On the Wolfner Front - From the Editor

Ruth Hemphill, Senior Librarian at Wolfner Library, has accepted a position as director of the Tennessee Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Ruth, who has already started her new job, was with Wolfner for 12 years and will be missed by staff and patrons alike. Staff showed their appreciation for her years of service with a catered luncheon at Wolfner Library. We know the patrons and staff in Tennessee will appreciate Ruth and the great job she will do for them.

Wolfner welcomes three new staff members and a "School to Work" student. Amy Rush is here to assist the readers advisors with clerical tasks, freeing them to focus more time on the most important aspect of their jobs-our patrons. Wolfner also has two new circulation clerks in the shipping department. We're delighted to welcome Cheryl Schreiman and John Stegmann, both of whom are already knee-deep in green, talking book mailing containers. Our other new employee, Myra Ortbals, is a high school senior who goes to school in the morning and works at Wolfner in the afternoon assisting with machine department duties and clerical tasks.

For those of you who are "online" we have some exciting news. It is now possible for you to enter requests and reserves for talking books through Wolfner's online public access catalog or OPAC. You don't have to have a computer in your home to take advantage of this new service. You can access our system through your local public library if they offer Internet access.

In order to use the service, you'll need to call Wolfner to ask for your Patron ID. This ensures the security of your account. Additional security requires that you have a telephone listing. If your phone number doesn't match what we have in our computer, your requests and reserves won't be entered into the system.

After you have completed your Author, Title, or Subject search (you cannot request or reserve books in a Keyword search), and you've found the talking book you want to add to your account, type LIB and press Enter. You will be prompted for your Patron ID. Enter your complete Patron ID and press Enter. Next, you will need to type your 10-digit phone number and press Enter. You are not required to use dashes, spaces or parentheses.

The next step is to tell the system how quickly you want this item. If you want the book as soon as a copy is available, type Y and press Enter, to enter a reserve record into your file. If you just want to the book to go into your request file, type N, press Enter and your request will be entered into your file. If you change your mind and decide you don't want to enter the request or reserve, press CTRL and the Z key at the same time to cancel the transaction. However, if the request or reserve has already been entered, it can only be removed by a reader advisor.

This service, while opening up an new avenue of access for our patrons, also offers the potential for abuse. Wolfner library serves thousands of patrons and often when a new title comes out, hundreds of the people want it immediately. So, of course, one or two patrons cannot be allowed to reserve all of the bestsellers, or all of the titles by a best-selling author. Please be considerate of other library users in your use of this new feature. Request as many books as you would like, but please reserve books judiciously. Reader advisors will have the option of blocking a patron's access to this feature if such a step becomes necessary.

If you have any questions, please call Wolfner Library.

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Corrections

In the last newsletter, the telephone number given for veterans to use to contact their Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) Coordinator was incorrect. Below is a list of phone numbers you can call to get in touch with the VIST Coordinator nearest you.

In addition, two of our readers advisors' e-mail address were incorrectly listed.

Ginny Ryan's e-mail address is: ginny.ryan@sos.mo.gov

Cheryl Hassler's e-mail address is: cheryl.hassler@sos.mo.gov

Our apologies for any inconvenience these mistakes may have caused.

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Address Changes

When we mail out newsletters, we ask the post office to return those that have incorrect addresses so we can update our records. It costs Wolfner fifty cents per returned newsletter for this service. While it is important that we have the most up-to-date information, there have been times when more than 100 newsletters have been returned to Wolfner Library for address corrections. It can really add up after a while.So, if you've moved recently, help us provide good service by calling us with your new address. You can reach Wolfner Library at 1-800-392-2614.

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Books on Health Issues

Older Blind Services, an advocacy group headed by Rehabilitation Services for the Blind, has made available to Wolfner Library two recorded books on health issues. The two titles and their book numbers are: Basic Diabetes Education, WOC262 and Diabetic Retinopathy, WOC263. Additional health titles will be made available to Wolfner patrons as they are produced by Older Blind Services. Please call Wolfner Library if you would like to request either of these titles.

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Movies for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Thanks to funding from the Friends of Wolfner Library, we are able to offer descriptive videos to our patrons. These videos are just like the ones you can rent from your neighborhood video rental stores with one crucial difference. Narration has been added to these videos to enhance the viewing experience of those with visual impairments. The narration, which does not interfere with the dialogue or flow of the movie, describes for the viewer elements such as setting, the physical appearance of the characters, and action that may not come across strictly through the dialogue, but which is vital to the storyline.

Wolfner Library offers a wide variety of descriptive video titles including: Independence Day, Scream, Waiting to Exhale, Anne of Green Gables and many, many others. We have animated Disney movies, documentaries, and classic movies, as well as a wide selection of newer titles. There is a one-time fee of $10 to join the descriptive video service (DVS) program. This fee helps Wolfner buy new videos and replace videos lost or damaged in the mail.

If you would like more information, or an application to join the DVS program, please call Wolfner Library at 800-392-2614 and ask to speak with Cheryl Hassler who administers the DVS program.

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Internet Electronic List for Talking Book Readers

VoxLibra is a newly established electronic e-mail list for readers of talking books who are interested in calling attention to critically acclaimed works of fiction and nonfiction. The aim of VoxLibra is to provide readers with a vehicle for reviewing and recommending books to one another and an opportunity to share experiences and discover other books that may be of interest to them. The creators of the list hope to build an archive of recommended books.

VoxLibra is hosted by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It is open to everyone. Interested persons can subscribe by sending an e-mail message to: listserv@postoffice.cso.uiuc.edu. The subject of the message should be left blank and the body of the message should contain the words: subscribe voxlibra-1

An e-mail note will be returned asking the subscriber to confirm the subscription by replying to the confirmation message. The reply to the confirmation message should contain only one word: "ok".

From Focus on Electronic Information, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped

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Reading Time '99 - Summer Reading Club a Success

Youth Services Librarian Nancy Doering reports that 87 Wolfner children and teens participated in the Summer Reading Club this year. The program was free and open to all children and teens age 17 and under who registered with Wolfner Library. The club ran from June 17 through August 13.

The children and teens read braille, large print or recorded books and kept records of the titles and authors. They reported these titles to the Wolfner staff by telephone, mail, fax and e-mail. The final total of books read by participants was 1,271. Top reader was Mandy Dovin, age 15, St. Charles. She read 124 books.

Summer reading club members who read and reported on seven books received a genuine Ty Beanie Baby (copyright) thanks to the Library Users of Missouri. Fifty-three participants earned Beanie Babies. Thirty-eight summer reading club members met the second goal of the program by reading 15 books. These readers will receive a gift book in the format of their choice.

For every book read and reported on club members won a chance to win one of eight $50 U.S. savings bonds provided by the Library Users of Missouri. Secretary of State Bekki Cook drew the names of the following lucky winners: Donald Jehling, 12; Sara Keptner, 14; Dacia Luck, 15; Darwin May, 14; Bonnie Nations, 15; Katelyn Paquette, 7; Brandon Rieger, 7; and Ashley Stedem, 12. Congratulations!

Many thanks go out to the Library Users of Missouri and the Friends of Wolfner Library for their generous support. These two organizations provide all of the awards presented to summer reading club participants.

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Stop and Smell the Roses.

That's just what the Kansas City Garden Club invites visitors to their Fragrance and Texture Garden to do. The garden, located 75 feet north of the Loose Park Garden Center Building at 5200 Pennsylvania, in Kansas City, is designed especially for those with visual and physical disabilities. The garden includes many varieties of fragrant and/or interestingly textured plants, which are meant to be touched by visitors. The garden recently underwent a major renovation and now includes braille and print signs for all of the plants. Plant brochures in braille and large print are available for visitors in the Loose Park Garden Center Building. Call 816-561-9710 for more information.

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NLS Makes Braille Books Available on the Internet

The National Library Service has launched its new Web-Braille service. Over 2,800 grade 2 braille books are available for download or online use by eligible individuals, libraries, and schools with braille emobossers, refreshable braille displays, and other braille-aware devices. Users must provide their own equipment and must have an e-mail address and access to the Internet.

Both a user ID and password are required to use Web-Braille. To obtain an ID and password you must register with Wolfner Library. Web-Braille materials can only be made available to eligible users who are residents of the U.S. or American citizens living abroad. Schools for the blind and public schools may be set up as deposit collections to provide braille. No other organizations can be set up for the service. You must not share your ID or your password with anyone or any organization.

The Web-Braille files are copies of files created by contractors during production of braille books embossed for the NLS national collection. Each file represents one braille volume. For online reading, a patron can access a braille title one volume at a time. When downloading a title that is embossed in multiple volumes in the NLS program, a patron will retrieve and download multiple files.

Users will find the Web-Braille site at http://www.loc.gov/nls/braille/. (The final slash is required by some web browsers). NLS will continue to add new books to the Web-Braille system as they are approved for shipping.

Web-Braille users will gain access to new books through the online version of Braille Book Review. This version of Braille Book Review (BBR) will contain active links to Web-Braille files for each volume of each book listed. A Web-Braille patron will be able to browse through BBR, locate a title of interest and select a volume. After inputting a valid user ID and password, the patron will be presented with the selected volume and may read it online or download it. Technical questions regarding the operation of Web-Braille should be directed to Judy Dixon via e-mail at jdix@loc.gov.

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Rehabilitation Services for the Blind

Rehabilitation Services for the Blind (RSB) provides services to people with varying degrees of visual impairment, ranging from those who cannot read regular print to those who are totally blind. There are regional RSB offices located throughout the state. To contact the RSB office nearest you call: 800-592-6004. Assistance is provided through the following programs:

• Vocational Rehabilitation--eligible individuals are provided with services needed to enter, remain in, or return to suitable employment.
• Independent Living Rehabilitation--eligible individuals are taught skills which allow them to function independently in their homes and communities.
• Business Enterprise Program--offers self-employment opportunities for legally blind persons.
• Prevention of Blindness--diagnostic services and needed eye care are provided to medically indigent persons in order to prevent blindness.

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Top 10 Reasons to Use Your Local Public Library

10. Facts by phone. When all you need are "just the facts," your local public library may be able to give you an answer in less time than it takes to read a talking book on the subject.

9. Government addresses. Your local library is the best source for local addresses and telephone numbers for your representatives in the U.S. Congress, Missouri Legislature, state, county and local governments. The librarians will be glad to give you this information over the telephone.

8. Music to soothe the savage beast. Many public libraries have circulating collections of recorded music. Some libraries have reference collections of rare recordings to be used only at the library. Check with your library to see if music on cassettes, records, or compact disc is available for loan.

7. Finding like-minded souls. To get in touch with people who enjoy reading, try the public library. Many libraries host book discussion groups for readers to share their perspectives on specific works. When discussion titles are announced, call Wolfner to see if the titles are available in recorded format.

6. Story Hours. Regular story hours are popular programs at many public libraries. Children's librarians often read aloud picture books for preschoolers; some libraries also offer films, arts and crafts and games for school age children as well.

5. Local news and community information. What happened at the last school board meeting? Where are they holding that health fair with the free blood pressure tests? The local librarian may be able to check on these types of questions for you.

4. Expert information. Public libraries host lectures and discussions on a variety of subjects. Local employment specialists, health professionals, writers and authorities on topics as varied as cooking and taxes often serve as speakers for library programs.

3. Entertainment. Travel films, dramatic readings, and even concerts are presented at many public libraries.

2. Additional reading. Many libraries have collections of books on commercially-produced cassettes. While most commercial recordings are abridged and thus won't include every word of the print book, these books on tape often feature celebrity narrators and sound effects. You can play these in your car as they do not need the special NLS playback machines. Also many public libraries maintain a large print collection.

The number one reason to check out your local public library is...

1. You paid for it! Yes, libraries are great examples of your tax dollars at work, and you owe it to yourself to take advantage of their wealth of information, culture, and fun.

Borrowed from Nevada Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped

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WOLFNER LIBRARY STAFF

Sara Parker	State Librarian	sara.parker@sos.mo.gov
Lisa Sanning	Reference Librarian, Editor
Nancy Doering	Youth Services Librarian	nancy.doering@sos.mo.gov
Bonnie O'Donnell	Administrative Aide	bonnie.odonnell@sos.mo.gov
Archie Andrews	Machines Coordinator	archie.andrews@sos.mo.gov
Ozzie B. Withers	Automation Coordinator	ozzie.withers@sos.mo.gov
Paul Mathews	Reader Advisor A-F	paul.mathews@sos.mo.gov
Ginny Ryan	Reader Advisor G-L	ginny.ryan@sos.mo.gov
Cheryl Hassler	Reader Advisor M-R	cheryl.hassler@sos.mo.gov
Carol Mathews	Reader Advisor S-Z	carol.mathews@sos.mo.gov

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Wolfner NEWS is a quarterly publication of the Secretary of State, Matt Blunt, and the Missouri State Library, Sara Parker State Librarian.

Wolfner NEWS is available in large print, braille, or on cassette. If you would like to receive an alternate format, please call the library at 800-392-2614.

REMEMBER: WOLFNER LIBRARY BOOK LOAN PERIOD IS SIX (6) WEEKS