Volume 9, May 23, 2013 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) LAST CHANCE TO FILL THE BASKET FOR WTBBL

2) DIGITAL LITERACY HELP FROM WSL

3) OCLC ILL MIGRATION UPDATE

4) GRANTS FOR STEM EARLY LEARNING

5) SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMMING COMPETITION

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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Danielle Miller, Manager, Washington Talking Book & Braille Library

Danielle Miller is the Manager of the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL) located in Seattle, WA. She joined the Washington State Library a division of the Office of the Secretary of State in 2008 and became the first manager of WTBBL as a direct service of the Washington State Library.

WTBBL staff have deep feelings toward Danielle, and among them shipping page Marah says, “Danielle is great with the amount of recognition and support she gives us…a reminder that our daily routines are appreciated and needed.” Readers Advisor Shannon says, “she brings energy and vitality into the office every time she walks through the door. “ Librarian Eura says, “Empowering is something that Danielle takes to her heart whether working with our patrons or staff at WTBBL. Danielle’s direction and leadership allow WTBBL staff to thrive, find innovative solutions to problems and, even during trying budget times, remain a warm workplace family.” Librarian Mandy says “She is the force behind our outreach into the community and the pole that supports our ongoing efforts to share our service and mission throughout Washington State. “ And shipping page Bonnie says “Thank you for encouraging us at work, cheering us on, making us feel special.”

In a recent WTBBL newsletter profile, Danielle described herself this way: “I became a librarian because I couldn’t decide on anything else. I love languages, science, medicine, botany, zoology, medieval French history, math, photography and drawing, teaching…you get the picture. I also love helping people to help themselves.

One day I discovered that as a librarian, you have the opportunity to help others and there are endless chances to learn a bit about thousands of things you never thought you would know about. For example, once at the public library, I had a gentleman ask me how he could ‘become the master of static.’ That was a new one for me and one of the many examples of why this profession never gets old.

I can safely say that my work at WTBBL is the best job I’ve ever had and I’m constantly aware of how lucky I am to work with all of you good people.”

“”Danielle has created a strong bond with our partners and constituents,” Rand Simmons State Librarian noted. “She has an amazing ability to get people to work together.”

“With Danielle Miller’s appointment as Director of WTBBL in 2008 a breath of fresh air and a new sense of energy and a positive spirit came in to WTBBL” said Sue Ammeter, Chair of the WTBBL Patron Advisory Council.  “This was evidenced by the fact that WTBBL received the 2009 Network Library of the Year Award from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.  Danielle believes that WTBBL patrons should have the same right of equal access as all other library users,”  Sue added. “We are indeed fortunate to have such an innovative and progressive person as our Director.”    

Thank you, Danielle, for your zeal and drive in moving forward service to all people of Washington.

Volume 9, May 16, 2013 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) SHARE YOUR EXPERTISE AT THE 2013 WALE CONFERENCE

2) WTBBL NEEDS YOU TO FILL THE BASKET!

3) OUTREACH GRANTS FOR DISASTER HEALTH INFORMATION

4) HELP CELEBRATE TWO GREAT BIRTHDAYS

5) SURVEY FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE INSTITUTIONS

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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Volume 9, May 9, 2013 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) PIERCE COUNTY WINS NATIONAL MEDAL

2) FILL THE BASKET AND SUPPORT WTBBL

3) GOT GENEALOGISTS? GET TIPS AT JUNE’S FIRST TUESDAYS

4) HELP WASHINGTON’S CHILDREN TO REACH OUT AND READ

5) CCC SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ACADEMIC LIBRARIANS

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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Volume 9, May 2, 2013 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) FIRST TUESDAYS – SPOTLIGHT ON FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES

2) PUT SOME APPLES IN THE BASKET FOR WTBBL

3) SDL PROQUEST RENEWAL

4) REGISTER FOR THE FREE OLYMPIA DISASTER WORKSHOP

5) CAYAS SPRING WORKSHOP COMES TO SEATTLE AND SPOKANE

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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Local author Kevin O’Brien spoke at the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library for Library Snapshot Day.

On Thursday, April 18, 2013 the Washington State Library participated in Washington Library Snapshot Day–a statewide effort to promote the important work libraries do every day. We collected usage statistics, customer comments, and photographs depicting everyday activities at the Washington State Library, its 17 branches, and the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library.

On Library Snapshot Day, the Washington State Library, including its branches throughout the state:

• Was open for business for a total of 77.5 hours.
• Answered 509 reference questions.
• Was visited by 841 patrons (in-person).
• Received 1,151 unique visitors to its website.
• Circulated 3,453 items.
• Provided 72 individual sessions to persons needing to use computers or access the Internet.
• Mailed out 77 items for interlibrary loan.

WSL Special Collections Librarian Sean Lanksbury shows a new collection of Washington fruit box labels to Assistant Secretary of State, Ken Raske.

A few more numbers:

• Washington library patrons asked 121 questions using the Ask-WA virtual reference service; libraries across the state answered 115 questions from around the world.
• Our Digital Collections and Resources received 2,744 visits.
• WSL and WTBBL each hosted local author programs, seeing a total of 70 attendees.
• The Washington Talking Book and Braille Library saw 99.75 volunteer hours for the day.

All in a day’s work!

For more great snapshots of life at the Washington State Library, click here.

It’s National Library Week and also Library Snapshot Day! Today we feature our Washington Talking Book & Braille Library located in Seattle, Washington.

2013 Washington Talking Book & Braille Library staff

Do you know someone who can’t read standard print?  Someone who is blind, visually impaired, can’t hold a book or turn pages, or has a reading disability?  Then you know someone who needs the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL)!  We are the only library in Washington providing uniquely tailored library and information services for those who can’t read standard print material. 

We mail books in audio, braille, and large print across the state and have audio and braille books available for our patrons to download.  WTBBL also has youth services programming, reference, technology instruction and training, book clubs, organizational accounts available for public libraries, schools, retirement homes and much, much more. 

(left to right) Germaine Covington (Master of Ceremonies), Danielle Miller (WTBBL Program Manager), Quincy (WTBBL Patron) and Mayor Mike McGinn

In 2012 WTBBL was honored with the Mayor’s Award and Proclamation for its work empowering individuals with disabilities.  Mayor Mike McGinn proclaimed June 5 as Washington Talking Book & Braille Library Day. 

Visit our website (www.wtbbl.org), like us on facebook (www.facebook.com/WTBBL), or visit us in downtown Seattle to learn more about this amazing library and the people who count on it day after day.

Rocio Franklin, as Washington Talking Book & Braille Library’s Receptionist, has one of the most important jobs at the library. Her smiling face and voice greet our volunteers, visitors and patrons when they enter the library and her cheerful voice welcomes all incoming calls to WTBBL’s main phone line.  “Rocio is like a ball of sunshine. She brings a special warmth, kindness, and humor to WTBBL,” says Danielle Miller, WTBBL’s Program Manager. This perfectly describes Rocio and why she is such a treasure to the library. When Rocio’s colleagues are asked to describe her, her willingness to take on new tasks and projects is repeatedly mentioned.  Rocio’s tireless dedication, optimistic spirit and never-ending creativity have made her one of the most celebrated members of the WTBBL team.

While Rocio’s title is Receptionist, she takes on many administrative and clerical tasks to assist the patrons of the library. Since she moved from the position of Custodian to Receptionist in 2009, Rocio has become the point person working with OSOS purchasing to keep WTBBL stocked with supplies, assisted with two summer reading programs and has become a major part of the team that processes donations for WTBBL.

Rocio, a native Spanish speaker, has also become the library’s translator and a lifesaver for our Spanish speaking patrons. “She has made it a special mission to reach out to our Spanish speaking patrons, welcoming them and ensuring their library service is muy bueno!,” adds Danielle Miller. She has since become a de facto reader’s advisor for this important group of patrons, who in many cases did not fully benefit from the service before her efforts.

Rocio translates all of our print material into Spanish and took the initiative to call the parents of our young Spanish language patrons to ensure the parents received materials to remain a part of their child’s reading life. In April of 2012, Rocio suggested and spearheaded WTBBL’s first celebration of Dia de los Niños/Dia de los Libros, which included packets of her personal story from her childhood experiences of Dia de los Niños in Mexico.  Every WTBBL child received the packet and Rocio created a marvelous display to capture the celebration for visitors to the library.

Tyler Kaye, WTBBL’s Patron Registrar, says it best: “Working at the front desk is often like being an air-traffic controller. You’ve got to efficiently direct telephone calls, visitors, and volunteers to where they need to be. It can be a pretty stressful task, but Rocio always handles it with grace.” Rocio’s graceful handling of all patrons and volunteers and her motivation to assist in all areas of the library has made Rocio an irreplaceable member of the WTBBL, WSL and OSOS team.

Alan Bentson is one of the two Readers Advisors at the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL). There are not many blind people working as readers advisors within the the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped program of the Library of Congress, so we are proud to have him working here, along with his colleague Wes Derby.

He was born in 1952 in Silver Spring, Maryland, but he grew up and got his education in Colorado. He went to public school until 10th grade, and completed high school at the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind in Colorado Springs. “I benefitted from going to school in both environments,” he said. “I think all blind children would broaden their horizons by experiencing both forms of education.” He later majored in English at Colorado College.

Alan’s start with WTBBL was a natural fit. “When I moved to Bremerton in 1981,” he said, “practically the first thing I did was contact the WTBBL to see if they needed volunteers, and I’ve been there in one capacity or another ever since.” “Now in his 31^st year working at WTBBL, Alan teaches me something every day,” says program manager Danielle Miller.

He worked for WTBBL as a page for two years, and then started as a full-time Readers Advisor in January 1987, a time when talking computers were still in their early stages of development. “When I started, we didn’t have email or Internet or braille displays. I couldn’t even transfer calls or put people on hold. The changes in my job have been amazing.”

Alan takes book requests, searches for titles that aren’t listed in the library’s catalog, enters information into the catalog, adjusts patron files to make sure the computer selects the right books and sends them often enough, and much more. Danielle states, “I think Alan knows our collection better than anyone; he is excellent at identifying books for patrons based on that vast knowledge and the fact that he is always reading, including participating in two book clubs. A fun bit of trivia: Alan’s mother was a librarian!”

“Every time some new innovation comes out like the online catalog, or the ability to download books, people tell me that they’re sorry I’m out of a job. It never seems to happen, though. There are always lots of new questions to answer about the new technologies. That’s what I like about my job, the ability to improve our library service, one patron at a time.”

“Alan is an integral part of our team. He is smart, quick-witted, fun, and a heck of a singer and piano player,” says Danielle.

Thanks, Alan, for your dedication to excellence in serving the patrons of WTBBL.

Volume 8, May 3, 2012 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) SDL PROQUEST RENEWAL

2) RESOURCE SHARING GRANT CYCLE NOW OPEN

3) FREE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT SUMMER READING

4) WESTPAS NEEDS YOUR INPUT

5) WEBWISE 2012 WEBCASTS AVAILABLE

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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