An Interactive version and a PDF version of this newsletter are available at http://libraryusers.tripod.com. LIBRARY USERS OF AMERICA, INC. Spring 2003 Newsletter Acting President: Sharon Strzalkowski 127 June St., Apt. 3 Worcester, MA 01602 Tel. 508-363-3866 strzal@charter.net Acting Editor: Winifred Downing 1587 38th Ave. San Francisco, CA 94122 Tel. 415-564-5798 wmdowning@mindspring.com LUA Website: http://libraryusers.tripod.com Library Users of America, Inc. is a Special Interest Affiliate of the American Council of the Blind TABLE OF CONTENTS >From The Editor, by Winifred Downing The Convention And Beyond, by Sharon Strzalkowski ACB Radio And Audible Books, by Jonathan Mosen First PC E-Book Reading Program, submitted by Patricia Price Book Reviews From Librarytalk.Com. by David Faucheux Ties That Bind, Ties That Break Tea Anyone? Handyman School For the Blind In Poland Enjoying A Virtual Multimedia Library, submitted by Patricia Price Digital Talking Books, A Progress Report, submitted by Winifred Downing Cleveland Library Lending E-Books Online, submitted by Patricia Price A Retrospective On Alexander Scourby, submitted by Winifred Downing Lutheran Library For The Blind and the Lutheran Braille Workers, by Winifred Downing A Unique Middle East Braille Newspaper, submitted by Patricia Price Library of Congress Begins Effort To Protect Recordings, by Elizabeth Olson Office Depot Now Offers Large Print Books, submitted by Patricia Price LUA Officers and Board of Directors FROM THE EDITOR by Winifred Downing In an effort to atone for the rather erratic schedule of newsletters from the Library Users of America, Patricia Price and I have prepared an issue which will be in your mailbox with the passage of only weeks, not months, since the last issue. That Winter edition, too, was prepared to address the same problem, since it was considerably longer than previous newsletters. In the work we have done with the newsletters, our primary objective has been to supply our readers with material that is for the most part not otherwise available to them. Pat Price is extremely skillful in her use of the Internet and watches carefully for items that are unusual and particularly interesting. I am indebted to her for many of the articles in this issue. As you will realize when you read the next piece (written by Sharon Strzalkowski, acting president), having Library Users of America continue as an ACB affiliate depends upon finding members to share in the work of the organization. Please offer to help as officers, board members, or newsletter editor if you want LUA to continue. Contact information for the present officers and board members is given at the end of this newsletter, so please feel free to call or write any of us. THE CONVENTION AND BEYOND by Sharon Strzalkowski I am writing this little note to you, our members, as acting president of LUA. First, I’d like to share with you the good news about our upcoming convention in Pittsburgh. We meet on Monday, July 7, and Wednesday, July 9, and have some interesting speakers on the program! They include a book reviewer from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Kim Charlson describing the history of NLS, a representative of Recorded Books for the Blind and Dyslexic, and, of course, a talking book narrator (to be announced.) As usual, we will have our now famous wine and cheese party on Monday afternoon after the session, but we will not be conducting a raffle this year because of stringent legal requirements in Pennsylvania and the county in which Pittsburgh is located that our affiliate cannot meet. Now I come to the hard part of this letter. We are faced with the decision about whether LUA should continue as a special interest affiliate. Membership has unfortunately declined, and board leadership has been very hard to come by in spite of a few very dedicated people. Our mission is now somewhat unclear as well; for it seems that NLS is well aware of ACB membership and that most people surveyed seem content with the NLS program. As articles in this newsletter attest, there are now many sources for books not associated with libraries at all. It will be extremely important for those attending the convention to be present at our Monday afternoon business meeting to discuss this possible dissolution. For our many members who cannot be in Pittsburgh, I welcome your comments so that I can bring them to the pre-convention board meeting on Sunday morning, July 6. You may contact me at 127 June St., Apt. 3, Worcester, MA 01602; telephone (508) 363-3866; e-mail strzal@charter.net. If there is overwhelming support to continue this affiliate and if leaders step up to the plate, those factors will be considered, of course. The decision rests with all of us, so please speak up. We all thank you for your help in this matter. Because we don’t know what will be decided, we have appointed a Nominating Committee to select officers. The chair is Rachel Ames, 898 S. Hill Ave., Fayetteville, AR 72701; telephone (479) 521-9676; e-mail silverbd1@aol.com. Please let her know if you are willing to be an officer or board member or know any other member who is interested. ACB RADIO AND AUDIBLE BOOKS by Jonathan Mosen ACB Radio is pleased to announce a partnership with Audible.com. Audible offers thousands of hours of spoken word audio, ranging from the latest best sellers to self-improvement material to daily newspapers. In phase one of this partnership, ACB Radio will be offering some great deals from Audible. And if you subscribe to an Audible Listener plan through ACB Radio, it helps us continue to bring you your favourite shows. If you visit http://www.acbradio.org/audible.html you can receive a free best seller when you become an Audible listener. And, if you subscribe to an Audible Listener plan for a year, you’ll get an Otis MP3 player absolutely free! The Otis plays MP3 files as well as Audible content. In the future, ACB Radio and Audible are looking at establishing a partnership that would see some ACB Radio material carried by Audible. Before we proceed, we would be keen to know how much interest there is in this. Would you subscribe, for example, to Main Menu via Audible? The primary advantage of doing this is that it could be automatically sent to you through the Audible Manager whenever it is available; and of course when you send Audible material to your Otis, it remembers your place when you stop. We hope you enjoy these great offers that give you excellent value from Audible and support ACB Radio at the same time. Remember, visit http://www.acbradio.org/audible.html FIRST PC E-BOOK BRAILLE READING PROGRAM submitted by Patricia Price WB-View, NLS’s new Web-Braille viewer, a software program designed specifically to read electronic braille books on the PC, is now available. For several years, people have enjoyed electronic books using software that simulates reading traditional books. Until now, however, readers of electronic braille books have had to use ASCII text programs, such as Notepad, that are not suitable for braille formatting. WB-View, designed specifically for use with braille, will increase the facility and flexibility of reading electronic braille books. The program affords many benefits to readers. It allows the user to flip through the pages of a book by braille page, which is oftentimes shorter than a print page. Additional features of the WB-View program include: automatic return to the last line read when a volume is reopened support for up to ten bookmarks to be saved when a volume is closed the ability to open all volumes of a book by opening any one of its volumes a unique auto-read function that allows the user to set the speed at which the braille display will advance, depending on the length of the line automatic launch of WB-View in association with .brf and .brl Windows files support for find and find again commands, which will leave the braille display ready for reading at the found position Not restricted only to braille files, WB-View also provides a similar reading experience with plain text files. WB-View’s development was funded by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped to facilitate access to its own electronic braille book collection, known as Web-Braille. WB-View is designed to work with all popular screen readers and refreshable braille displays. WB-View sells for $69. Contact: Computers & Assistive Technologies, Inc. Tel: 772- 546-8950 or 772-546-2473 Monday through Friday, 9:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Eastern time. E-Mail: sales@computerassistivetech.com. BOOK REVIEWS FROM LIBRARYTALK.COM by David Faucheux Anyone, whether he or she is a LUA member or not, can access the two sites that concern library users. http://libraryusers.tripod.com contains the formal documents concerning the organization: bylaws, newsletters, list of officers and board members, etc. The second site provides an opportunity for persons interested in libraries and the availability of books to exchange information and opinions. To subscribe, send a blank e-mail message to librarytalk-subscribe@topica.com. One of the most frequent contributors to Librarytalk is David Faucheux who often comments on books, talking book narrators, and library practices. Of his own reading background, he says, “I have always loved to read; I’m a biblioholic. Braille and recorded books take me places and show me things I would otherwise never get to encounter. They see for me by their descriptions, their vivid word pictures, and lyrical prose. They befriend me when I’m lonely, educate me when I’m curious, and amuse me when I’m in a blue mood. I have always known I could pick up a book and for a time be in a better or at least a different place. Books don’t judge, ignore, or marginalize us. According to Henry Petroski, author of The Book on the Bookshelf, ‘Books spend a lot of time on bookshelves, hanging around near the curb, as it were, waiting for someone to come along with an idea for something to do.’” “I remember hours of endless summer reading offset by eagerly anticipating the next book in the mail from the NLS-affiliated library in Baton Rouge and going crazy with boredom when a shipment did not arrive. I recall having my aunt look up words in her encyclopedia during long weekend visits. I still have memories of the excitement during junior high school study hall of having the 145-volume 1959 edition Braille World Book literally at my fingertips along with a multi-volume Webster’s dictionary. We were not allowed to take any of the volumes out of the building but I often did, just grabbed a volume at random, tucked it among my school books, and after doing homework, skimming through it that night to see what lexicographical and etymological adventures awaited.” Here are mini-reviews of several books from David. As talking book readers, no words are spelled in recorded productions so that there is no way to establish the correct spelling of proper names. Both David and your editor have done their best and depend on your indulgence. TIES THAT BIND, TIES THAT BREAK In Ties That Bind, Ties That Break, (RC 51160 narrated by Kristin Allison), Lensey Namioka explores the price society is and is not willing to pay for beauty. When the book opens, Ailin, a five-year-old Chinese girl, is determined not to have her feet bound because she is repelled by the sight of her older sister’s mutilated feet. Upper class Chinese women, even into the early 20th century, were pressured to have small feet upon which they could scarcely totter around using a gait that their men were supposed to find irresistible and sexy. Ailin has it her way but does pay a different price. She attends school; angers her uncle, the head of the family after her father dies; and flees to California as a nanny. Rich with period details, the book has you routing for Ailin. It will delight you. TEA ANYONE? Victoria Holt is one of those writers who can tell a good tale. I envy her ability to concoct Gothic suspense and weave it with a little history. In The Spring of the Tiger, she tells the story of Sarah Ashington, the sheltered daughter of a celebrated London actress. Scandal ends her mother’s tumultuous theatrical reign forcing them to live with two spinster aunts at Ashington Grange. Things are not so sanguine in the country. Sarah’s mother mysteriously dies, and an intoxicating stranger appears along with Sarah’s father, a tea planter in Ceylon visiting England to seek medical advice. The father dies, Sarah marries the stranger, and is off to Ceylon, now Sri Lanca. In Ceylon, she must determine who is trying to kill her. Could it be her husband’s mistress, a servant, a friend from England, a pearl necklace, or an overwrought imagination? If you like intrigue spiced with a touch of adventure, romance and a little of the exotic, read on. If you enjoy a good narrator, Connie Meng makes the accents come alive. She does the slightly whiney tones of Sarah’s nephew superbly as well as the accents of the native Ceylonese. Enjoy. The book is available in both Braille and on cassette: BR 04193 RC 13970. HANDYMAN (RC 51543( In her debut novel, Handyman, Linda Nichols takes a fresh look at the oldest story of all. Twenty-something single mom, Maggie, is burdened by a lascivious boss, a dead-end job, and a going-nowhere life. Her pushy friend Gina decides to change all that and signs her up for a three-week therapy overhaul with California pop psychology guru Jason Golding. Their first session is wonderful. Dr. Golding is gorgeous, attentive, considerate, and warm. There is just a nanoscopic detail: Dr. Golding isn’t Dr. Golding. He is Jake Cooper, a remodeling contractor. How Jake and the shrink switch places, how Maggie comes to realize her shrink is a carpenter, and how both handle the friends in their lives make interesting reading. I don’t often read romance fiction but made an exception for this novel because it sounded amusing, and I was feeling a bit blue. I’m glad I did. It runs about 4 hours and 48 minutes if you play it at 1-7/8 ips speed on your 4-track player. The reader/narrator, Susan McInerney, sounds as though she is enjoying herself. Certain reader/narrators have that ability. Merwin Smith, Aztec; Laura Giannarelli, Louis the Beloved; and Patrick Horgon, Shogun come instantly to mind. I enjoyed the way this author fleshed out not only the main characters but also the supporting players. Maggie’s friend Gina is shown as a pint-sized Napoleon ready to conquer everything in her way; she wants to know everything about Dr. Golding only to become highly put out at what kind of therapeutic treatment Maggie is getting that Gina did not. Jake’s ex-girlfriend, Lindsey, is the classic self-help fixation gone narcissistically overboard. This high-powered, golden girl journals validates and honors her feelings and even does battle with her sabotaging shadow self. She contemplates a weekend at a spa for rolfing, aroma therapy, music therapy, light therapy, ear candling, macrobiotic counseling, acupressure massage, hot and cold stone therapy, chokra work, body wrapping, reflexology, and colonic cleansing. Lucky her, Maggie’s son, Tim, is funny in that unself-conscious way of most four-year-olds. He wears his superman cape and peers at the world trustingly through his big glasses. If you’d like a shrink who doesn’t run late for appointments, forgets the names of your meds, gets interrupted during office visits, and really cares, read on. Jake is your handyman. “He fixes broken hearts with his compass and rule. He fixes broken hearts, he’s no fool”. Yes he really can, as James Tailor sang. Read and find out just how skillful he is. SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND IN POLAND ENJOYING A VIRTUAL MULTIMEDIA LIBRARY submitted by Patricia Price Three hundred pupils at the Laski School for the Blind in Poland and 500 other registered readers are enthusiastically using a new virtual multimedia library system. Currently they can choose from approximately 2,000 publications in the Polish language. The Computer Science Department at the Silesian University of Technology at Gliwice, Poland, has developed this unique management system for an Internet multimedia library that is totally accessible to low vision and blind patrons who use access devices such as ZoomText, Window-Eyes, and JAWS. All Internet users can search the library catalog and browse detailed search results with information about found publications. This allows potential readers to get acquainted with offered publications and the user interface of the library system. All other services are available only to registered users. This guarantees secure and controlled access to offered publications. Users of the system are authorized during login with security user identification and password. Handicapped readers using standard web browsers and assistive software can search publications in the catalog by title and author. An advanced search form allows specifying additional search conditions such as publication category, preferred format, language, publisher and key words. The system also offers searching for publications in selected categories and new publications entered into the system. Since found publications are presented as a list, visually impaired readers can easily browse search results. After the publication title link is clicked on, the page with the detailed information about the publication is presented to the user. Readers can download publications to their local computer disk, browse publications online, add publications to the cart and browse its contents as in Internet shops. Publications collected in the cart can be ordered on the CD-ROM disks. This allows for the alternative way of delivering digital talking books to readers who do not have fast Internet access. Readers can also browse history of borrowed publications and suggest new publications for the library. DIGITAL TALKING BOOKS: PROGRESS TO DATE submitted by Winifred Downing Digital Talking Books: Progress to Date, May 2002, is a revision of Digital Talking Books: Planning for the Future, July 1998. Copies in braille, recorded and large-print formats were at first available on request, but only cassettes are being mailed now. Consult the Reference Section, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, The Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20542; telephone: (202) 707-9275; e-mail: nlsref@loc.gov BACKGROUND: On March 3, 1931, Congress authorized the Library of Congress to initiate the Books for the Adult Blind Project. On July 1 of the same year, the first braille titles for the collection were procured. In 1932 “talking books” were being developed for the Library of Congress by the American Foundation for the Blind, and a sound reproduction machine was produced in 1933. Free mailing of talking books was approved by Congress in 1934, and by 1935 the Library of Congress talking-book program was in full operation. >From its 1931 mandate to serve blind adults, the program was expanded in 1952 to include children, in 1962 to provide music materials, and again in 1966 to include individuals whose other physical impairments prevent their reading regular printed materials. >From an initial appropriation of $75,000 to be used for talking books, the national free library program’s funding has grown to $49.788 million in fiscal year 2002. Today under a special provision of the U.S. copyright law and with the permission of authors and publishers of works not covered by the provision, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) within the Library of Congress selects and produces full-length books and magazines in braille and on cassette. Reading materials are distributed to a cooperating network of regional and subregional libraries, where they are circulated to eligible borrowers. Reading materials and playback machines are sent to borrowers and returned to libraries by postage-free mail. U.S. citizens living abroad receive service directly from NLS in Washington, DC FUNDING: The NLS program is funded annually by the U.S. Congress. Regional and subregional libraries receive funding from federal, state, and local sources. Under an additional appropriation to the U.S. Postal Service, books and materials are mailed as “Free Matter for the Blind or Handicapped.” The combined expenditure for the program exceeds $160 million annually. ELIGIBILITY: Anyone unable to read or use standard printed materials as a result of temporary or permanent visual or physical limitation may receive service. In 1979, a survey sponsored by the Library of Congress found that two million persons with some type of visual impairment, and another one million with physical conditions such as paralysis, missing hands or arms, lack of muscle coordination, or prolonged weakness may be eligible to register for the service. BOOK AND MAGAZINE MATERIALS: NLS selects books on the basis of their appeal to a wide range of interests. Bestsellers, biographies, fiction, and how-to books are in great demand. Books in fifty-five languages constitute the collection. Registered borrowers learn of books newly added to the collection through two bimonthly publications. Using a union catalog available in computerized form, eligible readers have access to the entire NLS book collection as well as the resources of cooperating agencies worldwide. CONSUMER RELATIONS: A consumer relations office maintains regular contact with consumer groups and individual users of the program to identify and resolve service problems and to ensure that users’ needs are met. Consumers contribute to program development by participating in surveys, evaluating new equipment, and serving on advisory committees. Those with a technical aptitude are also welcome to participate in audio-book development discussions. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: The NLS research program aims to improve the quality of reading materials and playback equipment, control program costs, and reduce the time required to deliver services to users. Recent research activities include (1) an evaluation of the braille and audio magazine program, (2) the development of a standard for digital talking books (DTBs), (3) a study of the application of digital techniques to NLS recorded material, and (4) the thorough investigation of recent and potential audio technologies for use in the program. The DAISY (Digital Audio-based Information System) Consortium is working on many of the same issues surrounding the development of digital talking books. NLS is closely monitoring their work, participating in key committee meetings, and has included DAISY members in NISO (National Information Standards Organization) working groups. USERS: In FY01, 695,907 users read braille and audio books and periodicals. Of that number, 663,781 read both books and periodicals on audio cassettes and discs. AUDIO BOOK READING: Playback equipment is loaned free to readers for as long as they continue to borrow recorded materials provided by NLS and its cooperating libraries. Talking-book machines are designed to play disc books and magazines recorded at 8 rpm and 16 rpm; cassette machines are designed for cassettes recorded at 15/16 ips and the standard speed of 1-7/8 ips on 2 and 4 tracks. A reader with very limited mobility may request a playback machine with a remote-control unit. A hearing-impaired reader may be eligible for an auxiliary amplifier to use with headphones. A cassette machine designed primarily for persons with limited manual dexterity is available, as is one that plays both discs and cassettes. The inventory of active audio cassette machines is 713,082. In addition there are 167,550 disc players. Available audio and braille reading materials listed in the NLS union catalog exceed 390,000 audio titles in approximately 21 million copies. Of these 247,000 are audio files. FUTURE: Ever changing audio technology requires that NLS always be aware of developments in the field but prepare carefully for any desired or required systemic changes. Because any major change in the program will affect nearly three million eligible users and require several hundred million dollars in investment, all proposals for change must be carefully reviewed and evaluated. Usefulness, cost effectiveness, thoughtful stewardship, and educated oversight are the major criteria by which any audio reading program may be judged. Library of Congress/NLS professional staff work to apply these criteria to all facets of our program, with regular assistance from appropriate public- and private-sector experts. NLS senior staff, the Library of Congress/NLS approach to conversion to digitally based audio technology strive to be thorough, imaginative, and open to influence by appropriate audio-technology developments outside NLS. At NLS managers, engineers, technicians, librarians, and users contribute varying perspectives and talents to the challenge of developing the best possible talking-book program for the twenty-first century. Their combined efforts will result in a proposal for a Talking Book Digital Conversion Project, a project to find the best means of developing another cost-effective, user-friendly library program. At this writing the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped has determined that digital service will begin to be offered in April 2008. At that time 20,000 retrospective audio titles will be available in a digital form, with full digital production of current titles to commence in 2004. Thus, there will be more than 8,000 of these also available in 2008. NLS plans to have 50,000 digital sound reproducers available in 2008, with approximately 50,000 produced each year thereafter. In sum, the NLS staff works diligently to initiate a digital audio program in six years. SUMMARY: When do we change the system? When enough patrons demand it, AND When digital methods are cheaper than the current cassette-based system. What do we change to? Patrons and providers tell us with a standard and via consultation. We use new digital technology to best realize affordable expectations. How do we know it’s better? We offer software models of books and players for patron and provider appraisal. We use software modeling to compare all system costs, digital versus analog. (Editor’s note: This material on progress made in adopting digital talking books contains a detailed outline of the countless steps necessary to accomplish the massive conversion necessary to take advantage of this new technology and also a number of articles on various aspects of that process. The total document requires more than 30 print pages and so is far too lengthy for this newsletter, but patrons are urged to ask for the material from NLS so that they can read it carefully and, having understood the issues involved, make judgments and suggestions as appropriate. The 800 number for NLS is (800) 424-8567. The Web site where you can read the document is www.loc.gov/nls/technical/dtbprogress/index.html. Library users will want to take advantage of this opportunity to learn about the future of the service that has been of such value to us all in the past.) CLEVELAND LIBRARY LENDING E-BOOKS ONLINE submitted by Patricia Price The Cleveland Public Library (CPL) in Canada is launching an E-Book lending library that will allow patrons to download publications onto their PCs and personal digital assistants. It is believed to be the first program of its kind in a public library. The new e-Book collection, that went online in March, operates much the same as a traditional library loan. Patrons will need to have a CPL card to download books. Only a limited number of each E-Book will be available and, after a preset loan period, the E-Book will lock out the current reader so that another patron can check it out. About a thousand titles, including the latest bestsellers, will be available as E-Books. CPL Director Andrew Venable said the system would allow people to borrow books of all types “from the comfort of their home or office.” Libraries across North America, including the Richmond (B.C.) Library, have experimented with various approaches to lending E-books and reading devices. However, such projects have been slow to take off so far because of a lack of demand and publishers’ fears that works will be copied and distributed for free. For more information, go to: www.cpl.org/Locations.asp? formModeebooks A RETROSPECTIVE ON ALEXANDER SCOURBY submitted by Winifred Downing (Editor’s note: Talking Book narrators have always been of great interest to readers; and perhaps the most well-loved narrator of all time was Alexander Scourby. The reissue of books that he read has renewed readers’ admiration and interest, suggesting the inclusion in this newsletter of excerpts from an article in Dialogue, Winter, 2002 with an update furnished by Patricia Price, our Internet expert. A subscription to Dialogue can be obtained from Blindskills, Inc., P.O. Box 5181, Salem, OR 97304-0181. The publication is available in braille, large print, 4-track audiocassette, and IBM-compatible diskette.) Alexander Scourby was born in Brooklyn on November 13, 1913. He was of Greek parentage and the oldest son of a family of four children, two boys and two girls. He attended public and private schools in Brooklyn, and it was in high school that he first realized his theatrical ambitions through appearing in the school plays. After graduation, he went to West Virginia University but left at the end of one semester to return to New York and enroll as an apprentice at the Civic Repertory Theater which Eva Le Gallienne had launched a few years before and which was then at the height of its ambitious career. He engaged in student productions under the direction of the professional actors and appeared as a “walk-on” in some of the company’s own presentations. It was here that he acquired his excellent speech training. After completion of the course at the Civic Repertory, he and some other apprentices formed a troupe of their own which performed a series of continental plays as part of a course in the modern European drama at the New School of Social Research. Then, as is the way with the theater, the doldrums set in and Alex found himself for a year or two “helping out in the family’s bakery in Brooklyn, driving the pie wagon,” and otherwise biding his time. In the spring of 1936, however, he got his first chance in radio, as announcer and master of ceremonies for a program called The Cafe of the Red Dagger. He was criticized for sounding too much like Boake Carter and let go for failure to present his sponsor’s product with the proper persuasiveness. So, in the fall of the year, he jumped at the chance to play the Player King in Leslie Howard’s production of Hamlet. This was his first appearance on Broadway; but the play, although it was considered an artistic success, did not run long. Soon Alex was walking the streets, looking for work. It was on one of these walks that he met a friend who said, “Why don’t you drop over to the American Foundation for the Blind? They are recording some plays over there; they might be able to use you.” They were. Though Alex worked for the Foundation for many years and probably read more books than any other reader, he by no means neglected his career on the stage and in radio. In subsequent years, he was involved with many well-known programs and appeared on stage, in motion pictures, and then in television. In appearance, Scourby was dark complexioned. He was about 5 feet 11 with black wavy hair and hazel eyes. When he first came to work for the Foundation, he was wearing a moustache; and although he later shaved it off to please his family, it reappeared from time to time, usually as a sign that he was engaged in one of his mysterious activities such as rehearsing the part of General George McClellan or some other hirsute historical personage. However, on the rare occasions when he was well-dressed and shaved, he gave, with his dark hair and countenance, gleaming white teeth, and aquiline features, the appearance of a handsome and well-groomed wolf. Indeed he once played a wolf in a play about the Oedipus legend and was completely convincing. His wolf-like propensities, however, were confined to his appearance, for he was married happily to the actress Lori March and had a daughter whom they called Lexi but whose real name was Alexandra. They lived in an attractive apartment in uptown New York with a lovely view from the windows over the domes of Columbia University. Alexander Scourby died at the age of 71 on February 22, 1985 of a heart attack. In the NLS catalog, he is listed as the narrator for 238 books. His voice can still be heard on radio stations of a religious nature because of his reading of Scripture. THE LUTHERAN LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND AND THE LUTHERAN BRAILLE WORKERS by Winifred Downing At one of its meetings last year, the Board of Directors of the Library Users of America decided to feature in each semi-annual newsletter a major private library serving the blind. The first such article, “Jewish Braille Institute Expands Its Outreach,” appeared in the Spring, 2002 issue; and the second, “The Xavier Society for the Blind,” was featured in our last newsletter. Lovers of braille as a medium for books and magazines are especially pleased with the work done by the Lutheran Library for the Blind and the Lutheran Braille Workers. The library is in St. Louis, Missouri, with holdings of 2,750 braille, 400 large print, and 1300 audiocassette titles. Besides the books, the library distributes hymnals, catechisms, calendars, greeting cards, and a number of magazines. It serves 1,023 patrons who use braille, 1,179 who prefer large print, and 2,200 who choose cassettes. The list of braille patrons has escalated since three magazines of a religious nature have been discontinued in the last year. All materials are prepared by volunteers working in their own homes. Supported by individual donations and the Missouri Synod branch of the Lutheran Church, the library has extended its services in recent years by helping to establish groups of blind persons in major metropolitan areas where members study, assist each other in support groups, and socialize. In one urban area the group formed a choir. 18 of these small communities have been formed, and the church has the goal of establishing 100 such groups. Far across the country, another organization, the Lutheran Braille Workers in Yucaipa, California, is concerned primarily with providing Biblical material in English and a number of foreign languages that are perhaps unusual. By 1994, they had produced the Bible in Russian, Latvian, Estonian, and other Baltic languages; and currently are preparing Scriptures in Portuguese, Hungarian, Bengali, Burmese, and Malaysian. Their labors began, in fact, in 1943 with an appeal for the Bible in German because Hitler had destroyed what the church had done there. Here is the identifying information for both groups: Lutheran Library for the Blind, 1333 S. Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, MO 63122-7295; (1-800) 433-3954 Lutheran Braille Workers, Inc., P.O. Box 5000, Yucaipa, CA 92399-1450; (909) 795-8977 A UNIQUE MIDDLE EAST BRAILLE NEWSPAPER submitted by Patricia Price Believed to be the only Braille daily newspaper in the Middle East, Iran-e-Sepid, or White Iran, strives to promote knowledge among Iran’s blind and highlight the problems they face in daily life. Its priority is to improve the general knowledge of the blind so that being blind does not prevent them from knowing and learning what the “clear-sighted” know. It also seeks to promote the rights of the blind and familiarize others with how to respect and treat them. The problems of Iran’s blind are numerous. Many stem from Iran’s rules as an Islamic republic. Blind men and women have trouble meeting because of Islam’s strict separation of the sexes. Guide dogs are expensive, and dogs are regarded as unclean in Islam. Even navigating the streets in Tehran and other cities can be perilous because of the many potholes and bumps. The newspaper is classified as a reformist daily supporting President Mohammad Khatami’s program of social and political freedom. Consequently, Chief Editor Soheil Moeini, blind since a childhood accident, is cautious in his editing to avoid being shut down by Iran’s hard-line judiciary. The newspaper is operating in a region, and in a country, where the public has little understanding of the difficulties of those who are blind or visually impaired. The Iranians generally do not recognize or understand even the use of the white cane. While some do help, there are no laws in Iran to protect the rights of blind individuals. Launched in 1997, Iran-e-Sepid reaches more than 4,000 readers out of an estimated 500,000 blind Iranians. The paper carries a summary of the news, and inside pages focus on social and cultural issues, especially those related to the blind. It has five blind reporters, and most other staff also are blind. The newspaper publishes six days a week, operating with government subsidies. Unfortunately, its printing presses are old and worn out. Last year, they tried to buy modern Braille presses from the U.S. but were unable to do so because of U.S. sanctions against Iran for allegedly supporting terrorism, a charge Iran rejects. “We had hoped that Americans would have excluded braille presses from sanctions as it runs contrary to humanitarian purposes,” Moeini commented. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS BEGINS EFFORT TO PROTECT RECORDINGS by Elizabeth Olson The New York Times, Tuesday, January 28, 2003 The Library of Congress, in its first step to preserve American sound recordings that span the last century, said today that it had selected 50 recordings to start a national registry. “Choosing only 50 was a difficult task and is not meant to be another Grammy Awards or best of list,” said James W. Billington, the librarian of Congress. Among the familiar choices are “Stars and Stripes Forever” from 1897, the first recording of John Philip Sousa’s march; ragtime music that Scott Joplin played in the early 1900’s for piano roll sales, and Franklin D. Roosevelt’s radio “Fireside Chats” from 1933 to 1944. The recordings, chosen from public submissions and internal recommendations, include jazz from Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie, as well as recordings from Elvis Presley, Ray Charles and Bob Dylan. There is also a rap track, “The Message,” a 1982 hit by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. While rap is not a favorite of Dr. Billington unlike Enrico Caruso’s popular 1907 recording of the aria “Vesti la giubba,” which is also on the list, he said it was part of the American cultural heritage. The registry was mandated by Congress in the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000 and is modeled on the Library of Congress film project to preserve important American movies. “At least half the recordings on wax cylinders between 1888 and 1920 have been lost,” Dr. Billington said. “You can’t clean off the mold and hear the recording,” said Dr. Billington holding up a decrepit cylinder. “The mold has eaten through,” causing treasures like 1890 recordings by Mark Twain to be irretrievable. A foundation to be headed by William Ivey, past president of the National Endowment for the Arts, will try to find the best recordings of the 50 selections and copy the original master. The library, which has 2.6 million recordings, is converting to a digital preservation system. More information can be found at www.loc.gov/rr/record/nrpb. OFFICE DEPOT NOW OFFERS LARGE PRINT BOOKS submitted by Patricia Price Until now, the Virginia M. Woolf Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides books on CDs through its Text-Key website, has emphasized the availability of their 28- and 48-point type books for reading on a computer screen without scrolling. To print these large type sizes on paper can require from 500 to 30,000 pages, depending upon the length of the book and the point size selected. It isn’t practical, therefore, to use home computer printers for this purpose. Now, however, through a special partnership with Office Depot, anyone with a Virginia M. Woolf Foundation CD will be able to take it to a local Office Depot location and order a hard copy printout of the entire book or just a part of it for four cents per page - a special discount price of almost 50%. To reduce the number of pages, double sided printing is available for eight cents per page. Binding is also available with a 10 percent discount. The book will be ready for pickup in 48 hours. Schools and libraries should find this service of special value to their students and patrons. The CDs can be purchased for $11.50 from Vision World Wide, the Braille Institute, the Center for the Partially Sighted, and through the Foundation’s website at www.text-key.com. Each CD contains 5 versions of a book. There are versions in 28- and 48-point type suitable for reading on a computer screen without scrolling. Two additional versions are provided in those type sizes suitable for printing. Another version is used by screen readers for the blind. For a complete listing of available titles, visit the Foundation’s website. If you decide to buy, Vision World Wide will appreciate your stating that you read about this offer in the Vision Webletter. Contact: Virginia M. Woolf Foundation: Mike Gold at E-Mail: mgold@text-key.com. Web: www.text-key.com. OFFICERS 2001-2003 Acting President: Sharon Strzalkowski 127 June St., Apt. 3 Worcester, MA 01602 (508) 363-3866 strzal@charter.net Secretary: Paul Edwards 20330 NE 20th Court Miami, FL 33179 (305) 692-9206 edwpaul@concentric.net Treasurer: Patricia Price 5707 Brockton Drive, 302 Indianapolis, IN 46220 (317) 254-1185 pprice@indy.rr.com Immediate Past President: Winifred Downing 1587 38th Ave. San Francisco, CA 94122 (415) 564-5798 wmdowning@mindspring.com DIRECTORS 2002-2004 Rachel Ames 898 S. Hill Ave. Fayetteville, AR 72701 (479) 521-9676 silverbd1@aol.com Michael Garrett 4427 Knottynold Houston, TX 77053 (713) 433-4911 concepts@flash.net Barry Levine Functional Therapy & Rehab P.C. 14301 Golden Oak Drive Homer Glen, IL 60441 (708) 645-7700 (W) barry@functionaltherapy.net Jill O’Connell 279 Church Lane Carlotta, CA 95528-9715 (707) 768-3254 jillocon@northcoast.com John Taylor 2012 40th Place Des Moines, IA 50310 (515) 279-2817 teriretir@aol.com Looking Forward To Seeing All of You in Pittsburgh in July! LUA Board The End ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: jcsheehan@comcast.net EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bUrBzv.bWgGtD.amNzaGVl Or send an email to: LibraryUsers-unsubscribe@topica.com TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/create/index2.html ==^================================================================