News ISSN 1046-1663
January-March 2004, Vol. 35, No. 1
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped
The Library of Congress

NLS issues Strategic Business Plan

In December 2003, NLS published its Current Strategic
Business Plan for the Implementation of Digital Systems, a
detailed explanation of progress to date and outlook for the
future of the transition to digital systems and services in
the free national library program. The Strategic Business
Plan presents a comprehensive assessment of NLS's present
situation, options for the future, in-depth analysis based
on real costs and expected technological developments, and a
clear projection of probable outcomes.
     The Strategic Business Plan was mailed to regional and
subregional libraries in the NLS network and to members of
the Chief Officers of State Library Associations (COSLA) in
preparation for the 2004 midwinter meeting of the American
Library Association in San Diego on January 9-14.*The report
begins by reviewing the current system for production and
circulation of books in alternative formats and explains why
a transition to digital systems and products is both
necessary and desirable. The strengths and weaknesses of
several substantially different alternative digital
technologies are examined and the grounds for NLS's current
expectations are established.
     The system of the future is likely to center on a
digital playback machine--the successor to today's C-1
cassette player but smaller, lighter, more efficient, and
better sounding--and books on high-density solid-state
flash-memory cartridges, somewhat like the media used in
commercially available digital cameras and MP3 players. All
patron services would continue to be conducted through
network libraries, but means of circulation will change.
Very popular books--approximately 20 percent of the NLS
catalog--would be mass-produced for wide circulation to
readers. Titles less in demand--approximately 80 percent of
the catalog--would be duplicated on request at special
production centers for circulation to individuals. Digital
data storage and transmission capabilities make this process
feasible. Because two different modes of circulation would
coexist and complement one another, the projected
operational strategy is called the "hybrid" model.
     The Strategic Business Plan presents cost projections
for several different business strategies and compares them
with current production and distribution costs. The evidence
shows the hybrid model to be both efficient and cost
effective.
     A tentative but likely transition scheme is set forth
in the plan, delineating a gradual process to bring the
advantages of digital talking books to patrons as quickly as
possible but with little or no disruption in service. 
Cassette books and machines will continue to be the backbone
of the system through 2007, but digital books and machines
will effectively replace the older technology in the five
years between 2008 and 2012. The implementation phase should
be under way by the fall of 2008 with an initial
distribution of 50,000 digital players anticipated. 
     Much of the overall plan remains to be determined
because many outcomes are contingent upon data that will
emerge as the transition progresses. Nevertheless, the broad
outlines and cost estimates are unlikely to shift
dramatically.
     The published business plan is supplemented by a number
of helpful graphic displays, tables, documents, and other
keys to understanding the plan. These include cost
projections and comparisons; the foreword and an overview of
the American National Standard Specifications for the
Digital Talking Book (ANSI/NISO Z39.86-2002); a list of the
first one thousand titles selected for conversion from
analog to digital media; and a draft version of the Request
for Proposals--the government contract solicitation--for the
design of the digital talking book player.
     The Strategic Business Plan is available online at
www.loc.gov/nls/businessplan2003.html.

# # #


Preparations nearly complete for 2004 biennial conference
     
Planning for the 2004 National Conference of Librarians
Serving Blind and Physically Handicapped Individuals is
nearing completion. As in 2002, the Digital Long-Term
Planning Group is significantly involved in the
arrangements.
     The conference will convene in Rapid City, South
Dakota, at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 2, at the Rushmore Plaza
Holiday Inn and will conclude on Thursday, May 6. A one-day
preconference workshop, "Doing More with Less," will be held
from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 1.
     The Sunday, May 2, afternoon opening session will
feature presentations on developments at NLS, followed by
regional conference meetings. 
     Monday, May 3, will begin with the conference's keynote
addresses. The remainder of the day will focus on national
outreach initiatives. In addition, programs by and about
Native Americans are scheduled at the Crazy Horse Monument
site. 
     On Tuesday morning, May 4, events will include
presentations on digital efforts in Europe and the United
States and on a new project initiated by the Mid-Illinois
subregional library. There will also be discussions of
reader and circulation statistics, braille conservation, and
NLS user-based program assessment. During the afternoon,
shelving strategies will be discussed. 
     The National Automation Conference will be held on
Wednesday, May 5. It will feature updates on various
circulation systems used in the network, user-group
meetings, discussions of various automation issues, and
updates on NLS automation initiatives. Breakout sessions in
the afternoon will focus on the Low-Complexity Mastering
System, relationships between regional libraries and radio
reading services, and understanding technology.
     The conference will conclude at noon on Thursday, May
6, following presentations and discussions on web magazines,
the use of commercial books, the recently completed user
survey, and efforts to secure a digital talking book player
design consultant. An optional tour to the South Dakota
Badlands will be available on Thursday afternoon. Buses will
return to the hotel at 8:00 p.m.

(photo caption: Mt. Rushmore, near Rapid City, South Dakota,
1932: workmen on the face of George Washington.)

About Rapid City

Nestled in the Black Hills region of southwestern South
Dakota, renowned for its magnificent scenery and abundant
wildlife, Rapid City is the state's second largest city,
with a population approaching 70,000. The city serves as a
hub for streams of visitors who come to enjoy the scenic
beauty and inspiring sights of the surrounding area.
     The area's most famous attraction is undoubtedly Mt.
Rushmore, about 25 miles south of Rapid City, where 60-foot
busts of presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and
Theodore Roosevelt are carved on the granite mountainside.
The sculpture was created by Gutzon Borglum, son of a Danish
immigrant and a student of Rodin, with the help of 400
laborers. Borglum worked on the project from 1927 until his
death in 1941. The story of Rushmore has been recently
retold in John Taliaferro's magisterial Great White Fathers
(New York: Public Affairs, 2002).
     Even more impressive, some people believe, is the
unfinished Crazy Horse Memorial, 17 miles southwest of Mt.
Rushmore. One of the world's largest sculptures, it was
begun in 1948 by Korczak Ziolkowski at the invitation of
Lakota chief Henry Standing Bear, to honor the legendary
warrior who, incensed at government treaty violations,
helped to defeat General George Armstrong Custer at the
Little Bighorn in 1876 and fought against the U.S. Army
until his death the following year. 
     Many natural wonders beckon from within two hours of
Rapid City, including the Wind Cave, the Devils Tower, Jewel
Cave, and the Badlands. Old mining towns, such as Deadwood,
are of interest to visitors fascinated by frontier history.
     Rapid City has a variety of museums, gardens, and
parks, one featuring a Berlin Wall exhibit, and another,
seven life-size dinosaur models. The Stavkirke Chapel, built
in 1969 as a replica of an 830-year-old Norwegian church, is
admired for its intricate wood carvings and ingenious pegged
construction.

# # #

Moodie becomes NLS deputy director

Michael M. Moodie has been appointed deputy director of the
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress.
     Moodie, who has held progressively responsible
positions at NLS over the past twenty-five years, has been
the national talking-book program's research and development
officer since 1990. He has played a key coordinating role in
NLS's work to date in transitioning from the current analog
cassette book and magazine program to a digital format.
     "Michael Moodie will oversee the NLS program's third
major audio technology change since its inception in 1931--
originally vinyl records, then cassette tapes in the 1960s,"
said Frank Kurt Cylke, NLS director, announcing Moodie's
appointment on January 12. "He brings unique, cutting-edge
knowledge to this new NLS leadership role. Moodie's
thirteen-year tenure as research and development officer has
allowed him to build a strong presence in international
digital audio technology development," Cylke said.
     Moodie chaired the National Information Standards
Organization (NISO) committee which, over a four-year
period, brought Specifications for the Digital Talking Book
to completion as ANSI/NISO Z39.86-2002, an American National
Standard. He has researched the application of solid-state
memory (SSM) technologies to the NLS digital program,
identifying requirements, coordinating technical seminars on
SSM issues, chairing briefings from SSM industry leaders,
and tracking SSM costs. Moodie coordinated numerous
technical projects related to the development of digital
talking books (DTBs) and headed a technical team developing
automated production tools for DTBs. In addition, he was
responsible for coordinating the development of Web-Braille,
the world's first repository of online contracted braille
books, magazines, and music. He was also a key member of the
team that developed a web-based distribution system for
digital audio magazines, which will eventually allow NLS
patrons access to all NLS audio magazines online.
     Moodie's earlier positions with NLS included seven
years as assistant head of the Production Control Section
and five years as Recording Studio director. He completed
his undergraduate studies at Syracuse University, with a
bachelor's degree in psychology in 1968, and earned a
master's degree in business management from the Johns
Hopkins University in 1997.

(photo caption: Michael Moodie)

# # #

Alliance with Mystic Seaport extended

The cooperative project between Mystic Seaport,
Connecticut's famed seventy-four-year-old Museum of America
and the Sea, and NLS and its network of cooperating
libraries has been extended for a third year. The
initiative, which began in January 2002, seeks to advance
accessibility and expand outreach for museum visitors who
are blind, visually impaired, or disabled. Among the key
elements of the initiative is the free library pass program
available to NLS patrons. The pass entitles two adults and
their children or grandchildren under eighteen free
admission to Mystic Seaport on the day of the week specified
on the pass. Response from patrons has been very positive.
     The Mystic Seaport cookbook, A New England Table,
edited by Ainslie Turner (2000), was digitally recorded in
the NLS Recording Studio and released in audio cassette. It
features a multiple tone index system and a complete index
on a separate cassette that allows the reader to locate
particular pages efficiently. In addition to adding an
entertaining and helpful volume to the patron catalog, the
project provided useful data to the NLS digital audio
program in its exploration of the complexities of full-text
and full-audio synchronization in a digital talking book.
     Other collaborative efforts included audio production
of eleven books published by Mystic Seaport, which have
become part of the NLS national collection and will also
become available commercially as sound recordings under the
auspices of the Mystic Seaport shop. The books are America
and the Sea: A Maritime History, by Andrew German, et al.;
Folklore and the Sea, by Horace Beck; New England and the
Sea, by Robert G. Albion, et al.; Saltwater Foodways, by
Sandra Oliver; Whale Hunt, by Nelson Cole Haley; Around the
World in 500 Days, by Curtis Dahl; Growing Up in a Shipyard,
by Dana A. Story; All This and Sailing Too, by Olin J.
Stephens; A Life in Boats, by Waldo Howland; Silas Talbot:
Captain of Old Ironsides, by William M. Fowler; and Wake of
the Coasters, by John F. Leavitt.
     NLS also continues its consultative role in the
expansion and refinement of Mystic Seaport's accessibility
initiatives.

To visit Mystic Seaport . . . 

The year-round pass entitles two adults and their children
or grandchildren under eighteen free admission to Mystic
Seaport on the day of the week specified on the pass.
     NLS patrons in Connecticut should contact the Library
for the Blind and Physically Handicapped in Rocky Hill and
patrons in Massachusetts should contact the Braille and
Talking Book Library in Watertown to arrange for their pass.
     Residents of all other states should contact NLS
directly: E-mail <eore@loc.gov> with your name, address,
telephone number, and the date and day of the week you wish
to visit the Seaport. 
     You may also request a pass by mail from Mystic Pass
Coordinator, Publications and Media Section, NLS/BPH,
Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20542. Postal service to
NLS in Washington is subject to security examination, so
write at least six weeks in advance.

# # #

Park Service offers access pass

The National Park Service makes a lifetime entrance pass to
national parks, monuments, historic sites, recreation areas,
and national wildlife refuges that charge entrance fees
available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are
blind or permanently disabled. The Golden Access Passport
admits the pass holder and accompanying passengers in a
private vehicle to parks with a per-vehicle entrance fee;
where a per-person entrance fee is charged, the pass admits
the pass holder and his or her spouse and children. The
Golden Access Passport also provides a 50 percent discount
on federal usage fees for facilities and services such as
camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, and tours.
     The pass may be obtained by showing proof of a
medically determined permanent disability or eligibility for
receiving benefits under federal law. It must be obtained in
person at a federal area (national park, historic site,
wildlife refuge, etc.) where an entrance fee is charged. To
locate a convenient park service site, visit the National
Park Service portal "Visit Your Parks" at
<www.nps.gov/parks.html>. Visitors are encouraged to
telephone the site to inquire about pass availability and
required documentation before traveling.

# # #

Perkins Panda's stories and songs encourage children's
literacy skills

Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts,
has announced the upcoming launch of the Perkins Panda Early
Literacy Program--a unique compilation of materials that
teach fundamental early literacy skills to children with
visual impairments and help parents to be more involved in
their children's development.
     Perkins Panda is the central character in a set of
three storybooks in uncontracted braille with high-contrast
illustrations and tactile elements. The books are
complemented by activity guides and cassettes featuring
songs and stories written and performed by children's
entertainer Odds Bodkins. A stuffed plush panda--with a
backpack for carrying program materials, including an audio
cassette player if desired--is one of several items
available.
     The program is designed for children from birth to
eight years of age and the parents, families, and
professionals who care for them, as well as older children
with multiple disabilities and adults with visual
impairments to use with sighted children. 
     The Perkins Panda Early Literacy Program is expected to
be available in late April 2004. To learn more, visit the
Perkins School web site at <www.Perkins.org> and follow the
link to "publications." To join the mailing list, place an
order, or ask questions, call 800-972-7671 or e-mail
<Perkins.Panda@Perkins.org>.
(photo caption: NLS network consultant Deborah Toomey with
Perkins Panda project coordinator Bruce Curtis and a
friend.)

# # #

Gloria Leonard named director of Washington Talking Book and
Braille Library

NLS congratulates Gloria J. Leonard on her promotion to
director of the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library
(WTBBL). Leonard's appointment was announced by Deborah L.
Jacobs, city librarian of Seattle, on December 3, 2003.
     Leonard could hardly be better prepared for her new
post, having served as acting director of the WTBBL since
December 2002. In that capacity, she led a team of 22 staff,
400 volunteers, and a Patron Advisory Council in carrying
out and assessing WTBBL's services to more than 11,000 users
in the state of Washington. She also assumed budgetary
responsibility, participated in strategic planning
initiatives, and maintained key administrative relationships
with NLS and other agencies serving blind and physically
handicapped persons. In addition, Leonard was instrumental
in working to restore cuts from WTBBL's 2003-2005 budget,
and she moved the WTBBL forward in several operational
areas, including implementation of a new circulation system.
     In addition to her recent experience as WTBBL acting
director, Leonard has held a number of positions with the
Seattle Public Library since 1979. From 1981 to 1989 she
managed the Bookmobile and Outreach Services Department,
bringing library service to elderly adults and small
children through some 350 bookmobile, agency, and home
visits each month. She also developed a federally funded
service-enhancement program for nursing-home residents,
which was recently adapted by the University of Wisconsin's
Therapeutic Gerontology Department for its own use.
     Leonard became special assistant to the city librarian
in 1989, South Region manager later that year, director of
Neighborhood Services in 1990, and director of
Library/Community Partnerships in 1998. In this last post,
she advanced outreach efforts by cultivating community
relationships to keep the public informed about and involved
in the library's services; she also promoted Friends of the
Library's advocacy efforts and fund-raising strategies to
help ensure supplemental financial assistance for the
library's programs and services that could not be fully
supported through its regular operating budget.
     After attending Fisk University in Nashville,
Tennessee, Leonard received both a bachelor of arts degree
and a master's degree in library and information science
from the University of Washington. She later earned an MBA
from City University. Leonard is actively involved in the
American Library Association, where she is serving a three-
year term on the Council as an at-large member. She is also
a member of the executive board of the Black Caucus of ALA.
     In 1999 Leonard received Fisk University's
Distinguished Service Award for demonstrating a strong
commitment to outreach services and raising community
awareness about library and information services available
through the Seattle Public Library.

(photo caption: Gloria Leonard)

# # #

Margaret Wolfe, Washtenaw County, Michigan, wins NY Times
Librarian Award for 2003

NLS congratulates Margaret Wolfe, librarian coordinator for
the Washtenaw County (Michigan) Library for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped, on being among the winners of the
prestigious New York Times Librarian Awards for 2003. These
awards, which include a prize of $2,500, recognize
librarians "whose exemplary performance and outstanding
community service have made their libraries friendlier and
more accessible institutions."
     Now in its third year, the New York Times awards
program reached for the first time beyond the New York City
area to identify librarians from all over the nation who
have provided outstanding public service. While fifteen
awards this year went to recipients in New York, New Jersey,
and Connecticut, twelve others were extended to six regions
around the country. Wolfe received one of the Midwest region
awards. Winners were honored at a ceremony in New York City
on December 16, 2003.
     The holder of an MLS in Library Science from Western
Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Wolfe has been connected
with state and regional libraries for nearly all of her
professional career, mostly serving the needs of blind and
physically handicapped patrons. After a stint as assistant
regional librarian, she became the regional librarian of the
Library of Michigan for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
in Lansing in 1983. She was instrumental in getting
statewide standards for library service to disabled
individuals drafted and approved by Michigan's Legislative
Council. 

Coordination with NLS

Wolfe also became involved during this time in NLS liaison
activities. In 1985, she was appointed to the NLS Ad Hoc
Equipment Advisory Committee, and from 1990 to 1995 she was
the Midlands Conference librarian representative to the NLS
Advisory Committee on Centralization Studies to make
recommendations regarding audio playback machines and
braille circulation and control. In 1995, Wolfe moved to Ann
Arbor where she assumed her present post with the Washtenaw
County Library.
     Wolfe was nominated for the New York Times award by
Patrick D. Cannon, executive director of the Michigan
Commission for the Blind. A longtime patron, Cannon extolled
Wolfe's help in introducing him to Michigan's library
services for the blind while he was struggling with his
deteriorating vision and in providing encouragement as he
achieved a new independence. Cannon described Wolfe as "an
innovator" in creating services for blind persons and in
making the library more than a place to find books--for
example, by establishing volunteer reading services to
enable access to print materials not nationally recorded,
such as Sunday School lessons, owners' manuals, articles,
and reports. Cannon noted, "Having an audio recording of the
owner's manual for a new stereo can make a significant
difference in the life of a blind person. Being able to
independently read your own directions to your new stereo,
set it up, and learn how to operate it on your own without
depending on someone else is empowering and liberating."

Technology and training

Cannon also emphasized Wolfe's efforts in training library
staff to effectively assist and interact with blind persons;
acquiring accessible computer technology and training blind
persons to use it; coordinating with University of Michigan
engineering students who designed digital technology-based
prototypes for delivering services to blind library readers;
helping to host consumer events, such as presentations by
award-winning narrators, and conferences on low vision aids;
setting up a bimonthly Book Lovers Club for blind readers;
instituting training sessions for patrons who wish to use
sound recording to chronicle their personal histories for
family and friends; and planning several vendor and consumer
fairs, such as the highly successful VISIONS 2000 that
attracted 100 exhibitors of products to the disabled
community and more than 1,500 visitors.
     Cannon's nomination letter concluded on the following
high note: "Margaret has given me insight into the value and
preciousness of the institution of the public library.
Because of Margaret, I have come to view the library in a
much broader context as a pillar of democracy. Librarians,
from the local lending library and bookmobile to the
Congressional Reading Room at the Library of Congress, are
guardians of the public's right to know and be informed and
protectors of the public's right of personal privacy."

(photo caption: Margaret Wolfe)

# # #

International Briefs
     
United Kingdom. Several organizations in Britain have
launched a union catalog of accessible materials. The
database, called Reveal, lists the holdings of the Royal
National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), the National
Library of the Blind, the Scottish Braille Press, the
Calibre Cassette Library, and numerous other agencies. The
catalog is available at <www.revealweb.org.uk>. Lending
practices of the contributors vary, so the site includes a
register of suppliers that gives more details.
     In addition, the RNIB has launched a new digitized
archive of books, reports, and magazines from its
collection. The redesigned web site at
<www.rnib.org.uk/publicationsarchive/> contains nearly three
hundred online documents published by RNIB before 2000 and
collected in the Research Library. The site also includes
two hundred journal issues, sixty books, and ten reports,
most of them previously available only in print. The site is
free and has no password requirements.

Ireland. The National Council for the Blind of Ireland
(NCBI) increased its library membership by nearly 30 percent
during 2002. According to NCBI's latest available annual
report, its Dublin-headquartered library added 514 new users
in that year, bringing its total number of book patrons to
2,318. Of these, 2,050 patrons were issued 20,083 audio
books (or about 10 per user), while 218 patrons received 876
books in braille (about 4 per user) and the remaining 50
patrons obtained 144 large-print books (roughly 3 per user).
The library also has close to 1,200 subscribers to audio
magazines.
     The NCBI reported that the most read adult audio book
was Siofra O'Donovan's Malinski, a novel about two young
brothers in Poland separated by World War II. The most
popular book in braille was Out of Sight by Joe Bollard. For
juvenile readers, the Harry Potter series topped demand in
both the audio and braille categories.
     The NCBI library also organizes various activities for
members. One of the most popular for children is Storytime,
which occurs weekly throughout the summer and at Easter,
Halloween, and Christmas. Children attending Storytime
prepare plays and improvisations on stories from NCBI's
library to entertain each other. 
     For older members, the NCBI launched a new book club to
provide readers a regular forum for sharing opinions about
literature, especially recent Irish publications. Whenever
possible, authors are invited to attend the meetings.
     In addition, NCBI's library services department
obtained funding in 2002 to launch its VIPER (Visually
Impaired Persons Electronic Register) project, a database
that ensures that persons with vision impairments receive
information from NCBI, government departments, and semi-
governmental agencies in formats of their choice.
     Library services represent only a part of NCBI's
activities. Founded over 70 years ago, NCBI offers a broad
array of training, information, and rehabilitation services
through six regional centers. In addition, some NCBI regions
provide family therapy, peer counseling, and computer skill
training. Low-vision clinics also operate once a month in
several regions, supplementing efforts of the main clinic in
Dublin.
     NCBI's income in 2002 totaled 6.7 million euros (up
about 47 percent from the previous year), the bulk of which
(5 million euros) comes from the national government's
Health Board funds. The balance is derived from grants by
European Union and other agencies, sales of services and
appliances, contributions, and fund-raising.
     
Japan. Late in 2003, the Braille Circle of Miyashirokai in
Tokyo completed translating the NLS Instruction Manual for
Braille Transcribing, 2000 edition, into Japanese.
Permission for the translation project was obtained from
Mary Lou Stark, head of the NLS Braille Development Section,
subject to compliance with copyright and other relevant
regulations. Stark also assisted by sending various
corrections and updates.
     A decade ago, the same organization's translation of a
previous edition of the manual became popular among braille
transcribers all over Japan. The new 2000 edition, according
to its three translators, is easier for braille transcriber
beginners to use because it breaks down lessons into more
detailed categories and contains more exercises and drills.
In addition, the format is easier for braille readers. The
translators followed the structure and format of the
Instruction Manual, including the brailled text, as closely
as possible.
     
Japan. Hikari Osawa, a volunteer worker at a braille library
in Tokyo, together with several other female colleagues,
established a publishing house in early 2003 to supply
erotic books for people who are blind or visually impaired.
Between April and November, Itirindo Ltd released about
fifty such books on CD and sold them by mail at 1,000 yen
each. Another fifty are in the pipeline for publication by
June 2004. 
     After titles are chosen, Osawa negotiates with authors
and publishers for permission to produce audio books. The
recording is done by a team of five or six narrators.
     Osawa realizes that her venture may be criticized as
offensive, or at least raise some eyebrows. But she has a
ready answer: "Handicapped people have sexual needs too. I
only want to provide them with the same opportunities that
other people enjoy." Osawa believes her business makes a
positive contribution to the lives of visually impaired
people, who number about 300,000 in Japan. But, she adds, "I
leave it to the public to judge whether the business is
necessary or not."
     While Itirindo's customer base is gradually increasing,
the company is operating in the red, Osawa reports.

# # #

NLS prepares to launch new national outreach program

Before launching a national outreach program aimed at
increasing its readership, NLS hosted a conference in
Washington, D.C., on November 19 and 20, 2003, to get ideas
on how best to proceed. As NLS director Frank Kurt Cylke
explained at the outset, NLS seeks to reverse a recent
downward trend in patron enrollment by taking innovative
steps to make its services known to all eligible users.
     Chairs of the four regional conferences of librarians
serving blind and physically handicapped readers attended
the two-day session: Catherine Durivage (Midlands), Ruth
Hemphill (Southern), Robert McBrien (Northern), and Jerry
Packard (Western). The brainstorming session was led by
Robert E. Fistick, head of the Publications and Media
Section (PMS), assisted by PMS staff.
     Other NLS participants were Carolyn Sung, chief,
Network Division; Judy Dixon, consumer relations officer;
Steve Prine, head, Network Services Section; and Deborah
Toomey and David Whittall, network consultants.

Target Areas

The conference focused on four targets for outreach
initiatives: veterans, students, seniors, and public
libraries. To set the stage for further discussion by the
entire group, a PMS staff member presented a brief overview
for each target group: relevant history, statistics,
components, publications, past and current outreach efforts,
and possible new strategies. The ensuing discussions, while
identifying many difficulties, also suggested numerous new
approaches. These fifteen or more suggestions were then
winnowed down to the top five or six in each target area by
vote of the conference participants.
     The most persuasive ideas in each area, shown below,
were ranked in order of importance by the participants. A
number of suggestions applied to all areas; among them were
establishing links to NLS on the web sites of organizations
associated with the target populations; placing human
interest or special topic articles in magazines reaching
these audiences; developing new posters and circulars as
well as PowerPoint and video presentations to facilitate
public awareness; and revising the application form for
prospective patrons.
     Veterans. The most popular ideas included developing a
special poster and brochure aimed specifically at veterans;
distributing materials through the American Legion and
National Guard; distributing materials through doctors,
chaplains, and other service providers at V.A. hospitals;
providing information to state veterans affairs offices; and
inviting veterans to serve on library advisory boards.
     Schools. The most favored proposal was the creation of
information packets for parents, special education teachers,
and teachers of the visually impaired. Among other
suggestions were developing outreach materials for students
with learning disabilities--including an explanation of the
relationship between NLS and RFB&D (Recording for the Blind
and Dyslexic); adding commissions for the blind to NLS
mailing lists for future publications; and distributing
information about NLS to university and college disability
offices.
     Seniors. Recommended initiatives included updating the
manual Talking Books for Seniors for placement in retirement
homes and care facilities; informing seniors' families
(especially their daughters--through women's voluntary
organizations and professional groups) about talking books
and their benefits; contacting organizations of seniors and
of professionals serving seniors; buying mailing lists to
contact seniors directly; providing information to community
education centers and senior facilities; and making the NLS
catalog available through web databases of state and local
libraries. 
     Public libraries. Creating an adhesive label
introducing NLS to be placed on large-print and recorded
books at public libraries topped the list of suggestions in
this area. Other ideas included reaching out to state
library organizations by sending an NLS representative to
their conventions and promoting the inclusion of NLS
materials in their newsletters and directories; developing
materials to educate public libraries and staff about NLS
and the talking-book program, and explain how to refer
prospective patrons for service; and producing a multimedia
presentation about providing access to information to
persons who are blind or physically handicapped for
distribution at conferences and via the Internet.
     Upon completion of the sifting process, the conference
participants generally proclaimed the meeting highly
informative and productive. Several emphasized the
importance of marketing NLS's services and commended NLS's
determination to develop new outreach directions.
     
Next Steps

Following the conference, NLS contacted eleven public
relations firms to request proposals for conducting a
campaign to implement the suggestions in one or more of the
four target areas. Proposals detailing specific plans and
projected costs were received during the last week of
January. NLS will audit live presentations from the top
three candidates in April, and contracts will be awarded
soon thereafter.
     The outreach campaign will be further refined in
discussions at the National Conference of Librarians Serving
Blind and Physically Handicapped Individuals in Rapid City,
South Dakota, in May.
     
(photo caption: Regional conference librarians Robert
McBrien (Northern), Catherine Durivage (Midlands), Ruth
Hemphill (Southern), and Jerry Packard (Western).)

# # #

Cincinnati celebrates Louis Braille

On Saturday, January 3, 2004, the Library for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped in Cincinnati, Ohio, held a birthday
celebration for Louis Braille. The staff mailed invitations
to readers age twelve and under from the four local counties
to come at 10 a.m. for games, prizes, and cake. A local
braille club that meets on Saturdays was also invited, and
the turnout was excellent. 
     Because the children and their parents became so
interested in the library's facilities and equipment,
organized activities were soon abandoned. The Perkins
Brailler got a workout, and the library's collection of
three-dimensional maps and globes were also popular. Nothing
escaped the children's curiosity; they insisted on a tour of
the stacks and offices. The staff even had to run the
burster to show how cards are printed and cut. The group
played Scrabble and tic-tac-toe games and, at the end of the
party, everyone enjoyed birthday cake.

# # #

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: Ed O'Reilly

Writers: Robert Fistick, Marilie Rockefeller