multiple spellings) should be spelled out. For instance:
    For our old pals above, add the note: "spelled t o r v i l
l." No need to spell Dean.
    For joeanderson, no spelling needed, but for joeandersen,
say "spelled a n d e r s e n."
    For lougrant, say his name and add "spelled l o u." No need
to spell Grant.
    For chloesevigny, say her whole name (look it up) and add
the spelling.
    For jm~83ent_whole, spell it all: "j m tilde-eight-three-e n
t underscore w h o l e."
Upper/Lower Case:
A general note can be added before or after the web sites/e-mail
addresses are read, saying that everything is in lowercase
letters, or that all are lowercase unless otherwise specified.
Generally they are, but occasionally there are some uppercase
letters as well (although that may or may not make any
difference). For claireTrevor or ClaireTrevor, specify "capital
T" or "capital C, capital T." Lowercase needn't always be
specified, but uppercase should be.
     There can never be one consistent set of rules to cover
anything as exotic as web site names and e-mail addresses, so you
need to use judgment and common sense. Try to keep it as clear
and conversational as possible. Strike a balance between
listeners who are unfamiliar with the web and the ever-growing
number of listeners who use it all the time and will be bored to
tears listening to all this stuff being over-explained. When in
doubt, remember: the people who've never used the web won't know
or care what you're talking about, and those who do use it
understand the lingo. Just give 'em the facts.
(photo caption: Ray Hagen, NLS narrator. Photo by Yusef El-Amin.)
In memoriam
NLS retiree Robert Kost
Robert (Bob) Kost, 58, died suddenly after suffering a heart
attack on March 24 at his home in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. Bob
came to NLS in 1961, rising rapidly through the ranks to become
head of the Production Control Section in 1975 and head of
Quality Assurance in 1980. He retired from NLS in 1997.
     During his impressive career, Bob earned numerous awards and
citations. He was recognized for developing an electronic speed-control device for recorded materials and for his single-handed
construction of two 8-1/3 RPM record changers--the only such
units in existence. His other initiatives helped increase braille
output by volunteers, improve quality control of press-braille
titles by commercial producers, and upgrade the review of
recorded materials.
     Brad Kormann, chief of the Materials Development Division,
and several other staff members represented NLS at the March 29
funeral service. In his remarks, Kormann remembered Bob Kost as a
highly dedicated manager. "I remember Bob used to tell me that
keeping the talking-book machines running was always a balancing
act. Corrections or additions to the NLS book and playback-machine system always had an effect somewhere down the line.
There are currently 22 million braille and recorded books
circulating in the NLS network. In addition, NLS will soon build
its one-millionth playback machine. Bob Kost left his thumbprint
on nearly every one of those books and machines, and on the
hearts of our patrons."
     Bob is survived by his wife, Carol, son Rob S., brother John
J., one grandchild, and several nieces and nephews.
Update is published quarterly by:
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
Library of Congress
Washington, DC 20542
Correspondence should be addressed to Publications and Media
Section.
Coordinating editor: Freddie Peaco
Publication editor: Rita Byrnes
Braille student-instructor dialog: John Wilkinson