Wolfner News Summer 2006 

Notes from the Director:

Margaret Conroy, Missouri State Librarian

Welcome Missouri’s New State Librarian

Secretary of State Robin Carnahan appointed Margaret Conroy as Missouri’s new state librarian. Conroy has extensive experience directing local libraries in Missouri. Prior to accepting the position of state librarian, Conroy served as the director of the Missouri River Regional Library in Jefferson City and previously directed the Little Dixie Regional Libraries in Moberly, Missouri.

“I am pleased by the opportunity to serve Missourians as state librarian and to help increase access to library services across the state,” said Conroy. “I look forward to working with Secretary Carnahan, Missouri’s local libraries, school librarians, the academic community, and the patrons of Wolfner Library in order to help enhance our state libraries’ services.” Conroy began her work as state librarian on April 17, 2006.

Friends of Wolfner Library Meeting

The Friends of Wolfner Library held their annual meeting on April 22, 2006 in the James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center in Jefferson City. The meeting celebrated the Wolfner Library’s 75th anniversary. The winning essays from Wolfner’s essay contest were read and four of the winners, Mildred Quigley, Eleanor Bolton, Viswa Balaji and Karl Cook, attended the celebration. Wolfner staff members Ken Gilliam, Archie Andrews, Carol Mathews and Paul Mathews, all of whom have worked for Wolfner Library since it moved to Jefferson City from St. Louis in 1985, reminisced about the history of Wolfner Library. The Friends honored Ginny Ryan and Carol Quinn, who have worked at Wolfner for 20 years, with a plaque and a gift.

Carol Mathews reminiscing with Ginny Ryan and Director Richard Smith looking on.

Carol Quinn and Ginny RYan receive tributes from Stan Rock, Friends of Wolfner Library president.

Wolfner Advisory Council

The purpose of the Wolfner Advisory Council is to represent Wolfner Library patrons, to advise on Wolfner Library programs and services and how they may be improved, to study programs developed by other libraries and make recommendations for their adoption and to communicate the value of reading and of Wolfner’s services to Missourians. The group will meet next on Friday, August 18th, 2006 at the James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center in Jefferson City.

Richard Smith
Director

Wolfner Advisory Council Members 2006

• Mary Dingus, St. Louis, representing the Saint Louis Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
• Zeze Miller, Jefferson City, representing the Department of Social Services.
• Judith Hawley, Stewartsville, representing the Missouri Council of the Blind.
• Dan Flaser, Richmond Heights, representing the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri.

At large members:

• Dennis Miller, Kirksville, Chair
• Bill Burris, West Plains
• Patricia Morrow, Columbia
• Judy Redlich, Saint Louis
• Steve Robinson, Saint Louis
• John Donley, Fulton
• Emma Lou Swopes, Hughesville
• Shelia Wright, Kansas City
• Brian Wekamp, Jefferson City
• Fran Benham, Saint Louis

From the Editor’s Desk

Hello,

My name is Elizabeth, and I am the new editor of The Wolfner News. I am the Special Services Librarian with Wolfner Library, so when I’m not editing the newsletter, I’m responsible for cataloging our books and answering patron reference questions.

With this edition, we’ve changed the look of the printed format newsletter. We are now using a type face that is easier to read by people who have vision impairments. We hope you like it. Additionally, The Wolfner News is now available on our web site in a human voice audio file at www.sos.mo.gov/wolfner/ wolfnews/.

The Wolfner News is filled with information about books, videos and services available from Wolfner Library. If you would like more information about anything you read about in this newsletter, or would like to order books, please call us at 1-800-392-2614, send us an email at wolfner@sos.mo.gov or write us a letter at PO Box 387, Jefferson City, Missouri, 65102.

Elizabeth A. Lang
Editor

Children’s News: Wolfner Library Summer Reading Programs, 2006

What kind of cat likes to go bowling? An alley cat! Pet lovers of all kinds are invited to join the “Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales” children’s reading program at Wolfner Library this summer. The program is open to all young patrons, from preschoolers to those entering 6th grade this fall. A separate program called “Creature Feature” is planned for teen patrons. Each participant will receive a packet with suggested reading lists and activities for the whole family to enjoy. A special formatted book will be awarded to each reader who reaches his or her reading goal, and there will be prizes to win, too! The program begins June 11 and runs through July 22. For more information, or to register for either program, call the library at 1-800-392-2614.

Nancy Doering
Youth Services Librarian

Essay Contest Revisited

We received two essays after the contest was finalized, and we would like to acknowledge these fine essays and provide you with these excerpts:

“…My vision disappeared completely about four years ago and after lots of soul searching (another word for crying and anger), I discovered I could read books quite easily from Wolfner’s books on tape…I have read more magazines, newspapers and books in the last two years than in my whole previous life. I didn’t have to give up movie watching because Wolfner provided me with Descriptive Video Service, voice narration for the visually impaired watcher. These days I read books on tape everyday and sometimes all day…which I find is one of my greater sources of happiness. If I haven’t thanked Wolfner enough, I’ll do it now…Thank you, thank you, thank you!”—Karl Cook

“Before I was a Wolfner member I had to read books for myself. I am a slow learner and as a quadriplegic it’s hard to hold the book for myself…(the books) help the time pass quickly and make me laugh. As I get older I know I can always have your service provided for me. I feel like Wolfner cares about people that are impaired, that means a lot to me.”—Kody Essary

Once again, thank you to all who participated in the essay contest. We enjoyed hearing from you.

Debbie Musselman
Public Services Librarian

Magazine Rack

We’ve recently begun mailing out “consumable” cassette magazines in paper envelopes rather than in green plastic boxes. They are called “consumable” magazines because you can keep the copy you receive instead of returning the cassettes or the paper envelope to us. Magazines that are not “consumables” will continue to arrive at your home in a green plastic box and do need to be returned.

Verhonda Winters
Duplication Technician

Mailing cards

If you are reading two or three cassette books at a time, please keep each mailing card on the container in which it arrived, as the cards contain information about which book is in the container. Recently we have been receiving cassette books with an incorrect mailing card on the box. When cards are traded between containers, we get incorrect information about which title has been returned, this slows down our service to you. In the interest of speedy service, please keep each mailing card with its original container. Thanks!

Kenneth Gilliam
Circulation Supervisor

News Rack: Extra, Extra! Read All about It!

Would you like to read the newspaper with your morning coffee, but can’t see that tiny print? Now the daily news is only a phone call away. NFB-Newsline® is a free newspaper reading service that allows people who have impaired vision to access local and national newspapers using a telephone. This free service is available to all Wolfner Library patrons, and you just need to contact us to sign up. You can read several national papers, such as USA Today or the Wall Street Journal, or you can enjoy one of eight Missouri papers, including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch or the Kansas City Star. Associated Press and United Press International articles are also available. Sign up for free NFB-Newsline® service today and stay on top of the local and national headlines.

Ready, Set, Action!

The first Wolfner Library Adult Winter Reading Program, “Never Judge a Book by Its Movie,” ended April 3, 2006 and it was a great success! We all had a wonderful time reading books that have been made into movies. Sixty-three cast members read a total of 1,405 books, with almost everyone reading the suggested minimum (12 books) and over half reading more than 20 books.

Our Academy Award goes to Daniel Nellis who read a whopping 99 books! Daniel won the Tinsel Town Party Pack that includes a descriptive video of his choice, a Wolfner Library 75th Anniversary tote bag, popcorn and other goodies. Paula Ilcken receives our Best Supporting Reader award. Paula read 55 books for her second place finish. Third place was a tie between Mae Langston and Ervin Schroeder, who each read 54 books. Congratulations to our top four readers, and a big thank you to the Library Users Group of Missouri for providing the prizes for our top readers!

In our prize drawing for those who read at least 12 books, popcorn poppers were won by Michael Stasiak, Linda Burton, Shelly McMullen, Bill Burris, and Gloria Chaffee. Seventy-fifth Anniversary tote bags were awarded to Marti Watson, Rosebud Cardenas, Karl Cook, Mildred Means, Catherine Cole, Eleanor Burton, Pat Wernecke, Walter Ross, Nolan Crabb and Lisa Payton. Congratulations to all our drawing winners! Other participants in the Adult Winter Reading Program received a Wolfner Library braille keychain in recognition of their participation.

Thanks to the staff in our circulation department for keeping the books flying off the shelves and to our duplication department for making sure we had plenty of copies for everyone! Another big thank you goes out to our Reader Advisors who took all those extra calls. It is our hope that everyone who participated had fun and broadened their horizons by reading at least one book they would not have selected otherwise. If you were not able to participate this time, we hope you will be able to join us next time we offer the Adult Winter Reading Program.

Suzy Higgins
Reader Advisor

Shared Masters Program

Have you noticed that you are receiving books with multiple narrators or with music in the background? These books are part of the National Library Service (NLS) Shared Masters Program and are commercially produced. They are then converted to the NLS cassette format, but not necessarily at NLS standards. The good news is that NLS can convert these books much more quickly than recording them from scratch, so we are able to get them to you faster than before, sometimes even simultaneously with the print edition. NLS adds approximately 125 of these titles each year to the collection. Examples include Laura Bush: An Intimate Portrait of the First Lady by Ronald Kessler (RC 61603), S Is for Silence by Sue Grafton (RC 60925), Miracle by Danielle Steel (RC 60644), and The Journey: How to Live by Faith in an Uncertain World (RC 61602) by Billy Graham. We hope you are enjoying these popular additions to our collection!

Debbie Musselman
Public Services Librarian

Volunteer News

“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.”

—Sir Francis Bacon

I get a lot of inquiries from people requesting that we record a specific book in the Wolfner recording booth, so I thought it might be helpful to explain the criteria and process we use to choose books to be recorded.

Most of our books are provided by the National Library Service (NLS). They record books for the entire country, and depend on individual libraries like Wolfner to record regional materials.

Our mission is to record books about Missouri history, politics, culture, people, travel, humor, and folklore. We sometimes record novels with a Missouri setting, and we record books by Missouri authors. We also record books for school children. If a book is a nominee for one of the Missouri childrens’ book award programs and hasn’t been recorded by the NLS, we try to make sure it is available for our young patrons by recording it ourselves.

Our criteria for choosing books within the above guidelines are books that are well written, are of interest to a wide range of people and have been requested by several Wolfner patrons.

I hope this helps you understand how, and why, we choose the books we record in the Wolfner recording booth. Our goal is to make available to you reading material that helps you to better know and understand the state you live in.

Happy Reading!

Deborah Stroup
Coordinator of Volunteers

Recommended Readings

Listed below are the newest bibliographies compiled by Wolfner staff. They can be ordered by calling us at 1-800-392-2614 or you can read them online on our Web site at www.sos.mo.gov/wolfner/readings.asp

• Bestsellers 2005: Fiction and non-fiction titles that were bestsellers in 2005.
• The Christy Awards: Novelists and novels of excellence in the Christian fiction genre.
• Contemporary Romance: Present-day love stories.
• Critics Pick Best Novels: Time Magazine critics have chosen what they consider to be the best English-language novels from 1923 to the present.
• Diet Fiction: Fiction titles with characters who have issues with their weight.
• Gifts: Books from our collection about gifts and gift giving.
• Gold Medallion Book Award: Inspirational and Christian Living: Outstanding Christian books in the Inspirational and Christian Living categories.
• Gold Medallion Book Award: Fiction: Outstanding Christian fiction books.
• The Great Depression: Fiction and nonfiction about The Great Depression.
• Historic America: Histories, biographies and fiction tales that tell of the founding of our country.
• The Korean War: Historical accounts of the Korean War.
• Love: Nonfiction about every aspect of love from marriage and intimacy to obsession and soul mates.
• New York State Authors: Books by authors born in or living in New York.
• Now Showing: Books that have been turned into movies.
• Our Nation’s First President: Books about George Washington.
• Paranormal Romances: Romances that include such things as angels, fairies, ghosts, vampires, werewolves, wizards, or reincarnation.
• Parenting: Books that provide information and advice on the issues of parenting.
• Tornado: Fiction and nonfiction books about tornadoes.
• We Celebrate Achievements: Biographies of people with disabilities who achieved success as athletes, musicians and educators.
• World War Two Fiction: Historical fiction books that explore what life might have been like for people who lived through World War Two.
• Writers of the Western Coast: Books by writers from the Western Coast of the United States.

Descriptive Videos

Descriptive videos are similar to those you rent from local video stores, with one crucial difference: narration of on-screen action is added to descriptive videos to enhance the viewing experience of those with visual impairments. Descriptive videos play on a standard VCR. Listed below are nine descriptive videos recently added to our collection. They can be ordered by calling us at 1-800-392-2614.

Video Number	Title	Rating	Genre
DV 546	Batman Begins	PG-13	Adventure
DV 547	The Polar Express	G	Family & Children
DV 548	Cinderella Man	PG-13	Drama
DV 549	The 40 Year Old Virgin	R	Comedy
DV 550	Fever Pitch	PG-13	Romantic Comedy
DV 551	Fantastic Four	PG-13	Action Adventure
DV 552	Mr. & Mrs. Smith	PG-13	Action Adventure
DV 553	Herbie: Fully Loaded	G	Comedy
DV 554	Charlie & the Chocolate Factory	PG	Family & Children

Wolfner Library Staff Listing