This newsletter is available in Braille, or via email by contacting the library.
Newsletter of the Utah State Library for the Blind and Disabled
Winter Reading Program
We are offering a winter reading program for adult readers this year and the theme is gold rush. In the mid-nineteenth century, the discovery of gold changed America forever, and hastened the settling of the west, including what is now Alaska. People rushed to stake their claim and the term “gold fever” described their condition. The hope and thrill of striking it rich made prospecting irresistible, although hardship and poverty was the lot of most. Read about gold rush winners, losers and those in between. The stories are set in Utah, Wyoming, Alaska and the west in general. Participants will receive a single digital audio book cartridge that contains 6 books, both fiction and nonfiction titles, with a reading time of 48 hours, 41 minutes. The cartridge will play in the digital book machine, and is to be read and returned to the library. Go for the gold! Contact us to sign up, or for more information.
NLS Name Change
The National Library Service, (NLS) changed its name on October 1st. The new name is The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. From the press release: “The new name addresses the use of outdated language and more clearly communicates the breadth of those served. NLS sought input on this name change implementation from stakeholder groups and gathered data through various public channels, including its users”. The acronym, NLS remains the same.
A Goodbye to a Friend
Leslie Gertsch, a dear friend of the library and an outstanding advocate for the blind and visually impaired community, passed away November 28, 2019. Leslie was an amazing and wonderfully vibrant person; fiercely passionate about advocating for services and resources for people living with disabilities. She was the executive director of the Utah Council of the Blind, and her compassion for and dedicated service to others benefitted people living across the state for many years. Leslie, we miss you. May you rest in peace.
Ski for Light
The 45th annual Ski for Light International Week will take place February 9-16, 2020, in Casper, Wyoming. This is a new venue for the all-volunteer non-profit’s annual event where beginning blind and mobility impaired skiers are taught the basics of cross-country skiing, while more experienced skiers further hone their skills. During the Ski for Light week, each skier with a disability is paired with an experienced, sighted cross-country skier who acts as ski instructor and on-snow guide. Join us on an epic adventure in Wyoming. Additional information can be found at www.sfl.org, or contact Visually Impaired Participant Recruitment Chair Melinda Hollands at 231-590-0986 or mlhollandstc@gmail.com.
2020 Braille Calendars
The American Action Fund, the agency that has provided the library with free braille calendars in past years, is now providing braille calendars to individuals only. So, we created our own braille calendar that also includes dates significant to the community we serve. Please contact us and we will send you a calendar or two.
BARD Account
If you haven’t logged into your BARD account for six months or more, then NLS will automatically suspend it for security purposes. If you find you are locked out of your BARD account, please contact us and we will reactivate it for you. To prevent your account from becoming inactive, log into the BARD site or the BARD mobile app at least once every 6 months.“
Book Discussion
Our next book discussion will take place Tuesday, January 14, 2020, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. We will discuss two books, “The Baker’s Secret” by Stephen Kiernan, and “A Woman of no Importance: the Untold Story of the American Spy who Helped Win WWII” by Sophie Purnell.
A synopsis of The Baker’s Secret: Emma lives in a small village near Normandy, France during WWII. She becomes the village’s baker after the head baker, a Jewish man, is taken away at gun point by the Nazis. The bread Emma bakes feeds the village, and her courage with bartering for things needed to survive, against the rule of the regime, nourishes hope in the villagers. She becomes the center of a small resistance in the village; fighting what she can. Then a German Captain starts to uncover her secrets. Will she survive to D-Day? Contains Violence. Digital book DB088588.
A synopsis of A Woman of no Importance: An account of Virginia Hall, a socialite from Baltimore, who became the most sought after American spy fighting the Nazi regime in France during WWII. Virginia established a vast spy network throughout France, becoming a linchpin for the resistance. With Virginia’s information, the allies unleashed weapons to fight the German invaders. Eventually, her cover blown and a bounty on her head, Virginia made a daring escape over the Pyrenees into Spain. An exciting story of a courageous woman who fought oppression and helped win the war. Some strong language and some violence. Digital book DB095178.
Please contact Reader’s Advisor Paula Stuart if you want to participate in the book discussion. Paula will send you a copy of the digital cartridge book.
Duplication on Demand
In the near future we will move to a new method of providing books to people, called duplication on demand. In a nutshell, with duplication on demand, we will be able to send you a single audio book cartridge with multiple books on it. You will be able to select the books that we put onto this cartridge. There will be no more waiting for a copy of a book to be available, or to be sent from another library. As an example, we will be able to put a series onto a cartridge for you, books by the same author, or mix and match titles. The single cartridge with multiple books on it will play in the library issued machine you currently use. If you would like to be an early adopter of duplication on demand, please contact us to be put on the list.
Book Lists
We are now featuring book lists on the library’s website, a new list each quarter, with different themes that we hope people will like. Please check it out, we think you’ll find our recommendations interesting and entertaining to read. Our website address is: blindlibrary.utah.gov.
Braille Legislative Roster
The braille version of the Legislative Roster for Utah’s 2020 session will soon be available. If you would like a hard copy please contact us and we will mail you one when they are available. You can also pick one up at the library. When available, the roster will be posted on our website as a downloadable braille file. Our website is: blindlibrary.utah.gov. A limited number of rosters will be available at both the House and Senate offices, if you wish to pick one up while on the Hill.
Holiday Closures 2020
Please note, the library will be closed the following dates:
New Year’s Day, January 1
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 20
President’s Day, February 17
Memorial Day, May 25
Independence Day, (observed) July 3
Pioneer Day, July 24
Labor Day, September 7
Columbus Day, October 12
Veterans Day November 11
Thanksgiving, November 26
Christmas, December 25