News
ISSN 1046-1663
October-December 2000, Vol. 31, No. 4
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
The Library of Congress
Beowulf selected for recording, braille
Beowulf, the anonymous Old English epic about the spectacular exploits of a
heroic Scandinavian clan chieftain, was a surprise bestseller on summer 2000
booklists. But even before sales of the retail trade edition surged, NLS had
selected the book because of its high literary distinction, and production
was well under way in both braille and recorded formats.
     The long-awaited new translation of this classic text is by Nobel
Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney, and was initially commissioned by
publisher W.W. Norton in the mid-1980s. Heaney's vigorous and highly
readable version of the poem is colored by the earthy dialects of his native
Northern Ireland. It appears in print side by side with the Old English
original, which dates from somewhere between the seventh and tenth centuries
A.D. (scholars are divided on the exact date of composition). The layout
facilitates comparison of the two texts, a feature useful to students of the
history of the English language as well as readers seeking an insight into
thorny issues of translation.
     The popular narrator Patrick Horgan has been summoned from retirement
to read Beowulf in both languages.
     Since 1959, the actor has recorded nearly 500 books and is much
admired for his distinctive touch, particularly with nineteenth-century
English classics as well as with later, lighter works that are, like
himself, of British origin. Horgan is no stranger to linguistic challenges;
one of his most enduring achievements is the recording of James Joyce's
Finnegans Wake (RC 21424).
     The audio version of Beowulf is in production in the studios of the
American Foundation for the Blind (AFB). The modern English text of the poem
and some minimal explanatory material are followed by Heaney's illuminating
commentary and finally the narration of the Old English version.
     A braille edition of Beowulf is being undertaken by the National
Braille Press. Old English is treated as a foreign language and rendered in
uncontracted grade 1 braille. Certain characters of the Anglo-Saxon
alphabet--the thorn, edth, wen, and yogh--derived from Runic symbols that
have passed into extinction are rendered according to the Code of Braille
Textbook Formats and Techniques.
     Although its exact origin is unclear, some things are known about the
original Beowulf. The poem is thought to have been written by a Christian
scribe sometime during the last three centuries of the first millennium. The
Beowulf poet drew extensively on traditional oral poetry, Scandinavian
legends, and the pre-Christian British past. The poem mingles a Christian
religious sensibility with the unremitting fatalism of a violent warrior
culture and an uneasy supernaturalism betokened by the pervasiveness of
ominous forces, whether cannibalistic monsters that prowl outside the mead
hall or the hostile military powers massing at the national borders. The
story is at once a brisk adventure yarn laced with scenes of combat and
fabulous pagan custom and ceremony, a searching meditation upon last things,
and a fascinating window on long-vanished social arrangements.
     Readers and critics alike have applauded Heaney's achievement,
observing the congruence of Beowulf's major themes with ideas that recur in
Heaney's own poetic practice: the inscrutable workings of fate, the
contradictions of the human heart, and the dark consolations of harsh
northern landscapes.
Abstruse material
A highly stylized epic poem, riddled with obscurities, unyielding enough in
modern English but presented in its impenetrable original language as well,
would understandably be a daunting prospect for any production team charged
with transforming standard print into audio. Because of the growing volume
of complex, difficult, or graphically challenging material entering the NLS
collection, NLS has created a special contract to appoint a producer who
would dedicate the requisite time, energies, and resources to dealing with
such "abstruse" materials. The contract was awarded to AFB in the fall of
1999. At present, up to ninety-five books may be identified and processed
annually in this special category.
     A book may be designated "abstruse" if it exhibits one or more of the
following characteristics:
    Multiple languages. The book contains "a substantial number of
phrases, quotes, poems, sayings, proper names, etc., in languages with which
U.S. narrators are frequently familiar, such as Western European Romance
languages. Typically, one of these titles will contain at least three
languages in addition to English."
    Less familiar languages. The book contains "a substantial number of
phrases, quotes, poems, sayings, proper names, etc., in languages with which
U.S. narrators are typically unfamiliar." (Examples include Native American
languages, classical "dead" languages, African, Asian, and Middle Eastern
languages.)
    Scientific, technical, or mathematical terms. The book contains "a
substantial number of scientific, technical, or medical terms, and/or
numerous mathematical symbols or equations."
    Descriptions. The book contains "a substantial number of
illustrations, charts, graphs, tables, etc., requiring description because
they are integral to the text."
    Formatting or research. The book requires "difficult formatting
decisions and/or lengthy preparation of text for recording." Examples
include extensive use of sidebars, notes, heavily annotated references and
cross-references, and elaborate use of fonts or graphics as a formatting
tool. Also included are materials that require extensive research for
pronunciations, including acronyms.
     Beowulf, which falls into at least two and possibly three of the
difficulty zones, is just the kind of book for which the special contract
was designed. The finished recording will provide patrons with complete
access to this literary masterwork, with the original language, translation,
commentary, and scholarly apparatus intact. But there is a notable extra
dimension here in that Beowulf, emerging from an ancient oral tradition,
began life as an exciting story meant to be heard. The NLS recording in a
very real sense restores the poem to its original intentions.
(photo caption: Patrick Horgan is narrating both the modern text and the Old
English version of Beowulf.)
(photo caption: Interlaced human figure from St. Gall Cathedral Library, MS
1395, 8th century)
Bringing network productions into NLS collections
Network libraries and volunteer studios anywhere in the United States can
apply to have their own locally produced recordings included in the NLS
national collections. These local works are valuable supplements to NLS
nationally distributed books; they expand the range of resources available
for patrons. In many cases, the books recorded feature the history and
culture of a particular state or region of the United States. For the
recording studio, it is a mark of distinction to have a nationwide
readership and to have a product distributed through the NLS program.
     To become part of the national collection, network recordings must
meet the quality standard patrons have come to expect of NLS materials.
Overall sound quality and many aspects of the narration itself are measured
according to strict criteria.
     "The quality issue is important," says Carolyn Sung, chief of the NLS
Network Division. "Patrons don't always make allowances for differences
among producers or technical obstacles faced by narrators; they just want to
enjoy what they are reading. In order to encourage quality, NLS contracts
for a Quality Assurance program at the Multistate Center East to work with
libraries to improve quality and facilitate wider distribution by placing
recordings that meet the quality standard in the national collection."
     A recent outstanding example of success in meeting NLS quality
standards is the Texas State Library and Archives Commission recording of
Footnotes (RCN 009), a memoir by Broadway dancing star Tommy Tune, narrated
by volunteer Ev Lunning Jr. Like most network-produced books, Footnotes was
initially selected by network librarians because of local interest--in this
case, in Tune's Houston childhood. Then the group decided to submit the
recording to the MSCE QA Program due to its high quality and the broad
appeal of Tune's coming-of-age memories of New York City and his account of
hard-won success as a stage and screen performer.
Expanding readership
The Quality Assurance (QA) Program for locally produced materials was
established in 1981 in response to patrons' and librarians' requests to have
NLS assistance in circulating magazines, in particular, to other regions of
the country. A few years later, the QA Program was expanded to include books
that regional librarians judged to be of national interest.
     From the several hundred recordings produced by volunteers across the
country each year, regional librarians submit about a third for the QA
Program review. Network libraries are always free to record materials that
are likely to appeal to local readers. These titles are circulated locally
and to other network libraries by the producing library; these recordings
supplement, but are not part of, the NLS collection. However, NLS encourages
libraries to list such books in the NLS Union Catalog.
     QA specialist Christopher Mundy at the Multistate Center East (MSCE)
in Cincinnati, Ohio, manages the NLS MSCE QA Program for network-produced
magazines and books in coordination with the NLS QA Section and Network
Division. Mundy reviews and evaluates all magazine recordings and all of the
books submitted to the program. After review some books are sent on to NLS's
QA Section for additional review and evaluation. NLS QA monitors and spot-
checks the MSCE's technical decisions.
     The end result of a QA Program review is not just a "pass" or "fail."
Instead, there are generally several states of adjustments and improvements
in a studio's recordings, and there are milestones that mark progress toward
producing a work that qualifies for national circulation.
Meeting quality requirements
During a title's development phase, Mundy, as well as NLS QA and Engineering
Sections and Recording Studio, is generous in providing assistance to
network libraries and volunteer organizations who seek it. The audio experts
make suggestions and, when necessary, visit the studio to help make
adjustments or implement necessary changes. The benefits to the studio go
well beyond a single title. Volunteer producers generally appreciate tips on
quality that can apply to recording procedures in general.
     Mundy reviews new magazines with particular care before giving them a
QA stamp of approval. Once a magazine issue is approved and accepted,
subsequent issues may be reviewed in less detail. Occasionally, a single
issue may be delayed to bring a particular recording up to the required
standards. As in any volunteer effort, recording-studio personnel sometimes
change while a work is in progress, and production teams often need a little
time to adapt to a project. If three separate issues of a periodical are
rejected outright, the publication is dropped from the program.
     The QA process for books is sometimes lengthy. In 1999, for example,
MSCE QA Program reviewed nineteen books. Several were judged to be potential
candidates for inclusion and may be accepted after some improvements are
made. The entire book review process may take up to several months.
Duplication and distribution
A significant new step in the QA magazine distribution process is performed
by MSCE duplication technician Mary Crain, who converts the analog recording
into a digital (computer) file. The digital file is then returned to analog
format, and a four-track intermaster is created for each subscribing
library. Network library staff, in turn, can copy the intermasters onto
cassettes and circulate them to patrons.
     Regional libraries in Arizona, Florida, Maryland, Nebraska, Ohio, and
Texas are regular participants in the NLS QA Program. Several recording
studios in Florida--especially Insight for the Blind (IFB), Second Sight
Taping Studios, Inc., and the Brevard Association for the Advancement of the
Blind (BAAB)--have also recorded titles of regional interest in cooperation
with the Florida regional library. IFB gained a national readership for some
of its outstanding productions, and it benefits from the fact that NLS bears
the tape and duplication costs of sending recordings to other areas of the
country.
     Volunteers' pride in their success in the QA Program is often evident
in their perseverance and dedication to the program. Texas volunteers, for
example, record an average of ten books a month, and submit one or two of
these to the QA Program. Some Texas volunteers have logged more than 3,000
hours of service in some twenty years of working with the recording studio
at the Austin facility and its Midland, Texas, satellite.
     Among the network-produced magazines distributed through the QA
Program are Southern Living and the Kansas publication Capper's, as well as
the Report on Disability Programs, Smithsonian, the National Geographic
Traveler, and the children's Humpty Dumpty's Magazine. At least half a dozen
others are under development for inclusion in the program.
     Mundy encourages network libraries to submit recordings they would
like to share with other readers. "We're excited about the recent works," he
says. "We urge people to get involved. It's very impressive to see the
outstanding work of volunteer studios reaching such a wide audience."
     Patrons' responses, too, have been enthusiastic, and nationwide
readership is expanding. In 2000 more than 20,000 patrons received network-
produced materials distributed through the QA Program.
NLS exhibit schedule--FY2001
NLS will exhibit at twenty conferences in fiscal year 2001 as part of its
public outreach effort. Audiences are selected to maximize contact with
potential patrons and groups that work with eligible individuals. Exhibits
are operated by NLS staff and local network affiliates. Conferences on the
2000-2001 schedule are listed below in order of their occurrence.
American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
Miami Beach, Florida
October 23-25, 2000
American Music Therapy Association
St. Louis, Missouri
November 15-19
Gerontological Society of America
Washington, D.C.
November 17-21
American Library Association
Washington, D.C.
January 12-16, 2001
Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually
Impaired
Charleston, South Carolina
January 25-27
Music Library Association
New York, New York
February 21-24
International Vision Expo
New York, New York
March 23-25
American Occupational Therapy Association
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
April 19-22
National Braille Association
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
April 25-29
American Academy of Pediatrics
New York, New York
June 13-15
American Library Association Annual Conference
San Francisco, California
June 16-19
American Diabetes Association
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
June 21-26
American Optometric Association
Boston, Massachusetts
June 27-July 1
American Council of the Blind
Des Moines, Iowa
June 30-July 7
National Federation of the Blind
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
July 1-7
American Federation of Teachers
Washington, D.C.
July 12-15
American Association of Diabetes Educators
Louisville, Kentucky
August 15-19
American Legion National Conference
San Antonio, Texas
August 24-30
Blinded Veterans Association
Las Vegas, Nevada
August 26-September 2
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
New Orleans, Louisiana
September 13-15
NLS outreach programs offer network opportunity
NLS offers cooperating network libraries two major public service campaigns
about talking books, the Take a Talking Book campaign for seniors and a new
Public Service Announcement (PSA) series for the general public.
     Such outreach campaigns represent a cooperative venture between NLS
and network libraries. NLS provides materials; libraries work to make them
effective. Considerable effort is required on the part of each library to
mount the campaign effectively and to follow up with new patrons. Most
participating libraries have found the effort worthwhile in reaching people
for whom the service was designed.
     Twenty-eight states and Puerto Rico have completed the Take a Talking
Book campaign. Six of those states mounted the seniors campaign during the
past year. Many states report results of a 10 percent or greater increase in
eligible senior adults. The Take a Talking Book campaign continues
nationally during 2001, with states that have not yet conducted or completed
the campaign given first priority for obtaining materials. Participating
libraries use custom-made mass-media products that are prepared by the NLS
Publications and Media Section according to needs identified by the
libraries.
     "There are many factors involved in achieving optimum results with
this campaign," says Bob Fistick, head of the NLS Publications and Media
Section. "They include the level of ability of the participating library to
secure optimal broadcast slots for the radio and television public service
announcements; good coverage in local newspapers; the interest level of
local media outlets in the campaign; and the availability of volunteer
organizations to assist with the distribution of posters and brochures and
help at exhibits and events during the four-to-six-month campaign. Another
key factor is a well-staged campaign kickoff event, which is designed to
bring media, library, and state and local government attention to the
campaign at the outset by their participation," Fistick noted.
     The new Public Service Announcement series was market-tested in 1999-
2000 by three states--North Dakota, South Dakota, and Louisiana--with
excellent results. For example, in North Dakota, former regional librarian
Stelle B. Cone reported that during May 1999 the library added 49 new
patrons. "Traditionally, we have not added many patrons in May...as of June
24 we have added almost as many patrons as we would normally add during the
entire month," Cone said. "We were very pleased with the results of our
public outreach campaign. The NLS-produced PSAs allowed us to have a more
effective campaign with broader coverage. I received many calls with
favorable remarks about the PSAs. These comments were from North Dakota
citizens, service providers, and members of the broadcast industry," Cone
noted.
     Both the Take a Talking Book seniors campaign and the latest PSA
series have been honored with well-known national and international awards.
(The NLS Public Service Announcement (PSA) series includes six different
PSAs for radio and television, all with both English and Spanish scripts.
The series is targeted for the general public. One of the PSAs is anchored
by stage and screen star Rita Moreno, who describes the talking-book service
in 60-second, 30-second, and 15-second versions of the television script.
The remaining five announcements all feature NLS patrons in a variety of
settings using and enjoying talking books.)
(photo caption: Rita Moreno on location shot for PSA with Robert Fistick,
head of the NLS Publications and Media Section.)
(The Take a Talking Book campaign is a multimedia approach designed to
attract eligible seniors to the talking-book program. The materials,
produced in both English and Spanish, are a comprehensive effort to meet the
reading needs of senior adults with visual or physical disabilities through
outreach to potential patrons, their families, and their friends. The
program currently serves about 349,000 people sixty-five years old or older,
who make up more than half of the NLS readership. Currently there are about
1.8 million eligible readers in this age group.)
(photo caption: Take a Talking Book campaign)
(photo caption: Network librarians report to the 2000 biennial conference of
Librarians Serving Blind and Physically Handicapped Individuals on
participating in the Take a Talking Book seniors campaign and on using the
new Public Service Announcements. Shown left to right are Deborah Rutledge
(New Jersey), Lissa Shannahan (Indiana), Carol Taylor (Connecticut), Linda
Montgomery (Arizona), Fara Zaleski (Alabama), and Connie Sullivan (South
Dakota).)
Network exchange
California (Los Angeles). Braille Institute Library Services reports another
highly successful summer reading program, which was celebrated in medieval
splendor on July 28 in a program that featured actress Shelley Long and a
Renaissance performing group. The occasion attracted 125 children, parents,
and teachers. Shelley Long, known for her starring role in the TV series
Cheers, went back in time to read from Robin Hood and His Merry Men (RC
42339). The young participants joined in arts and crafts, as well as
dancing. A total of 141 young readers from preschool to grade 12
enthusiastically took part in the overall summer effort conducted from June
5 to July 27, according to Dawn Fuller, chair of the reading program.
     Another event drew 630 patrons to the library's annual open house in
October and the promise of "Health, Happiness, and Humor." Author Kate
Adamson described "How I Saved My Own Life"--a story of triumph over a
double stroke through determination and rehabilitation. Author Connie
Goldman explained that "65 Is the Speed Limit, Not the Age Limit." And movie
and TV personality Fred Willard provided laughs.
     The library awarded prizes to those who best completed the phrase
"Happiness is..." in twenty-five words or less. A special event was the
presentation of a Golden Cassette Award to Sister Ruth Kent for her long
years as a devoted volunteer.
     After lunch, attendees visited a vendor's fair featuring twenty-seven
health and technology booths, including displays of the latest adaptive
devices for visually impaired individuals. Many guests also took part in
tours of the entire Braille Institute facility.
(photo caption: Actress Shelley Long and Regional Librarian Henry Chang with
preschool/kindergarten winner Vejas Vasiliauskas)
(photo caption: Open house chair Tina Herbison with Sister Ruth Kent, who
displays the first Golden Cassette Award)
Illinois (Coal Valley). Karen L. Odean, director of the Talking Book Center
of Northwest Illinois, was recently selected as the 2000 recipient of the
Alexander J. Skrzypek Award. This award was established by the Illinois
Library Association to recognize an outstanding contribution to the
advancement of library services for the blind or physically disabled in
Illinois. It was conceived as an appropriate honor to the first librarian
for the blind at the Chicago Public Library.
     The Talking Book Center recently converted to the Keystone Library
Automation System KLAS from DRA. Odean was instrumental in coordinating a
smooth transition from DRA to KLAS.
     In submitting the nomination, Lori Bell, director of Library Services
at Spoon River College, Canton, wrote that with 25 years of talking-book
service, Odean is one of the senior talking-book consultants in the state.
She praised Odean's knowledge of the DRA automated system, which tracks
patron requests, and her knowledge of the talking-book collection itself.
This knowledge was the reason Odean was chosen to lead a statewide
recataloging project, whose purpose was to assign more accurate subject
headings to titles in the talking-book database. "Odean has been most
willing to share her knowledge with other librarians through personal
assistance and through service to the organized profession," Bell continued.
     Odean was presented a specially designed plaque at the Illinois
Library Association Annual Conference Awards Ceremony on October 16 at the
Peoria Civic Center. In addition, her name will be added to the permanent
plaque on display at the Illinois Regional Library for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped in Springfield.
Michigan (Ann Arbor). Narrator Bob Askey highlighted a program at the
Washtenaw County Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled (LBPD) on
September 6, 2000. "Discovering the Possibilities: A Blind Services Forum"
was cosponsored by the Washtenaw County LBPD and the Michigan Commission for
the Blind. Pat Cannon, director of the Michigan Commission for the Blind,
introduced Askey with fulsome praise for his narration skills.
     After a brief history of the talking-book program and explanation of
how books are physically recorded, Askey shared his experiences narrating
books for NLS during his 25 years at Talking Book Publishers, Inc., in
Denver, Colorado. He described the recording studio and detailed how the
narrator, monitor, auditor, and quality assurance specialist work together
to produce tapes of superior quality to send to NLS for review, approval,
final production, and distribution to libraries in the NLS network.
     Askey said he is one of the last of a vanishing breed of NLS
narrators. He feels that someday technology will make it possible for NLS to
make books available digitally using voice output. Until then, NLS narrators
continue to interpret what a book says, including the correct way to
pronounce words that have multiple meanings or pronunciations (i.e., a
farmer "produces produce").
     Askey's presentation followed a panel discussion regarding the
services available to individuals in southeast Michigan through the Michigan
Commission for the Blind and the Washtenaw County LBPD. The program was
followed by a social hour where guests met and talked with Bob Askey, Pat
Cannon, commission staff, and library staff.
     Many of the individuals who attended this program participate in
bimonthly meetings of the Washtenaw County LBPD's Book Lovers Club. The
group generally reads one fiction and one nonfiction book for each meeting.
Occasionally, a volume of poetry or a classic children's book is also read.
For more information and for a complete listing of books read, visit the
Washtenaw County LBPD web site's special events section.
(Material for this article was provided by Margaret Wolfe, librarian at the
Washtenaw County, Michigan, subregional. It is available, with more photos,
on the library's web site <www.co.washtenaw.mi.us/DEPTS/LIB/Libevent.htm>.)
(photo caption: Pat Cannon, director of the Michigan Commission for the
Blind; Margaret Wolfe, subregional librarian; and Bob Askey, featured
speaker)
South Carolina (Columbia). Guynell Williams, South Carolina regional
librarian, was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the
National Federation of the Blind (NFB)in South Carolina. The award is the
highest honor NFB gives to a sighted individual. NFB is one of the major
advocacy and constituent groups of blind persons in South Carolina.
     A native of Clinton, Williams is a graduate of South Carolina State
University and holds a master's degree in library science from the
University of Denver, where she prepared her thesis on service to blind and
visually handicapped individuals. Her professional background includes being
an academic librarian at Lake Forest College in Illinois as well as a school
media specialist at Pendleton High School. She began her service at the
South Carolina State Library as a reference librarian before becoming
assistant director of services to the blind and physically handicapped in
1990. She was named director of the department in 1992.
Illinois regional has new director, new home
Sharon Ruda is the new director for the Regional Library for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped at the Illinois State Library (ISL) in Springfield.
Earlier this year the ISL assumed administrative and funding
responsibilities for the regional library and moved the entire operation
from Chicago to Springfield.
     The Illinois State Library is a division of the Secretary of State's
office under the auspices of Jesse White, who also serves as state
librarian. Ruda assumes her new position at an exciting time because the
Blind and Physically Handicapped Unit is preparing to move into a new state-
of-the-art facility in Springfield during the coming months. Ruda says one
of the highlights of the new facility will be a large public browsing area
with two computers that will enhance the unit's assistive technology
efforts.
     Ruda comes to the ISL with a wealth of library-related experience.
Previously, she served as coordinator of policy and planning at the Chicago
Public Library and worked as a special project manager for the Chicago
Library System. She spent more than six years with the DuPage Library System
and three years as head of information services with the Fountaindale Public
Library in Bolingbrook, Illinois. Ruda also served as library director of
the Wilmington, Illinois, Public Library. As regional librarian, she is
supervising a fourteen-person staff.
     Ruda has been involved in various activities with the Illinois Library
Association, and is the recipient of Baker and Taylor's Grassroots Award.
She received her masters degree in library and information studies from
Northern Illinois University and received undergraduate degrees from Joliet
Junior College and Northern Illinois University.
     The Illinois State Library funds a variety of services for disabled
individuals. The talking-book program provides braille services and allows
users at six subregionals to obtain audiocassette books and tape players,
magazines, and other materials. The Illinois Radio Information Service
provides current items from local newspapers. The Illinois Newsline Network
for the Blind allows patrons to obtain the full text of several national
newspapers by 6:30 each morning from one of eleven locations.
Summer camp teaches computer skills
A group of blind and visually impaired high school students from Fairfax
County, Virginia, enhanced their computer skills this summer in an
innovative Computer Camp program sponsored by four cooperating local
organizations.
     Spearheaded by the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind (CLB), a
Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that offers a broad range of
programs and services, the camp was held at the Fairfax County Government
Center from July 10 through August 4. Using computers and software donated
by Unisys Corporation, the young people studied word processing, Internet
navigation, e-mail, and other computer applications that will support
increased academic success and improve their competitiveness and flexibility
in the employment market. Fairfax County Public Schools cosponsored the
initiative, along with Fairfax County Public Library Access Services, who
provided staff librarians to tutor the students in the use of online
databases and other reference resources. Field trips to local businesses
were included in the camp's curriculum to broaden students' appreciation of
the practical everyday uses of their classroom pursuits. On one of their
trips they met a blind woman who runs a computer help desk at Unisys, in
Reston, Virginia.
     "The kids were wonderful," says Jeanette Studley, subregional
librarian in Fairfax County, "and the synergistic effect of several
organizations was incredible. Barnes and Noble bringing the Harry Potter
books was a nice added touch--serendipity."
     NLS consumer relations officer Judy Dixon visited the camp as an
observer and came away brimming with enthusiasm. "The camp was a striking
success," Dixon says. "It was great to see a winning collaborative project
of this kind that, in the end, benefits everyone involved--especially the
kids."
     The first project of its kind in the Washington area, the camp was the
inspiration of Matt Ater, director of assistive technology at the Columbia
Lighthouse for the Blind. Ater, who is visually impaired, experienced
considerable frustration during his teenage and college years from a lack of
intensive technology instruction in traditional special-education
environments. So, in addition to teaching computer skills that will help to
level the playing field in terms of the campers' future employability--
including proofreading, layout, formatting, and other "visual" aspects of
document management--he hoped to familiarize them with the latest
developments in assistive technology, including speech output and screen
magnification software.
     Nevertheless, as Ater points out, assistive devices are only a means
to an end: "Our goal is to make them good computer users rather than good
assistive technology users." Ater points to a dismaying 70 percent national
unemployment rate among people who are blind or visually disabled.
"Advances in assistive technology have made it possible for people who are
blind to successfully compete in today's demanding job market," says Dale
Otto, president and CEO of the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind. The CLB
summer camp provides "the opportunity for visually impaired youth to learn
the technology required for their future employment success and economic
independence."
     The technology camp built on the Lighthouse's experience with Camp
Lighthouse, a three-week summer camp, now in its forty-first year, that
offers swimming, hiking, drama, music, and living skills to blind and
visually impaired children in the greater Washington area.
(photo caption: The students temporarily abandoned their computers when
Barnes and Noble unexpectedly provided a collection of Harry Potter books in
braille.)
International brief
South Africa. Collection development is a main focus of the South African
Library for the Blind, whose mission is to provide a national library and
information service to blind and print-handicapped readers. The Blindlib
Directors Report 1999-2000 states that, despite tight budget restrictions,
626 new braille titles were added to the collections. To date, the total
braille book collection consists of 22,642 titles. The library's circulation
of braille books increased by 11,608 titles. On an annual basis, more than
285,643 braille books and magazines are read nationwide in seven languages.
     Braille production facilities were expanded and improved. In 1997, 190
titles (209 copies) were completed. Production for 1998 was 167 titles (292
copies); for 1999, 203 titles (431 copies).
     Membership in the South African Audio Library increased by 287 new
members, raising the total number to 6,960. The production of audio books
continued to increase and 328 new titles were added to the collection. More
than 70 percent of these new titles were recorded by Blindlib narrators.
IFLA meeting held in Jerusalem
The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
held its annual conference at the International Convention Center in
Jerusalem, Israel, August 11-18, with more than 1,900 people from over fifty
countries in attendance. The theme was "Information for Cooperation:
Creating the Global Library of the Future." Brad Kormann, chief of the NLS
Materials Development Division, represented the United States on the
Standing Committee for the Section of Libraries for the Blind.
     Canada's Rosemary Kavanagh presided as chairperson at the Standing
Committee for the Blind. The theme for the meeting was "Building Smart
Communities: Knowledge as the Key to Growth and Development for Print-
Disabled People in a Competitive World." Papers were presented on a variety
of topics, including telephone access to library services, building virtual
collections, reference services of public libraries for print-handicapped
people, and libraries in smart communities and benefits for blind people.
     Kormann and others toured the Israel Central Library for the Blind,
which has 10,000 patrons. The library's director is Uri Cohen, a Six-Day War
veteran who lost his sight during the conflict. The Central Library has
major library operations in both Tel Aviv and Netanyah. Cohen provided the
group with informative tours of both facilities.
     The library currently uses a two-track cassette book system. While at
Netanyah the group reviewed Israel's digital efforts and received a
demonstration by Votronics, Inc., of a product called EDU-CHILD, an
interactive talking-book system that teaches reading, math, and many other
basic skills in a human, friendly voice.
     NLS will host the Standing Committee's next preconference August 13-
15, 2001, in Washington, D.C.
(photo caption: Brad Kormann)
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: Rita Byrnes, Robert Fistick, Irene Kost, and Ed O'Reilly