Advisory Committee to the Nebraska Library Commission
Talking Book and Braille Service
Nebraska Library Commission
1200 N Street, Suite 120
Lincoln, Nebraska
Monday, October 17, 2011, 1 p.m.
DRAFT Minutes subject to change at the next meeting
Minutes for the Nebraska Library Commission Advisory Committee
Meeting:
October 17, 2011 at 1 PM.
Those present were,
Brad Meurrens
Mary Trenerry
Shelly Gray
Linda Mentink
Beth Lighthipe Pakiz
Kate Borchman
Staff members in attendance were,
Scott Scholz
Annette Hall
David Oertli
David welcomed us all, and we each introduced ourselves to one
another as a means of getting to know our fellow committee members a little
better.
The minutes of our last meeting were read and approved.
We talked for a while about outreach strategies for health fairs
and other community events. We tried to determine what information and
materials would be helpful to talking book supporters who are willing to
hold a display in their community!!! Someone suggested having a toll
free number available for any other questions or concerns that might come
up. We thought it would be very helpful and beneficial to have a
borrower go with you. Then there could be actual demonstrations and
someone who uses the materials and equipment would be there to show how
things work. BARD is something we are really trying to promote, so
using that as our main focus and providing demonstrations from experienced
hands-on users could really help us to grow in the numbers we are able to
serve, because people will really be able to get a true sense of what we
have to offer them, or the people they serve.
We want to have our materials right there for people so that they
will have as little turn-around time as possible in getting signed up for
our services. So we thought we should have the sign-up sheet for the
newsletter, application forms, and any basic brochures, and the most current
information on our magazines and books made available right then.
Our digital players should be included in the display, and having a
borrower there too would mean we could demonstrate it for people as they
come to see what we have on display. We would be able to use our
books, to show how simple it is to operate our digital players.
We discussed our current Nebraska-based magazines and newsletters
because we want to make sure that we are providing all we can in hopes that
more articles would be published about Talking Book and Braille Service!!!
Mary Trenerry will write an article for the NSEA-Retired Advocate.
We did some brain storming in regards to any other Nebraska-based
professional associations of service providers. Here is our list of
who we came up with and what we might do to promote our Library Commission
Talking Book Service with them.
Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Bookstores might carry flyers
American Association of University Women
University/college offices for students with disabilities
State senators
Hospital discharge
Nebraska Department of Education
Optometrists / ophthalmologists
Our digital books and players have been in borrowers’ hands for
about two years now. We shared our own thoughts and experiences, as
well as the comments we have heard from other digital player users, in
regards to the digital talking books and the digital player itself.
They received rave reviews!!! Some of the comments we gave were as
follows.
Speed control is very helpful!
Bookmarking is helpful but seemed to disappear.
Also, our collection is still divided between books that are
online, (through BARD) and on cartridge, and cassette. As far as
obtaining books that are in different formats, most people are willing and
want to use both so that they can read those books not transferred to
digital also. There is a great love for classical and pioneer books.
Not too many of those have been transferred yet.
As far as the presentations we give through outreach and direct
contact with the clients we already have with the Nebraska Library
Commission, we thought it best to try to gear the presentations to the
audience that is right there. We may need to discuss books and
magazines on digital only, if that is what the audience has.
David thanked all those who have completed their second term as
committee members on our Advisory Committee. We said goodbye to Brenda
Elson, Robert Kalin, and Mary Trenerry. They have served us well.
Respectfully submitted by your current secretary,
Shelly Gray
For more information contact
Scott Scholz, Director
Nebraska Library Commission Talking Book and Braille Service.
402-471-6553
800-742-7691
Scott Scholz