Upstate Update - Fall 2009
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In this issue:
- New Computer System Update
- Keep Your Cassette Machine
- Two Kinds of Digital Machine
- NLS Digital Books and the Victor Reader Stream Player
- Reasons to Return Books Promptly
- To Our Braille Readers
- Help for Blind Visitors to USA
- Returned Any Good Books Lately?
- Is it the Machine or the Book?
New Computer System Update
Work has been progressing on acquiring a new computer system for TBBL, and in early November we expect to move from our current system to the Keystone Library Automation System, or KLAS.
We ask for your patience when this transition takes place since we will be closed for a few days from approximately October 29 through November 2. TBBL staff will be training to learn how to operate the new KLAS system, and we will be making modifications to our current circulation procedures. We expect to bring up the new system on November 3, but hope you will keep in mind that it may take a bit of time to make sure everything is working properly. We're looking forward to being able to serve your library needs with greater speed and efficiency after the transition.
We will be adding periodic updates to our website telling you about the ongoing developments in this area, so check here for the latest news on KLAS: http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/tbbl.
Keep Your Cassette Machine
Despite the recent arrival of the new digital books and players, we must make it clear that books on cassette will continue to be available for many years. We have tens of thousands of existing cassette titles, and new cassette books will be produced until the end of 2010, alongside the digital books. Additionally, many of the older titles we have will never be available as digital books and will only be on cassette. Moreover, recorded magazines will be the last to be converted to digital format and will be on cassette only for quite some time to come. We predict that it will take a long time for us to assign a digital player to everyone who wants one, so for many it will be "service as usual" with cassette books for quite a while.
For these reasons we want to make it clear that you should keep your cassette machine and continue to get cassette service. This is the only way you’ll have access to our entire recorded collection. You may have both a cassette machine and the new digital player. No one is required to give up their cassette machine when they get a digital machine – on the contrary, for all the above reasons we are encouraging the opposite.
Two Kinds of Digital Machine
We have not been surprised by the many questions we have received about the difference between the types of players that are available for listening to the new digital books. NLS is producing the DS1 "standard" and the DA1 "advanced" machines. Here again is an outline of how these machines differ.
The main difference between these two machines is that the "advanced" allows the user to navigate around the chapters and various other sections of a book. For most people the basic or "standard" machine will probably be easier to use and good for general reading and fiction. Those whose reading preferences lean towards more complex nonfiction books with multiple chapters and sections, and who may need to jump around within the book (e.g. a cookbook) will perhaps find the "advanced" machine more useful.
This player has five additional controls to allow this navigation—controls to go forward and backward within the book, a button to hear current reading position and other information, such as battery status, and a button to set "bookmarks" that you can return to. Depending on how many people want one, the waiting list for the "advanced" machine may be longer because we are receiving fewer of these machines—about 20 percent of the total.
If you already have one kind of machine and think that the other model would suit you better, let us know and we can do an exchange. If you are on the waiting list for a digital machine you are welcome to contact us to tell us which machine you want. If you have yet to ask us to add your name to the waiting list, when you do you can let us know which machine you prefer.
NLS Digital Books and the Victor Reader Stream Player
In August we began the distribution of the new digital talking book machines (DTBM), starting with veterans, as legally required. It will take quite some time to provide every established and new borrower with this new equipment. We repeat, if you have not asked to have your name added to the machine waiting list you may do so by calling us at (800) 342-3688.
In addition to providing digital books on flashcard cartridges through the mail to be played on the DTBM, NLS is also offering books and magazines through Internet download. If you want to experience the benefits of the new digital books right away before receiving your free machine from the library you may wish to consider purchasing the Victor Reader Stream book player from HumanWare. This is a pocket-size player capable of playing both the downloaded digital books and the new digital book cartridges.
The advantage of the downloaded version of the digital books is that you can use a computer to find your book on the NLS Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) web site and immediately download that book to your computer. You can then connect the Victor Reader Stream to your computer and transfer the book to the Stream and you are ready to listen. With a high speed Internet connection, the entire book download and transfer process takes only 20 to 30 minutes. There is no need to wait for book cartridges to come in the mail.
Even if you do not have a computer the Victor Reader Stream can still play the book cartridges obtained from the library. The Stream comes with a small cable that connects it to the book cartridge so you can copy the book to the Stream’s memory card and return the book to the library, keeping a copy of the book for future use. The copying takes only 5 to 10 minutes. Or, if you purchase the Stream Library Edition, the player will come with a book cartridge holder that attaches to the back of the Stream and allows you to play the cartridge directly on the player.
The NLS digital books are encrypted and you must apply to the NLS BARD web site to get an authorization file that, when loaded to the Stream, will provide the necessary digital decryption key to play both the downloaded books and book cartridges. To learn more visit the BARD web site at: https://nlsbard.loc.gov. This is your starting point to apply for BARD service and authorization to play the books on the Stream. The Stream can also play books from many other Internet sources such as Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, Bookshare, and Audible.com. To learn more about the standard Stream or Stream Library Edition contact HumanWare at (800) 722-3393 or visit www.humanware.com.
Reasons to Return Books Promptly
Unless you are a student or represent a registered institution with special permission to keep books longer, we would like to remind you that the loan period for our books is one month after you receive it. It’s best to return each book as you finish reading it. There are excellent reasons to keep to this rule and return loaned books promptly:
- For your benefit. When we get a book back from you we send you another from your request list, or a selection based on your interests. Unreturned books can't trigger replacements, so your service suffers.
- As a courtesy to others. We need the books that you are hanging on to so that we can satisfy the requests of other borrowers. Such cooperation makes the library work for everyone.
To Our Braille Readers
We ask that each of our braille borrowers takes note that the braille book they are reading may well be our only copy of that book in braille—the only copy for all the braille readers in fifty-five counties! So please be very careful with these valuable books and, for others' enjoyment, return all volumes promptly and at the same time.
Help for Blind Visitors to USA
For international professionals and students who are blind or have low vision, visiting the USA just got easier. The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) has published a new informational tip sheet to help blind and low vision visitors in preparing to come to this country. The tip sheet contains information on a variety of resources about access and independent living, including orientation and mobility, guide dogs, learning braille, and assistive technology. "Blind Visitors to the United States: What You Need to Know" is online at www.miusa.org/ncde/tipsheets/blindvisitorstousa.
The NCDE is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State, and administered by Mobility International USA, which works to increase the participation and inclusion of people with disabilities in international exchange programs. Contact the NCDE at (541) 343-1284 and clearinghouse@miusa.org.
Returned Any Good Books Lately?
Even though we get many copies of bestselling books it is often difficult for us to send you any as they are constantly in circulation. If you’re reading current bestsellers by very popular authors such as Danielle Steel, Nora Roberts, John Grisham, and others, please finish and return them as soon as you can. Many other library users are waiting to read books by these authors; they will appreciate your thoughtfulness and cooperation.
Is it the Machine or the Book?
To prevent wasted time and effort for you and us, if you experience any difficulty playing or listening to a cassette book, try another book. This will help you determine if it’s the tape or the machine that’s causing the problem. Sometimes it’s just a bad tape, but if more than one tape behaves the same way, it’s probably the machine that’s malfunctioning.
Call us at (800) 342-3688 before returning the machine and asking for a replacement. We can often determine and solve the problem over the telephone and save you a lot of trouble. If we can’t, we’ll ship you another machine right away. When it arrives, return the bad machine through the mail without charge.
Mention of a product or service in this newsletter does not constitute endorsement by this library. Our intention is to increase an awareness of programs, services, and products that may be helpful to our patrons.