Did you know that our Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL) and the Kentucky Talking Book Library were featured by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) on its website, http://www.imls.gov/profiles/profiles.shtm, and will be featured in its newsletter, Primary Source? Each month IMLS profiles programs or projects that use federal funding and exemplify why funds are granted to libraries.  This is great recognition and has been noticed by other state librarians, and special libraries serving people with disabilities. We were contacted by IMLS, so they already knew about our excellent program.

 Located in Seattle, WTBBL provides service to any resident in the state of Washington unable to read standard print material.  Thanks to a federal subsidy called “Free Matter for the Blind and Disabled,” we are able to mail books and materials anywhere in the state, free of charge.  Our services include audio books in digital form on a cartridge and for download, braille, large print, a radio reading service, and programs for children and adults.  WTBBL is unique and a leader in many ways.  It was one of the first regional libraries in the county after the passing of the Pratt-Smoot Act of 1931, and started out providing service to Montana and Alaska as well as Washington.  Until recently, we were the first and only library in our network to have locally produced audio and braille books available on our website for download.

 Though services have changed and advanced over the years since the first braille book was circulated in Seattle in 1906, WTBBL has maintained a wonderful program with the help of the dedicated staff and our amazing volunteers.  WTBBL volunteers do different tasks or projects like narrating books, transcribing braille, shelving books, and much more.  Each year the WTBBL volunteers contribute an average of 32,000 hours of work, almost doubling staffing.  Because of their dedicated work, WTBBL has stayed on the forefront of services for the blind and physically disabled.  Based on innovation, service, and satisfaction, WTBBL was honored as the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped’s (NLS) Network Library of the Year for 2009.  It is a great honor to be selected by representatives from libraries for the blind and physically disabled and leaders in the blindness community around the country.

 I think all of us at WTBBL would say the motivation and the joy that fuels our library comes from our patrons.  We get notes of thanks every day and here are a few comments:

 “I thank you for your magnificent service.  You’ve restored my joy of life.”

 “The digital books are a lifeline for me.  Thank you very much.”

Youth Services Librarian, Kathryn Pierce, and WTBBL patron

Every year the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library joins with many other libraries across the country in offering a Summer Reading Program using a common theme – this year’s was “Be Creative @ Your Library”. Seventy of the Library’s elementary and teen patrons all across Washington State participated this year, using a game-board-like pathway to keep track of the minutes they spent reading. Tactile dots are added to enable any severely visually impaired child to mark them independently.

Each week of the program, participants receive a packet in the mail containing jokes, booklists, activity ideas, and occasionally a small incentive such as a bookmark. WTBBL’s Braille Department rises to the growing challenge of transcribing all those documents for young patrons who read braille. At the end of the program each participant receives a certificate and a package of small prizes. The bulk of them are sent by mail, but a number of participants are able to pick them up in person at our Celebration event in Seattle. This year’s Celebration was on Saturday, August 29th and included a performance by Vashon Island storyteller, Merna Hecht.

Almost all of WTBBL’s 70 Summer Readers reached the 8-week goal of at least 1,000 minutes, and quite a few read many times that amount! This is quite an accomplishment for our young patrons, all of whom have some kind of special need, whether it’s a learning disability, a visual impairment that requires large print, or the need to master braille in their path toward literacy. Here are some things parents say about the program:

 “My daughter is so excited that she and her best friend are reading the same books this summer! Her friend gets them in print from our local library, and she borrows hers in braille from WTBBL!” — C.C., mother of 12-year-old patron.

 “The program was so motivating for our son. It’s the first year he’s read all his books himself and he loved your jokes! — J.E., mother of 12-year-old patron. 

 “Thanks for the large print jokes! Our son doesn’t normally read for pleasure yet – but he will pick up those joke sheets and read them!” — D.C., mother of 7-year-old patron.

Danielle, Mary, and her new player

The Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL) started the transition from 4-track cassettes and cassette players to digital talking books and digital talking book machines last week. This long awaited transition is one of the biggest things to happen in library services for the blind, visually impaired, physically disabled, and learning disabled communities in over 35 years. The new technology includes a higher quality, smaller and more portable player and, best of all, an entire book (or multiple books) can all fit on one cartridge containing a usb drive – no more shuffling multiple cassettes, switching sides, finding the next tape, etc.

Arne, digital talking book machine, Danielle

By federal law, veterans have priority for service and will be the first to receive the new digital talking book machines and digital books. On Friday, August 28th, I personally delivered our first two players to our first two veterans. The first stop was to the home of Arne Kielhaven, an 82-year old WWII veteran. Arne is an avid reader and was very pleased with the new player and looks forward to getting more books. Next, was a visit to 96-year old Mary Tift, a Navy WAVE during WWII. Mary was delighted with her new player and was most impressed with the sleep key since she often listens to her books as she is going to bed. It was wonderful to spend time with Arne and Mary and show them how the technology works and hear about how much our service means to them. WTBBL currently has approximately 11,000 active patrons, so getting everyone transitioned to digital will take a couple years and we’ll be running dual formats (cassettes and digital) for quite some time.