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Category: Washington Talking Book and Braille Library

The Washington Talking Book & Braille Library goes to Fiestas Patrias

The Washington Talking Book & Braille Library goes to Fiestas Patrias

On September 15th and 16th at Seattle Center, the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library hosted an outreach table at Fiestas Patrias, the annual commemoration of independence for Latin American countries, many of which celebrate independence days in the month of September. The theme of Fiestas Patrias for 2018 was “Sin Barreras” or “Without Barriers.” The festival is an expression of Latino culture through music, dance, cooking demonstrations, a health fair, and food and community vendor booths. WTBBL staff and volunteers…

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Summer reading participant
Summer reading kickoff party at the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library

Summer reading kickoff party at the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library

On Saturday, June 30, Youth Librarian Erin Groth hosted this year’s summer reading kickoff party at the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library. It was a rockin’ afternoon as staff, volunteers, and WTBBL patrons celebrated this year’s theme of LIBRARIES ROCK! with music, games, prizes, and fun. More than 40 WTBBL patrons are participating in this year’s summer reading program, and their ages range from infants to 18 years old. Summer reading is a by-mail program for WTBBL, with special in-person events…

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YES program participants
Youth Employment Solutions and WTBBL: Partners for more than 20 years

Youth Employment Solutions and WTBBL: Partners for more than 20 years

The Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL) looks forward to hosting summer workers from the Youth Employment Solutions program once again in 2018. Administered through Washington State’s Department of Services for the Blind, Youth Employment Solutions (YES) is a six-week residential employment experience program for visually impaired and blind workers ages 16-20. At WTBBL, participants work up to 24 hours a week while they partake in team-building activities as well as honing independent life skills outside of work. This…

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Students hit it out of the park at 2018 Braille Challenge

Students hit it out of the park at 2018 Braille Challenge

Students from all over Western Washington competed in the annual Northwestern Washington Regional Braille Challenge in Seattle on Saturday at the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library and got to test their Beep Baseball skills as well. The Braille Challenge is a contest encouraging braille literacy. Children in grades 1-12 test their skills in five categories: Reading Comprehension, Spelling, Speed & Accuracy, Proofreading, and Tactile Charts & Graphs. Any students who are blind or visually impaired and able to read…

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WTBBL's braille class.
WTBBL offering braille transcribing course

WTBBL offering braille transcribing course

If you’ve ever been interested in learning braille, what better place to learn it than at the state’s premier braille-service library? Earlier this October, the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library kicked off its annual braille transcribing course. (Sorry, it’s too late to join the class this year. But it’s likely the class will be offered next October.) The free class started with 21 enrollees, the second-highest number since the class was reintroduced in 2008 after WTBBL transitioned to a…

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WTBBL hosts event to help voters with disabilities

WTBBL hosts event to help voters with disabilities

In conjunction with Get out the Disability Vote Week, the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library  hosted an event to help members of the disability community take part in this summer’s Primary. Accessible voting units were made available at WTBBL Wednesday for voters who need assistance completing their ballot. The event was a partnership between WTBBL and the National Federation of the Blind of Washington, Washington Council of the Blind, King County Elections and the state Elections Division. WTBBL is…

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WTBBL’s 2016 Annual Report is out

WTBBL’s 2016 Annual Report is out

If you want to see how Washington Talking Book & Braille Library is doing and how it helps patrons, check out its recently released 2016 Annual Report. You can view the report here. It also can be viewed in an electronic-braille format or audio format. The WTBBL report shows the library in fiscal year 2016 circulated 289,492 audiobooks and 4,858 braille books, and had 86,606 Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) audio downloads and 3,043 BARD braille downloads. The report…

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WTBBL hosts Regional Braille Challenge event

WTBBL hosts Regional Braille Challenge event

Students meet Oskar the cat at Regional Braille Challenge. (Photos courtesy of WTBBL) Several Washington kids came to the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library in Seattle last Saturday to compete in an academic competition that promotes braille literacy. The Braille Challenge tests braille skills in five categories: reading comprehension, spelling, tactile charts and graphs, proofreading, and speed and accuracy. Any grade school student who is blind or visually impaired and reads braille is eligible to participate. Appearing at the…

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WTBBL director learns about global disability issues during Egypt trip

WTBBL director learns about global disability issues during Egypt trip

WTBBL Director Danielle Miller visits the Federal Egyptian Association for Intellectual Disabilities during her trip to Egypt. (Photos courtesy of Danielle Miller) The Washington Talking Book & Braille Library provides a comprehensive library service to Washington residents unable to read standard print. As its director, Danielle Miller is very aware of issues involving persons with disabilities. During a recent trip to Egypt, Miller had a chance to discuss and learn more about issues involving rights for persons with disabilities globally….

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WTBBL director goes to Egypt

WTBBL director goes to Egypt

WTBBL Director Danielle Miller. (Photo courtesy of WTBBL) As director of the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library in Seattle, Danielle Miller has devoted many years to helping thousands of Washingtonians who are unable to read standard print. Miller soon will have an opportunity to share her experience and expertise with people in Egypt. How did this happen? Last May, Miller hosted two participants in the U.S. Department of State’s Professional Fellows Program (PFP), administered by Hands Along the Nile…

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