Indiana Insights

Maggie Ansty, Editor

317-232-3684 or 1-800-622-4970

http://www.in.gov/library/tbbl.htm

Volume XLI No. 1
Spring 2018

Join Our New Book Club

We are excited to announce the launch of our new book club! The first meeting will take place via conference call at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, May 22^nd. Participants can join the discussion by calling our toll-free dial in number, 877-422-1931, and entering the conference code, 8762032518. We will be discussing A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline, which is available in braille (BR 21873), audio (DB 87630), and large print (LP 20372). This novel is a historical fiction work about the life of Christina Olson, who was the model for Andrew Wyeth’s famous 1948 painting Christina’s World.

Our second meeting will take place on at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, August 21^st using the same dial-in number and conference code as above. We will be discussing Fredrik Bachman’s A Man Called Ove, in which a grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door. It is available in braille (BR 21609), audio (DB 84392), and large print (LP 19517).

To request the books and to let us know you are interested in attending, please contact Laura Williams at 1-800-622-4970 or lawilliams1@library.in.gov.

Vision Expo is taking a Break in 2018

After careful consideration, it has been decided to make the Indiana Vision Expo a biennial event rather than an annual event. As such, there will be no Indiana Vision Expo this year; the event will return in 2019 and will continue every other year going forward.

Please feel free to share any feedback on past Vision Expos and ideas to improve the event in the future with us by email at tbbl@library.in.gov.

We sincerely apologize for any disappointment this might cause.

Sign Up Now to Download Books from BARD

There are over 84,000 books available for patrons to download, free of charge, from the BARD website. Also, with BARD Express and the BARD Mobile apps for iOS, Android, and Kindle devices, downloading books from BARD has never been easier. Here are a just a few of the many ways BARD can benefit you:

· Never wait on the mail again. With BARD, when your current book ends on a cliffhanger, you can download the next book in the series (if it is out yet) immediately!

· Take your books with you. You can listen to books using BARD Mobile on your cell phone as you go about your day.

· Older titles available through BARD. The collection of NLS’s digitized cassette books is available on BARD. This includes many old books by favorites such as Rex Stout and Louis L’Amour.

· Download a copy of the King James Bible (DB68777), which will never need to be returned.

Summer Reading Returns!

Summer reading is just around the corner for our young patrons ages 4-18. Our theme this year will be “Libraries Rock!” and will run from May 29^th to July 30^th. Any audio, braille, or large print book borrowed from the library during that period will count towards the reader’s total. This includes braille and audio books downloaded through the BARD website or mobile app. Prizes will be awarded to all participants. Each eligible reader will be contacted regarding the program. Look for more details on our website in coming weeks, including printable applications and reading lists.

Still Time to Apply for a 2018 Technology Grant

Applications are still being accepted for the 2018 Technology Grant from the Indiana State Library Foundation. The purpose of this grant is to provide monetary reimbursement towards the purchase of an assistive technology device of the grant recipient’s choosing. Applications will be accepted until the money allotted for the year has been awarded. For more information, including application instructions, please visit our website at http://www.in.gov/library/5442.htm.

New Books from Indiana Voices

IDB00173 Indiana Beach: A Fun Filled History by W.C. Madden

From its humble beginnings as a place to swim and row a boat, Ideal Beach eventually became Indiana Beach, a small amusement park where families could have good old-fashioned fun. Founded by Earl Spackman in 1926, its popularity was bolstered by the addition of a dance hall that drew the top bands of the nation during the Depression and war years of the 1940s. When Earl passed away, his son Tom continued his legacy.

IDB00165 The Dillinger Days by John Toland

For thirteen violent months in the 1930s, John Dillinger and his gang swept through the Midwest. Dillinger's daring escapes and his countless bank robberies excited the imagination of a despondent country and earned him the dubious honor of being Public Enemy Number One. His brief but significant career is vividly chronicled here in extraordinary detail.

IDB00164 The Bears of Blue River by Charles Major

The Bears of Blue River, set in 19^th century Indiana, follows the adventures of a young boy named Balser Brent. Brent loves hunting wild animals, especially bears. The mischievous Balser spends most of his time in the forest, finding himself in many dangerous situations, often of his own devising.

Patron Survey

Please take a few minutes to fill out our user survey. This survey is focused on the library’s outreach efforts. Once you are finished with the survey, detach the survey from the newsletter, fold it so our address is facing out, and return it to us by mail. For your convenience, it is pre-addressed and stamped.

1. Are you a patron of the Indiana Talking Book & Braille Library?

_____ Yes _____ Other (please specify) ______________________

2. Please mark the types of material you receive from the library:

_____ Audio Books _____ I download books _____ Braille Books

_____ Large Print Books _____ Magazines

3. On average, how often do you borrow books from the library?

_____ Daily _____ Weekly _____ Monthly ____ Once a year

4. What is your preferred means of communication with the library?

_____ Phone _____ Email _____ Social Media

_____ I do not communicate with the library

5. Do you use social media?

_____ Yes _____ No

6. If yes, which social media sites do you prefer?

_____ Facebook _____ Twitter _____ Instagram

_____ YouTube _____ Other, please specify:_________________

7. How often do you use social media?

_____ Daily _____ Weekly _____ Monthly _____ Never

8. Would you watch videos on social media sites about Talking Book patron, staff members, volunteers, etc?

_____ Yes _____ Maybe _____ No

9. Would you like to see Talking Books host more events at the Indiana State Library? If so, what types of events?

_____ Yes _____ No

10. If yes, what type of events? _____________________________________

11. How important is it that Talking Books create a community of its patrons, whether online or in-person?

_____ Very important _____ Somewhat important _____ Not Important

__________________________________________________________________

Indiana Talking Book Free Matter

and Braille Library for the Blind

140 N. Senate Ave.

Indianapolis, IN 46204

Indiana Talking Book & Braille Library

Indiana State Library

140 N. Senate Ave.

Indianapolis, IN 46204

NLS Launches New, Nationwide Marketing Campaign

Recently, NLS launched a new marketing campaign aimed at increasing awareness of the Talking Book program. Ads have been running on TV and radio stations such as National Public Radio, the History Channel, and the Hallmark channel; they will be running in three week intervals through late 2019.

You can help spread the word about Talking Books to friends and family members who could benefit from the program by talking to them about it or by sharing the commercial. You can view the commercial on the NLS Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ThatAllMayRead/.

Spring Cleaning for Talking Book Items

Spring is a great time to check your closets, under your bed, or anywhere else you might have old or overdue Talking Book materials. If you are a long term talking book patron and still have an old yellow cassette player or green cassette tapes you are no longer using, please return them to the library. The current Talking Book player, which all patrons who receive audiobooks are using, is black and has a moon shaped button on it. This does not need to be returned.

If you do find books or equipment you did not know you had, there is no reason to panic as there are never any overdue fines or fees on our materials. Simply flip the cards around and return them in the mail like you normally would.

Book Recommendations

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan (DB 88107, BR 21988)

Since the day his fiancée died forty years ago, Anthony Peardew became a self-appointed keeper of lost things. Laura takes a job as his assistant and, upon his sudden death, she is charged with reuniting items from Anthony's collection with their owners. Strong language.

Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley (DB 85389, BR 21611)

Ted Flask is an aging writer whose best friend is a dachshund named Lily. They live a quiet, happy life together until Lily is stricken with a brain tumor that Ted thinks of as an octopus. Ted fights for Lily, confronting the monster trying to take his companion. Some strong language.

Thomas Murphy by Roger Rosenblatt (DB 87005)

Thomas Murphy, an aging Irishman now living on Manhattan's Upper West Side, is a poet who teaches writing to the homeless. Although his daughter fears that he is losing his memory, Murphy continues to visit his usual haunts, finding an unexpected new connection with a blind woman named Sarah. Some strong language.

City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World's Largest Refugee Camp by Ben Rawlence (DB 85749, BR 21709)

A portrayal of the lives of nine occupants of the Dadaab refugee camp in the inhospitable deserts of northern Kenya, where only thorn bushes grow. Those profiled include a former child soldier, a schoolgirl, and a man who scrapes together a living by pushing a wheelbarrow. Some violence.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (DB 87829)

Socially awkward and perpetually cranky, Eleanor works a boring office job and avoids dealing with other people whenever possible. She begins to open up after she develops a crush on a local musician and also becomes friendly with Raymond, the new IT guy.

The Horse Dancer by Jojo Moyes (DB 87713)

Lawyer Natasha is facing trouble at work while also forced to share a house with her ex-husband, Mac. In her work with troubled teens, Natasha meets Sarah. Taking Sarah under her wing means taking on Boo as well, a horse Sarah's grandfather gave her. Unrated.

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 Calendar:

Tuesday May 8, 2018 Library Closed

Monday May 28, 2018 Library Closed

Wednesday July 4, 2018 Library Closed

Monday September 3, 2018 Library Closed

Monday October 8, 2018 Library Closed

Tuesday November 6, 2018 Library Closed

Monday November 12, 2018 Library Closed

Thursday November 22, 2018 Library Closed

Friday November 23, 2018 Library Closed

Monday December 24, 2018 Library Closed

Tuesday December 25, 2018 Library Closed

Indiana Talking Book and Braille Library Hours:

Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

__________________________________________________________

Indiana Talking Book Free Matter

and Braille Library for the Blind

140 N. Senate Ave.

Indianapolis, IN 46204