Wolfner News Spring 2006 

Wolfner Library-National Library Service
75th Anniversary Celebration

Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan

A special anniversary reception was held March 1, 2006 in the James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center celebrating the 75 years of partnership between Wolfner Library and the National Library Service. Secretary of State Robin Carnahan was the featured speaker. "I'm pleased to be part of commemorating such an impressive milestone," Carnahan said. "Missouri was home to one of the first libraries for the blind in this country and today, Wolfner Library continues to be one of the best." Judith Hawley of the Missouri Council of the Blind and Library Users of Missouri, Shelia Wright of the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri, and Richard Smith, Director of Wolfner Library also spoke to the crowd of more than 80. As part of the celebration, a plaque was presented to the United States Postal Service representative Don Knoth (left) recognizing the essential role they play in the provision of our services. Library tours were provided following the celebration.

Ken Gilliam, Richard Smith and Don Knoth

Friends of the Wolfner Library Annual Meeting

The Friends of the Wolfner Library invite you to attend their annual meeting on April 22, 2006 from 12:00–4:00 p.m. in the James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center, 600 West Main Street, Jefferson City. The meeting will continue the celebration of the 75th anniversary, including the establishment of the network of regional braille and talking book libraries for the blind. Come and share your memories of Wolfner; see a display of early and modern equipment and hear the patrons' essays on what Wolfner Library means to them. The cost for the box lunch is $6.50. Please RSVP by April 15, 2006 to Rita Lynch, Friends of Wolfner, P.O. Box 1671, Jefferson City, MO 65102. You may RSVP by phone at (573) 634-3865 or by email at ralynch01@earthlink.net.

Wolfner Library and the National Library Service:
Celebrating 75 Years of Service

On January 8, 1924, the St. Louis Public Library formed a special department for service to the blind. At that time, the department had a small collection of 360 braille volumes, and circulated fewer than 100 volumes to the citizens of St. Louis. Through the years, that department has grown into Wolfner Library which now serves 10,556 individuals and 1,627 institutions statewide the collection contains over 68,000 titles, 300,000 volumes and circulates over 500,000 volumes annually.

A Brief History of the National Library Service

In the early 1930s, less than 20 percent of the blind population had sufficient literary skills to make reading library books practicable. At the same time, less than 10 percent had sufficient skills to make reading enjoyable.

On March 3, 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed into law the Pratt-Smoot Act to provide embossed books for adult blind residents of the United States and to allow circulation of those books through selected libraries serving as regional centers.

On the following day, a joint resolution of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives provided $100,000 for the fiscal year of 1932 to enable the Librarian of Congress to carry out the congressional mandate, and thus create the program that would become the National Library Service (NLS). The St. Louis Public Library was selected by the Library of Congress to be one of the original 18 regional libraries and served Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas.

In the first year, 157 books were selected to be embossed based on suggestions received from librarians serving blind patrons and from blind readers themselves.

After 75 years of technological advances and free service, NLS now provides access to 401,500 titles to a readership of nearly 800,000. The network has expanded to 57 regional and 77 sub-regional libraries throughout the United States.

The NLS program is in the process of converting Talking Books from the current analog system to a digital system based on state-of-the-art technology. Slated to be implemented in 2008, this new format will mark yet another technological innovation in our long history.

The NLS program continues to be funded annually by Congress. Regional and sub-regional libraries, including Wolfner Library, receive funding from state, local and federal sources.

Dr. Henry L. Wolfner: Our Namesake

Dr. Henry L. Wolfner

Born in Chicago, Illinois, November 1, 1860, Dr. Wolfner received his degree in medicine from the Missouri Medical College in St. Louis, in 1881. He later took special postgraduate work in diseases of the eye at several European universities. For a number of years, Dr. Wolfner was professor of clinical ophthalmology in the Washington University School of Medicine. He was a member of the staff of the Jewish and Bethesda Hospitals and engaged in an active practice until one year prior to his death on July 11, 1935.

For thirty-five years before his death in 1935, Dr. Wolfner was associated as an eye specialist with Dr. Wiener, the man who spearheaded the fundraising for the original Wolfner Library building in 1938. He chose to name the library after his associate. Wolfner "restored sight to hundreds of afflicted...and by his skill and knowledge was able to prevent thousands of others from losing their sight. His motto was the golden rule. His services were open to everyone at all times without consideration of a fee." – St. Louis Star-Times, June 7, 1938.

Picture 1: Mailman delivering braille books to Mrs. Forshee, April 25, 1935. Photo courtesy of the St. Louis Public Library.

Picture 2: Cassette, braille, rigid disc and flexible disc books and magazines and large print music. Photo courtesy of the NLS.

Picture 3: Patron listening to a talking book on a record player. Photo courtesy of the NLS.

Picture 4: The Wolfner Memorial Library for the Blind at 3844 Olive Street in St. Louis, 1938-1970. Photo courtesy of the St. Louis Public Library.

Picture 5: The stacks collapse in the Truman Building in Jefferson City, 1986.

Picture 6: Our current location in the James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center, Jefferson City, 1991-Present.

NLS-Wolfner Library Timeline of Major Milestones

1924: The St. Louis Public Library forms a special department for the blind.

1931: Passage of Pratt-Smoot Act on March 3 establishes a national library program administered by the Library of Congress to conduct free library service for the blind. The St. Louis Public Library is selected by the Library of Congress as one of 18 regional libraries to conduct these services. It serves the citizens of Missouri, Arkansas and Kansas.

1932: The first book, Woodrow Wilson's George Washington, is ordered in honor of the bicentennial anniversary of Washington's birth.

1933: Standard English Braille, the first uniform braille code for the English speaking world, is adopted.

1934: The Talking Book, a phonograph recording of reading materials, was developed and the loaning of these materials begins.

1938: On May 6, the St. Louis Public Library receives a deed from Dr. Meyer Wiener for a special branch library, the Henry L. Wolfner Memorial Library. One month later, on June 6, the new branch library is dedicated.

1946: Readership had increased to 27,300 nationwide and each regional collection expanded with nearly 12,500 volumes of embossed books and Talking Book containers.

1952: Pratt-Smoot amendment makes children eligible for service.

1962: Program broadens to provide musical scores and other instructional music materials.

1966: Legislation is passed by Congress to extend free library service to physically impaired readers.

1968: NLS begins using audiocassettes to replace open-reel tape.

1971: Wolfner Library moves to the McDonald Building in St. Louis on January 4.

1972: NLS begins development of International Union Catalog, the first computer-produced catalog of Talking Book titles.

1977: The Missouri State Library becomes the administering agency for Wolfner, discontinuing payments to the St. Louis Public Library. Wolfner Library becomes one of the earliest libraries for the blind and physically impaired in the United States to automate its circulation system.

1979: The Wolfner Advisory Council is formed.

1980: Voice indexing is used by NLS for the first time in a Talking Book: Access to National Parks: A Guide for Handicapped Visitors.

1982: The public service staff of Wolfner Library moves to the Shell Building at 1221 Locust Street in St. Louis, while the circulation staff and the collection move to the Rudman Building in the 1200 block of Washington Avenue in St. Louis.

1985: Wolfner Library moves to the Truman State Office Building in Jefferson City. Nine staff members also move to Jefferson City; five of these people still work at Wolfner Library. The Friends of the Wolfner Library is organized.

1987: Wolfner Library moves to temporary quarters at 2002 Missouri Boulevard in Jefferson City.

1990: First Talking Book Machine with variable speed control is produced by the Library of Congress.

1991: Wolfner Library moves to its present location in the James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center, 600 West Main Street in Jefferson City.

1993: Wolfner Library comes under the administration of the Office of the Secretary of State. With funds from the Friends of Wolfner Library, the library adds descriptive video service, movies with added narration describing actions, costuming and set design, for its patrons.

1995: Wolfner News begins publication.

1997: The Wolfner collection of materials was made available through Internet/telnet access.

2000: Wolfner Library begins providing NFB-NEWSLINE® service, a telephone newspaper service using digital technology and a synthesized voice that "reads" the text from various newspapers across the country. An electronic distribution list was established and the distribution of weekly recommended reading lists begins.

2002: Wolfner volunteers begin producing print/Braille books to supplement the national collection.

2003: NLS issues strategic business plan outlining analog-to-digital conversion of Talking Books.

2004: Wolfner Library installs digital recording equipment for the production of volunteer-produced audio books.

2005: Contract signed with experts in accessible technology to develop Digital Talking Book Machine. Wolfner Library, with the sponsorship of the Friends of the Wolfner Library, adds audio to Say How?, a pronunciation guide, narrated by Ray Hagen with Laura Giannarelli serving as monitor.

Essay Contest Results

Thank you to all who participated in our recent essay contest asking you to tell us your special stories of what Wolfner Library means to you. Congratulations to Anna Hyman who submitted the winning essay. Her essay is printed here in its entirety along with excerpts from the other essays submitted.

Wolfner 75th Anniversary Essay Winner

I have enjoyed listening to Wolfner Library books for 30 years. That sounds like a very long time, doesn't it?

In the summer of 1975, and just after my high school graduation, I experienced a swift decline in my vision. I was diagnosed with a rare degenerative disease that drastically affected my optic nerve function. I was told by doctors at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis that I was legally blind. That truly rocked my world!

Some months later, I was visited by a counselor for the blind who introduced me to Wolfner Library Service. Now, I couldn't imagine myself sitting still long enough to listen to a book. I never had been much of a bookworm. I still remember the first book I ever listened to. It came in the LP album format. At first, I wasn't even going to give it a chance, but then I figured, my rehab in Kansas City was awhile off, it was the beginning of Winter and I really had nothing better to do anyway, so I listened. The book was the classic "Jane Eyre." I loved it! I have listened to every sort of book category over the years. These days my favorites are western romances, cookbooks, and health-related nonfiction. After rehab, I went to an FTD design school and for a time was a florist. Later, I fell in love and married a very special man; we have been married 28 years. We had a son. He is now married and we are expecting our second grandchild!

I have listened to LP album books, flexible disc books, and a lot of cassette books! I am looking forward to the upcoming digital book format!

I would like to say a heartfelt "thank you" to Wolfner Library and staff who have so enriched my life with books. I went places, did adventures and daring things, traveled in space and time, all in my mind's eye. I even learned a thing or two.

Congratulations Wolfner on your 75th Anniversary! I don't know what I would have done without you.—Anna Hyman

Excerpts from Other Essays Submitted

"I had always been an avid reader, so when I lost my sight from macular degeneration and could not read it was difficult to fill in time...After over a year in the program, I am pleased and enjoying the number and variety of titles available to me."—Eleanor Bolton

"The readers of the books speak loud and clear and they inspire me to keep listening...More people should know about Wolfner's services and I'm spreading the news."—Mildred Quigley

"This library helped me with lots of information like school, citizenship and many other information...Wolfner Library is an asset to the society."—Viswa Balaji

"They keep me well supplied with tapes and the talking books of all kinds...Now I spend much of my time listening to them...I cannot fully express my appreciation to Wolfner Library for this wonderful service with which I spend many happy hours each day. Please just "keep 'em comin'" and I'll keep returning them."—Alma Sego

Wolfner Library Fascinating Facts

Wolfner Library patrons read an average of 53.5 books per year.

Wolfner Library circulates approximately 2,068 books per day.

Wolfner Library Staff from Yesteryear

Picture 1: Mr. Edward F. Endicott, first director of Wolfner Library. Photo-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, June 2, 1957.

Picture 2: Staff going through various files, May 1964. Photo courtesy of the St. Louis Public Library.

Picture 3: Wolfner Library and Mailroom Staff, 1985. Five staff members still work for Wolfner Library today.

Picture 4: Wolfner Library staff circa 1988. Eight staff members still work for Wolfner Library today.

Picture 5: The State Library, Wolfner Library and Mail Room staff in 1991 when we moved to our current location in the James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center.

Wolfner Library Staff Today

Picture 1: Wolfner Library Director, Richard J. Smith.

Picture 2: Special Services Staff. Back Row: Diann Stark and Elizabeth Lang. Front Row: Nancy Doering and Deborah Stroup.

Picture 3: Public Services Staff. Back Row: Susan Higgins, Brandon Kempf, Debbie Musselman, Cheryl Hassler. Front Row: Bonnie O'Donnell, Paul Mathews, Carol Mathews, Ginny Ryan.

Picture 4: Circulation Staff. Back Row: Cheryl Nott, Michael Jaegers, Cheryl Schreiman, Amanda Heimericks. Front Row: Stacy Butler, Brandon Lammers, Rhea Dickrader, Ken Gilliam.

Picture 5: Technical Services Staff. Back Row: Ozzie Withers, Carol Quinn, Archie Andrews, Donald Branch, Tim Scott. Front Row: Justin Stauffer, Verhonda Winters.

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Wolfner Library Staff

Richard Smith	Director of Wolfner Library	richard.smith@sos.mo.gov
Debbie Musselman	Public Services Librarian	debbie.musselman@sos.mo.gov
Elizabeth Lang	Special Services Librarian	elizabeth.lang@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

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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
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