The Nebraska Library Commission's Talking Book and Braille Service is part of a national program coordinated by a division of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Here are some interesting facts about the greater organization of which our library is a part:

• The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped was established by an act of Congress in 1931 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 with other impairments that prevent the reading of standard print.

• From a beginning of 19 libraries, the network has expanded to 57 regional and 81 subregional libraries throughout the United States, including Puerto Rico and Guam.

• The National Library Service program is funded annually by Congress. The fiscal year 2000 appropriation was $47,984,000. Regional and sub regional libraries receive funding from state, local and federal sources. Through an additional appropriation to the United States Postal Service, books and materials are mailed as "Free Matter for the Blind or Handicapped." The combined expenditure for the entire national program is approximately $135 million a year.

• Approximately 71% of the National Library Service appropriation is budgeted for books, equipment, and related materials. The remaining 29% is used for support services.

• Over 22 million recorded and braille books and magazines were circulated to a readership of 764,000 in 1999.

• The international Union Catalog currently contains 325,000 titles.

• Nationwide, the Telephone Pioneers, GE Elfuns and other volunteers repaired 123,818 cassette and disc players in 1998.

Our new Volunteer Services Coordinator, Annette Hall, began her duties in July. Before joining our staff, she spent many years volunteering for a variety of organizations. During her three terms with AmeriCorps*VISTA, she enjoyed working with youth and adult volunteers across the state. She joined our staff because she felt a kinship to the objectives of the Talking Book and Braille Service and thought what she had learned elsewhere could be put to good use.

Annette grew up on a farm in south central Nebraska and graduated from Bertrand Community School. She attended Nebraska Wesleyan University and St Mary College, where she received a B.S. in elementary education. Her husband recently retired from the Veterans Administration Medical Center. Annette and her husband have three children; one attends SOAR, and two are students at UNL.

If Annette wasn't working at the Talking Book and Braille Service, her second choice would be to work with the Department of Education's Learn and Serve Programs. She loves to read, do needlepoint, walk and fence. She also plays bells, and has joined a newly-formed orchestra.

Nebraska's Governor Mike Johanns and Adjutant General Stanley M. Heng visited our studios in order to record segments from the book, Operation Recognition; Honoring Nebraska War Veterans, by Ivan Schoone.

This book, still in the process of being recorded, features men and women veterans who give courageous accounts of their experiences during World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

If you enjoy the cassette editions of Country, Midwest Living, or Reminisce magazines, one of the reasons is probably Mariann Schafer's voice. A volunteer narrator since September 1996, Mariann has been recording magazines and books for the past four years.

A retired teacher, Mariann enjoys a busy life filled with Nebraska football, golf, bridge, traveling, and activities with her children and grandchildren. She volunteers in order to give something back to the community. "Everyone has a responsibility to do this in their lifetime," she says. Mariann finds it satisfying that she is providing a service for individuals who would not otherwise enjoy access to magazines and books.

In addition to narrating within the Talking Book and Braille Service, Mariann's volunteer experiences include serving as a Greylady at hospitals, a docent for historical mansion tours, and assisting at the Food Pantry.

Mariann's favorite author is Sidney Sheldon. Her favorite all-time movie is Doctor Zhivago. And her favorite food is either prime rib or ice cream.

John, a volunteer in our new book processing area for the past three years, takes his volunteer duties as seriously as if they were a paid job. He especially enjoys unpacking new books that arrive from Library of Congress and placing them in numeric order onto the processing shelves.

When he isn't volunteering at the Talking Book and Braille Service, John is a Library Aide at Lincoln City Libraries. He enjoys being around books. His favorite author is Dean Koontz, and he has just finished reading Koontz's Ice Bound. John's favorite book of all time is Peter Norwood's Rules of Engagement.

John's favorite dessert is cake. His companion is his beloved cat named Tanner.

You may have noticed a new style of label on the side of your cassette books. This label, which is slightly wider than our older style, features a barcode with the words "Nebraska Library Commission" above it. Our computer system reads this barcode in order to check out books to you and to check them in as they are returned.

The Talking Book and Braille Service is planning on converting its entire collection to barcodes because of advantages that barcode technology offers. Right now, barcodes are used with newer books and with older books that need to have their labels replaced.

Nothing has changed in terms of the books themselves. We anticipate the newer style labels will help the Talking Book and Braille Service to remain current in its use of automation.

RC 793 Busted Tractors and Rusty Knuckles; Norwegian Torque Wrench Techniques and Other Fine Points of Tractor Restoration
by Roger Welsch
2 cassettes

The author revisits his favorite pastime, tinkering with beat-up tractors. This book follows the rescue of a scrap-yard refugee Allis-Chalmers WC tractor; a journey that pulls Welsch deep into a bottomless morass of broken bolts, smashed fingers and frozen pistons. Sequel to Old Tractors and the Men Who Love Them (RC 00689).
Narrated by Helena Whitaker.

RC 796 Light Dances; Illuminating Families With Laughter and Love
by Shirley K. Trout
2 cassettes

A guide to help parents use their sense of humor to survive the perils of parenthood. This book shows the importance of learning to see the light side of parenting now, rather than waiting until years later as you remember the joyful and tough times you shared with your children.
Narrated by Marjory Gloe.

RC 819 KFOR Best of Problems and Solutions, Volume 5
by KFOR Radio
1 cassette

Most-requested homemaking solutions from radio listeners. Includes laundry hints and stain removal, hints for outdoor and automotive tasks, food, and cooking tips.
Narrated by Jim Hewitt.

RC 821 Rock Island Town; Fairbury, Nebraska; Western Division
by Michael M. Bartels
1 cassette

The colorful history of the Rock Island Railroad in Fairbury, Nebraska, includes famous travelers such as Al Smith and Presidents Herbert Hoover and Dwight Eisenhower. A railroad town for over 100 years, Fairbury served as Rock Island's Western Division Headquarters.
Narrated by Alice Timm.

This summer we've added numerous new titles to our Children's Braille Browsing Collection. Two new Board Books are intended for the youngest braille readers:

NBR 321 Caterpiller to Butterfly, by Barbara Reid (first and second graders)
NBR 1303 Moo, Baa, La La La!, by Sandra Boynton (pre-schoolers)

We now have three of the popular Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling for fourth through seventh graders:

BBR 21000 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
BBR 21001 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
BBR 21002 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Previous issues of Interchange provided information concerning the National Library Service now offering braille books over the Internet. Users must provide their own Braille reading device, an e-mail address and access to the Internet. They need to contact their Readers Advisor to sign up for this service.

Another organization, the International Braille Research Center, offers additional braille titles through its web site: http://www.braille.org.

This organization is dedicated to encouraging the use of braille. Over 1000 titles can be read off-line using a refreshable Braille device or Braille embosser. Readers can download individual parts of a book, an individual book, or an entire collection by a specific author by selecting the appropriate link.

You may place your order by mailing or e-mailing it to the Talking Book and Braille Service, or by calling your Readers Advisor.

For mailing, please mark the books you wish to order and enclose this page in an envelope. Instead of using a stamp, you may put "Free Matter for the Blind or Handicapped" on the corner of your envelope. Send your request to the Nebraska Library Commission Talking Book and Braille Service, 1200 N Street, Suite 120, Lincoln, NE 68508-2023. Be sure to include your name, address, city, state, zip code, and telephone number.

• RC 793
• RC 796
• RC 819
• RC 821
• NBR 321
• NBR 1303
• BBR 21000
• BBR 21001
• BBR 21002

You may reach a Readers Advisor toll free by calling 1-800-742-7691. Be prepared to give your name, address, city, state, zip code, and telephone number.

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