Indiana
Insights Maggie
Ansty, Editor 317-232-3684
/ 1-800-622-4970
Volume XLII No.2
Winter 2019
Holiday Book Requests
With the holiday season in full swing, it is time to start planning for the mail delays that come with the library and post office being closed. This year, the library will be closed on Tuesday, December 24th, Wednesday, December 25th, and Wednesday, January 1st. As a result, there will be no incoming or outgoing mail on those days so your book deliveries will be interrupted. We encourage you to take a few moments and order extra books to have on hand during that time; please have all requests for additional books in before Monday, December 16th to ensure that your books have plenty of time to get to you.
If you regularly find yourself running out of books to read, let us know and we can increase the number of books you are getting at a time. Also, please be aware that books do not go out to you until we check your returned books in. The best way to ensure that you do not run out of books is to return them as you finish them rather than returning them all at the same time.
The holiday season is a great time to think about signing up for BARD or downloading the BARD Mobile app. BARD will give you instant access to over 100,000 audio books and magazines, braille books and magazines, and music scores from the comfort of your home, even when the library is closed! BARD is also the best way to get newly released titles as soon as they are available as books are often added to BARD weeks or months before we get physical copies at the library. For more information on BARD, please visit www.nlsbard.loc.gov or call us at 1-800-622-4970. If you are interested in signing up for BARD, please be aware that we will not be able to approve your BARD application on days the library is closed.
Winter Wonderland Story Hour
A snowy morning—regardless of the weather outside—is just what your kids will be ready for by the middle of December. So why not join the fun at the Indiana State Library on Saturday, December 14th from 10:30 A.M. to 11:30 A.M.?
The Talking Book and Braille Library and the Indiana Young Readers Center have put together a winter wonderland story hour that will be filled with books, activities, and a wintery snack. While the program has been designed for readers who are blind or visually impaired, all children are encouraged to attend. Stories, read by ISL staff and Talking Book patrons, will be interactive. Children will follow along as “An Old Lady Swallows Some Snow” and help an assortment of (stuffed) animals take shelter in a lost mitten. Snacks will be provided in the Great Hall, which will be decked out in its holiday best.
Parents or guardians should plan on being present for the duration of the event and older siblings, grandparents, and other adults are welcome to come along; there are twenty spaces available for children and registration is required. This event will be most appropriate for children in grades 3 and below.
For more details and to register visit https://calendar.in.gov/site/isl/event/winter-wonderland-storytime/
Update Contact Information
Recently we have had several of our old phone numbers disconnected. In case one of these old numbers is how you were contacting us, please take a moment to make sure you have our up to date contact information so that you can continue to contact us as easily as possible. We can be reached by phone at either 1-800-622-4970 or 317-232-3684 or by email at tbbl@library.in.gov.
Braille Calendars Available
There are a limited number of small Braille/Large print calendars available donated by the Michigan Braille Transcribing Fund. Please contact the library if you would like to have one.
Upcoming Book Club Meetings
The next meeting of the Talking Book and Braille book club will take place on Tuesday, January 14th, at 2:00 PM Eastern/1:00 PM Central. We will be reading The Library Book by Susan Orlean, which is available in audio (DB 92869) and large print (LP 21004). Orlean re-opens the unsolved mystery of the most catastrophic library fire in US history. On April 29, 1986, fire broke out at the Los Angeles Public Library and destroyed or damaged more than a million books.
We will also be meeting on Tuesday, April 14th, at 2:00 PM Eastern/1:00 PM Central. The book will be The Girl You Left Behind by JoJo Moyes (DB 77666, BR 20283, LP 19103), a novel set during World War I. Sophie Lefèvre treasures the portrait her husband painted of her before going off to war. So does the German commander who takes over Sophie's hotel. Ninety years later the painting hangs in the home of London widow Liv Halston--and Sophie's descendants want it back.
Participants can join the discussion by calling our dial in number, 1-240-454-0887, and entering the conference code, 736 597 563#.
Please let us know if you are interested in participating so that we can contact you about any unexpected changes to either the schedule or call in information. You can request a copy of either book and let us know you are interested in participating by contacting Laura Williams at 1-800-622-4970 or emailing lawilliams1@library.in.gov.
Mark Your Calendars—Talking Books Visits Evansville
We are very excited at the prospect of meeting many of our Evansville area patrons in January. Kate McGinn, a Reader Advisor for Talking Books, will be answering questions and sharing news at the Evansville Association for the Blind on January 23rd at 12:00 P.M. (CST). We invite all of you to join us for the opportunity to meet one of your new reader advisors; be sure to bring any questions, comments, or suggestions you might have. The Evansville Association for the Blind is located at 500 N. 2nd Ave. in Evansville. For more information, please contact the organizer of this event, Patty Haas, at 812-42-1181.
NLS News and Resources
On October 1st, NLS officially changed their name to the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, though the abbreviation will remain NLS. The new name addresses outdated language in the previous name and strives to more clearly communicate the diverse group of patrons served by the library. NLS has administered the nationwide Talking Book program, which the Indiana Talking Book Library is part of, since 1934.
NLS has a number of resources on their website that patrons may find extremely useful. Particularly of interest right now is their guide to 2020 Braille and Large Print Calendars, which lists organizations who sell or distribute large print and braille calendars. This resources and more can be found online at https://www.loc.gov/nls/braille-audio-reading-materials/.
Your Participation Counts—The 2020 Census
The 2020 census is happening this spring and your participation matters. Participating in the census is important in how it impacts both congressional apportionment and the allocation of federal and state dollars that come back into your community. We want to make sure people served by the Talking Book Library are aware that the census is happening and that there are accessible resources available to help make sure everyone can participate.
On March 12th, the Census Bureau will mail households an invitation to respond to the census. While there will be a big focus on the option of replying to the census online for the first time, people can be assured that they can instead choose to reply by calling a toll-free number or by mail. The website of the Census Bureau, 2020census.gov has a lot of information about the census, including a timeline of the census and contact information. For general questions about the census you can call 800-923-8282.
Book Recommendations
The Other Americans by Laila Lalami (DB 94629, BR 22697)
Nora Guerraoui returns to her hometown after her father is killed in a hit-and-run accident. As she tries to discover what happened, others reveal what they know, including her mother and an old friend who is now a cop. Strong language and some violence.
Solitary: Unbroken by Four Decades in Solitary Confinement: My Story of Transformation and Hope by Albert Woodfox (DB 94597)
Autobiography of man who spent forty-four years in solitary confinement in Louisiana's Angola Prison. Woodfox recounts being wrongly convicted of murdering a guard in 1972 while serving time for armed robbery and the four decades it took to clear his name. Strong language and some violence.
The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick (DB 94352, BR 22771, LP 21074)
Librarian Martha Storm's life changes when a book of fairy tales arrives on her doorstep. Inside, she finds a dedication written to her by her grandmother Zelda, who died under mysterious circumstances years earlier. Martha also discovers a clue that her grandmother may still be alive.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (DB 93996, LP 021029)
Alicia Berenson--a famous painter married to a fashion photographer--lives in a grand house in one of London's most desirable areas. One evening after her husband returns home late from a fashion shoot, Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word. Unrated.
New Books Available from Indiana Voices
Jackpot Ridge by Ralph W. Cotton (IDB00199)
After leaving Elk Horn with his hard-earned poker winnings, Jack Bell, a legendary gunslinger, soon finds his life in grave danger when his opponent, Early Philpot, sends his ruthless gang of thugs after Jack to retrieve his money, but Jack has a special surprise in store for Early and his men. Some descriptions of sex, strong language, violence.
Falling to Pieces: Shipshewana Amish Mystery, Bk. 1 by Vannetta Chapman (IDB00214)
Two women, an auction, a dead body and one friendship quilt. Faith, community, simplicity, family all come together in this unlikely Amish mystery.
Without a Trace: Rock Harbor Mystery, Bk. 1 by Colleen Coble (IDB00216)
When a plane carrying Bree Nicholls'; husband and son disappears, her life changes forever. Her relentless determination to find them starts an investigation that links their disappearance to a violent crime threatening to tear the peaceful town of Rock Harbor apart.
Pioneers of the Hardwood: Indiana and the Birth of Professional Basketball by Todd Gould (IDB00220)
While everyone knows about the growth of basketball in high schools and in college, the story of Indiana's role in the development of professional basketball has not been told before. It is a fascinating, passionate, lively story of men who loved the game and were willing to play for nickels, of raucous fans, local heroes, and love of the game.
Our Service, Our Stories: Indiana Veterans Recall Their World War II Experiences by Ronald P. May (IDB00222)
This book captures the service stories of 36 World War II
veterans with Central Indiana connections - what they saw, heard, said, felt
and did. The veterans represent every branch of service and every theater of
war. Some strong language and violence.
Indiana Talking Book and Braille Library Calendar:
Thursday November 28, 2019 Library Closed
Friday November 29, 2019 Library Closed
Tuesday December 24, 2019 Library Closed
Wednesday December 25, 2019 Library Closed
Wednesday January 1, 2020 Library Closed
Monday January 20, 2020 Library Closed
Friday April 10, 2020 Library Closed
Tuesday May 5, 2020 Library Closed
Monday May 25, 2020 Library Closed
Friday July 3, 2020 Library Closed
Monday September 7, 2020 Library Closed
Monday October 12, 2020 Library Closed
Tuesday November 3, 2020 Library Closed
Wednesday November 11, 2020 Library Closed
Thursday November 26, 2020 Library Closed
Friday November 27, 2020 Library Closed
Thursday December 24, 2020 Library Closed
Friday December 25, 2020 Library Closed
Indiana Insights is a publication of the Indiana Talking Book and Braille Library, Indiana State Library. Indiana Insights is also available online, in Braille, or on a digital cartridge upon request. Any mention of products and services in the Indiana Insights newsletter is for information purposes only and does not imply endorsement. This project is funded in part with a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services which administers the Library Services Technology act.
Indiana Talking Book and Braille Library Hours:
Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time)
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Indiana Talking Book Free Matter
and Braille Library for the Blind
140 N. Senate Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46204