SOS Home :: State Library :: Wolfner Library :: Wolfner News :: Summer 2004

WOLFNER NEWS

Library for the Blind & Physically Handicapped

Published by Matt Blunt, Secretary of State
Summer 2004

Notes From the Director

Wolfner Advisory Council Helps with Long-Range Plan

Wolfner Library is creating a long-range plan in response to a recommendation from the National Library Service and to meet National Library Services standards. The time is right to examine Wolfner services with a long-range plan because of far-reaching changes that will result in the National Library Service (NLS) implementation of the digital talking book and machine in 2008. The long-range plan requires careful assessment of who we are, who are our patrons, what services patrons need, and how we can provide those services.

On August 20, 2004, the Wolfner Advisory Council provided input for the Wolfner long-range plan. Council members and Wolfner staff worked in groups to compile a list of fundamental values by which Wolfner will be run and managed. Values identified in the council meeting include:

Wolfner staff will analyze and refine this values list, and the council will continue to offer input on the plan by helping define the mission and vision that drives Wolfner library staff to provide the services you need. Updates on Wolfner's long-range plan will be listed in future editions of Wolfner News, so please feel free to call or write with your suggestions and comments.

Congratulations to Wolfner Patron Christine Parsons!

From a group of 300 braille readers from around the United States and Canada, Christine Parsons was one of 60 braille readers invited to go to California to compete in the 4th Annual National Braille Challenge Invitational™, sponsored by Braille Institute of America. Parson's visit to Los Angeles was an overwhelming success. She returned to House Springs, Missouri with the grand prize, winning first place in the varsity level of the competition. Comprised of the top blind and visually impaired high school students from across the country, the competition was designed to test their braille literacy skills including reading comprehension, braille spelling, chart and graph reading, proofreading and braille speed and accuracy. Parsons won a $5,000 savings bond, a trophy, and an adaptive computer called a PAC Mate. Her name will be engraved on a perpetual trophy at Braille Institute of America's Los Angeles Center. Congratulations Christine!

Richard J. Smith, Director

NFB-Newsline Notes

Wolfner Library is pleased to announce the addition of the Southeast Missourian to the Missouri newspapers offered through the NFB-Newsline service. Other newspapers from Missouri include the Columbia Daily Tribune, Jefferson City News Tribune, Kansas City Star, Saint Joseph News-Press and the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch. Current subscribers to NFB-Newsline can access the Southeast Missourian in the local newspaper listing option. If you are not subscribed to NFB-Newsline but would like to sign up for the toll-free service, contact your reader advisor at 1-800-392-2614.

The NFB-Newsline service is now easier to use, as it automatically logs you on when you use the same telephone number(s) to call the service. After your first login, you should not need to re-enter your user identification or security codes unless you call Newsline from an unusual phone number.

New Recommended Reading Lists Available

The following mini-bibliographies were produced since the last newsletter was released. If you would like to receive a copy of any of these recommended reading lists, please call the library at 1-800-392-2614, write us a note, or send an e-mail to wolfner@sos.mo.gov if you'd like to join Wolfner's electronic distribution list. The mini-bibliographies can also be viewed on our Web site at www.sos.mo.gov/wolfner/readings.asp.

Friends of Wolfner Library

The Friends of Wolfner Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped provides the funding for the Summer Reading program. It also supports other programs of Wolfner Library which it feels will benefit Wolfner patrons. Friends meet once a year on a Saturday in April at Wolfner Library. If you are not presently a member of the Friends, call either Stan Rock at 816-232-9368 or Judy Redlich at 314-351-7390 and find out how you can join. Maybe the idea that you contribute as a Friend, will help patrons more than you could imagine. If you are a Friends member and have some suggestions as to how the Friends can be of more benefit to Wolfner, don't hesitate to call.

Wolfner News from the Secretary of State's Council on Library Development:
Digital Recording Booth

construction of digital recording booth

A digital recording booth was installed in the Volunteer Services area of Wolfner Library in May, and in June the Telex LCM recording system was installed. The recording software is specifically designed for volunteer narrators and monitors in network libraries. In the two months since the recording equipment was installed, staff and volunteers have been practicing by recording children's books. Specifically, 'Show Me' and 'Mark Twain' award books not recorded by the NLS are being recorded in the booth. The program is scheduled to be in full production by September. In late September the NLS studio manager and the LCM specialist will come to the Wolfner Library to work with the volunteers and to do a workshop on the art of audio recording. An open house and/or ribbon cutting will be scheduled for later this fall.

Wolfner Outreach

Recent outreach efforts from Wolfner Library include placing paid advertisements in newspapers in counties where Wolfner services are greatly underused. Determining the counties with low usage is based on census data, estimated eligible individuals, and actual patron use comparisons. As a result, we have experienced an increase in patron applications from the targeted counties. The next phase of these efforts involves targeting the print advertising to senior and minority publications.

Assistive Technology – Screen Readers

Screen readers are software packages that interact with refreshable braille displays or speech synthesizers. They enable individuals who are blind or visually impaired to access information on the computer screen either through braille or by voice output. Most of the readers can be used with a range of commercially available text-to-speech synthesizers. Two of the most popular screen readers are Window-Eyes and JAWS.

Wolfner reader advisors and professional staff have had training in both screen reader software packages, attending one day workshops on each program. The emphasis of both workshops was to help our staff become more familiar with how patrons use these programs, specifically when they access Wolfner's online catalog, WolfPAC.

Another popular program is ZoomText, a combination screen magnifier and screen reader. This program is used by a partially sighted person who can use the magnification and be aided by the screen reading voice capabilities.

The Missouri State Library has adaptive technology available for your use in Jefferson City. Software on these assistive technology computers include JAWS, ZoomText, Kurzweil 1000, and Duxbury. A scanner and braille embosser are also available. Please visit the Missouri State Library at the James Kirkpatrick State Information Center, 600 West Main, Jefferson City, Missouri, and give this adaptive technology a try.

In addition, Missouri Assistive Technology has a program called Telecommunication Access Program for Internet, or TAP-I. This program provides basic Internet access, such as screen readers, to eligible Missourians who already own a computer and have an Internet service provider. This program makes the Internet accessible to more people who have disabilities. The program provides, at no cost, software or hardware to provide basic Internet access for an individual, based on his or her physical needs. The program does not purchase computers, scanners, embossers, or any other adaptive equipment not necessary for basic Internet access. If you would like an application for the TAP for Internet Program, or if you have questions, call Missouri Assistive Technology at 1-800-647-8557.

Outreach

Wolfner continues its outreach by demonstrating our online public access catalog, WolfPAC, to Wolfner patrons and interested community members such as social workers, teachers, librarians, activity directors, and others who work with Wolfner patrons. We will continue to collaborate with Missouri public libraries and other institutions that provide facilities for Wolfner staff to demonstrate the use of WolfPAC.

Fall WolfPAC Demonstration Schedule:
Thursday, October 7, 2004, at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
St. Louis County Library
Main Library
1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO
Presenters: Richard J. Smith and Debbie Musselman

Movies for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Wolfner offers descriptive video service (DVS) to all patrons. These videos are just like the ones you rent from your neighborhood video rental stores, with one crucial difference: narration is 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 elements such as setting, the physical appearance of the characters, and action that may not come across strictly through the dialogue, but is vital to the storyline.

Wolfner Library offers a wide variety of descriptive video titles including, Seabiscuit, Finding Nemo, Pirates of the Caribbean, Chicago, and many others. We have animated Disney movies, documentaries, and classic movies, as well as a wide selection of newer titles.

If you would like more information on the DVS program or ro receive a catalog, please call Wolfner Library at 800-392-2614 and ask to speak with your reader advisor.

Summer Reading Program

drawing prizes for summer reading program

Deborah Stroup watches as Wolfner Advisory Council members Sheila Wright (Left) and Patricia Morrow (right) draw names for Summer Reading Prizes

Wolfner Library recently concluded another successful summer reading program, "Discover New Trails @ Your Library." The program served preschoolers through teens. The 80 participants set their own reading goals and counted the amount of time they spent reading or being read to. They could read books, magazines, and newspapers of their choice. All the participants who met their goals received books provided by the Friends of Wolfner Library. A number of special prizes were awarded by random drawing at the Wolfner Advisory Council meeting on August 20, 2004.The Missouri Council of the Blind affiliate Library Users of Missouri and the Friends of the Wolfner Library provided funding for the special prizes.

Voter Registration Information

Registration Qualifications

No person shall be entitled to vote:

Where to Register to Vote

Missourians can register to vote:

The registration cutoff date to register for the November 2 general election is October 6, 2004.

Disabled voters and persons prevented from voting because of absence or illness may vote absentee. Persons with permanent disabilities may request a permanent absentee ballot application by completing an application available from the local election authority.

Curbside voting is permitted in Missouri, or voters may be transferred to more accessible precincts.

Local election officials should be contacted about absentee federal service balloting or new resident ballots for residents who arrive after the registration deadline.

If any voter declares under oath to the election judges that he cannot read or write, is blind, or has any other physical disability and cannot vote his ballot, he may be assisted by the election judges or by any person of his own choice other than a judge.

If the voter asks for the assistance of election judges, two judges of different political parties shall go to the voting booth and assist the voter in casting his or her vote.

If the voter asks for the assistance of someone other than election judges, the assistant shall go to the voting booth with the voter and assist the voter in casting his or her vote.

No person, other than election judges and members of such voter's immediate families, shall assist more than one voter at one election.

Absentee Voting

Missourians who are not able to go to their polling place on Election Day may vote absentee beginning six weeks prior to an election.

Absentee voters must provide one of the following reasons for voting absentee:

  1. Absence on Election Day from the jurisdiction of the election authority in which such voter is registered to vote;
  2. Incapacity or confinement due to illness or physical disability, including a person who is primarily responsible for the physical care of a person who is incapacitated or confined due to illness or disability;
  3. Religious belief or practice;
  4. Employment as an election authority, as a member of an election authority, or by an election authority at a location other than such voter's polling place;
  5. Incarceration, provided all qualifications for voting are retained.

Voters can request absentee ballots from their local election authority in person or by fax. Faxed absentee ballot requests should be submitted to the appropriate local election authority. Relatives within the first degree (parents and children) may complete an absentee ballot application, in person, on behalf of the voter who wishes to vote absentee.

If you have questions or concerns regarding your registration status, you should consult your local election authority.

Upcoming State Holidays

Wolfner Library, like most state agencies, will be closed on the following days for holidays:

Columbus Day Monday October 11, 2004
Veterans Day Thursday November 11, 2004
Thanksgiving Day Thursday November 25, 2004
Christmas Day (Observed) Friday December 24, 2004
New Year's Day (Observed) Friday December 31, 2004

You can always leave us a voice message if you call after hours or when our office is closed.

Wolfner Library Staff
Richard Smith Director of Wolfner Library richard.smith@sos.mo.gov
Debbie Musselman

Public Services Librarian

 debbie.musselman@sos.mo.gov
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
Deborah Stroup Volunteer Coordinator

deborah.stroup@sos.mo.gov

 
Paul Mathews Reader Advisor A-Co paul.mathews@sos.mo.gov
Susan Higgins Reader Advisor Cp-G susan.higgins@sos.mo.gov
Ginny Ryan Reader Advisor H-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
Brandon Kempf Reader Advisor Institutions brandon.kempf@sos.mo.gov

Wolfner News is a quarterly publication of the Office of Secretary of State.

Matt Blunt
Secretary of State
Sara Parker
State Librarian

WOLFNER LIBRARY IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

(CLOSED FOR STATE HOLIDAYS)

Toll-free within Missouri (800) 392-2614
Jefferson City Area (573) 751-8720
Toll-free TDD (573) 347-1379
E-mail address wolfner@sos.mo.gov
WWW Homepage www.sos.mo.gov/wolfner
WolfPAC wolfpac.sos.mo.gov/klasweb