Touch and Listen
The Newsletter of the Florida Braille and Talking Book Library

Fall 2023

Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. Announces October Books of the Month
Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. announced October’s chosen books for the Commissioner’s Book of the Month, a monthly reading challenge to promote literacy and reading engagement in preK-12 schools. 
“This month’s recommended literacy selections feature resiliency narratives that will inspire students to learn about individuals who have persevered during difficult times,” said Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. “I encourage parents to take time to read with their children this month and cherish special moments together.”
The Commissioner’s recommendations for October 2023 which are available in our collection: 
•Grades K-2 – Try It!: How Frieda Caplan Changed the Way We Eat by Mara Rockliff, DBC 06438
•Grades 3-5 – The Candymakers by Wendy Mass, DB 86361; DB 84040
•Grades 6-8 – The Monster Missions by Laura Martin, DB 104416
•Grades 9-12 – Night by Elie Wiesel, DB 42074; BR 11185; DBG 17770

The full list of the Commissioner’s Books of the month can be found at https://www.fldoe.org/bookofthemonth/.

What’s Happening in Florida

From the Bureau Chief, Nicole Sanders
Congratulations to everyone who participated in the Summer Reading Spotlight. I hope you enjoyed it and your fun incentives. We had 49 participants who read 279 books.  Our goal is to continue to grow our participation opportunities for you.
We are almost completely switched over to duplication. This means instead of one book on one cartridge, we can now download multiple books on one cartridge. This streamlines many processes not only for us here at the regional library, but also the United States Postal Service. Our hope is that this also makes it easier for you. As you finish a cartridge (with several books on it) drop it in the mail and they will just keep coming in a steady flow.
E-Readers are coming! We are currently working with the National Library Service (NLS) to get the logistics and training so we can get them to you as soon as possible. We understand that many of you have been waiting for this and are anxious to get your hands on the Zoomax E-Readers! We have a list of patrons who let us know they want the E-Readers. If you have not been added to list and are interested in receiving an E-Reader, please call your reader advisor and let them know.
Thank you and happy reading!

Collecting: Patron Stories
If you have a story you would like to share about how our services have benefitted you or someone you know, please email us at reading@dbs.fldoe.org.

NFB-NEWSLINE® 
Use NFB-NEWSLINE® a free, powerful audio and Braille academic resource to enhance your education. Access the world's largest, most accessible audio and Braille news and information service:
•	Local newspapers with upcoming events, learn what is happening on and around your campus.
•	Research current events and topics.
•	Find successful techniques for a speech course with "Toastmasters". 
•	Get new ideas from "Talking Book Topics".
•	Keep up with political commentators. 
•	Discover the latest access technology solutions with "Access World". 
•	Figure out the best laptop for you - check out "PC World" or "Mac World".
About the National Federation of the Blind NFB-NEWSLINE®
The National Federation of the Blind is a transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind people. The NFB-NEWSLINE® is a free audio and Braille service for anyone who is blind, low vision, deafblind, or otherwise print disabled, which offers access to more than 500 publications, popular magazines, emergency weather alerts, job listings, and the list keeps growing.

Ask your reader advisor to sign you up for this service! 

Order your free currency reader from us!
You may now request the iBill U.S. Currency Reader directly from the Regional Library. Through a partnership with the Department of the Treasury, the Regional Library will have its own inventory of Currency Readers and will mail the items directly to library patrons. This collaboration will significantly decrease the amount of time it takes to get the device to the individuals who need it. Our staff will be required to complete an application on behalf of members, and confirm the individual as an active patron, and mail the device right away.
For more information, call the regional library at 1-800-226-6075.

Florida Radio Reading Services 
According to the International Association of Audio Information Services, (IAAIS) volunteers all over the world provide thousands of hours to produce live and recorded programs for radio reading services each day. Listeners experience a wide variety of timely and informative programming. Volunteer readers also offer listeners unique companionship and community connection. Here in Florida, the stations below offer access to newspapers, magazines, consumer information and other materials including features, sports, business, opinions and advertisements. Topic-based and public affairs programs are also available on many services as are some books or story-based shows.
Contact them directly for more information or to get equipment they offer such as radios or receivers.

Station Name:  SightLine 
Service Area: Northwest Florida
​Website Link:  https://www.wuwf.org/sightline 
​Transmission: streaming from website, smart speakers like the Amazon Echo Dot, mobile devices, and HD radio.
​
Station Name:  WUFT-FM Radio Reading Service
​Service Area:  North Central Florida
​Website Link: https://wuft.org/rrs 
​Transmission: streaming from website

Station Name:  WQCS Radio Reading Service
​Service Area:  Treasure Coast
​Website Link: https://www.wqcs.org/wqcs-radio-reading-service ​
Transmission: streaming from website, smart speakers, pre-tuned or closed circuit receiver.
​
Station Name:  WLRN Radio Reading Service
​Service Area: Miami-Dade, Broward, Lower Palm Beach, Upper Monroe Counties
​Website Link: https://www.wlrn.org/wlrn-mission-and-vision
​Transmission:  streaming from website
​
Station Name:  WJCT Radio Reading Service
​Service Area:  Northeast Florida and extreme southeast Georgia
​Website Link:  https://www.wjct.org/radio-reading-service/
​Transmission: streaming from website, smart speakers, or on the WJCT app.

National Library Service (NLS) Corner
Talking Book Topics (TBT)
TBT is published bi-monthly and lists the newest titles added to the collection, available through the library or the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) service.
Click here to look at the latest edition of the TBT loc.gov/nls/tbt.
•	The HTML version has direct links to BARD for downloading or adding books to wish lists.
•	The PDF version has a printable order form to mail to your library.
You can also find the latest books included in the most recent issue listed in the WebOPAC, https://flopac.klas.com , from the Browse section in the menu at the top.

Magazine on Cartridge Delays
NLS continues to experience delays in Magazine on Cartridge (MOC) distribution due to a back order of shipping supplies and a malfunction of the producer’s MOC production system. Patrons may experience delays of two to three weeks for various subscriptions. The production system has since been replaced, and NLS is currently working with a distributor to fully replenish the stock of shipping materials.

BARD News
Did you know you can reset your BARD password on your own? There is a link on the login screen Reset your BARD password here right under the Login button, that will send you a universal link to reset your password. If you have trouble, you can always email us at OPAC_librarian@dbs.fldoe.org or call your local library.
Keep up with all the latest news from NLS by visiting the Announcements and Notices page on our website https://dbs.fldoe.org/library .

The Reading Room
Navigating Multiple Books
With Duplication on Demand, you receive many books on one cartridge. There are two different ways to enjoy them, you can either let the machine play all of them in order, or you can skip around and go directly to the book you want.
•	If you let the books play through to the end you will hear, “End of book, Press Play Stop to continue to the next book.”
•	You may also use the Bookshelf feature to hear the titles and get right to the book you want.
1.	Turn your player on
2.	Put your cartridge in the player
3.	Press and hold the green square (play/stop) button until you hear “BOOKSHELF”
4.	Tap the right arrow once to get to the next book 
5.	Keep tapping the right arrow until you get to the book you want
6.	Press the Play/Stop button.

New Subject Headings: 
We have added more subject headings to our catalog, as a way for you to have even better control over your book selections! Contact your library and ask to have these subjects added to your account. If you have auto selection, the system will be better able to match you with more of the titles you want! 
•	Stage and Screen
•	Historical Fiction – Biblical
•	Holiday Fiction & Stories
•	Mythological fiction
•	Science fiction - Alternative history
•	Mystery & detective fiction, Juvenile
•	Fantasy fiction, Juvenile
•	Award winner - Nobel Prize
Braille Calendars for 2024
We are happy to get you subscribed to receive an NLS braille pocket sized or wall sized calendar, all you need to do is call or email your library. The calendars run for 13 months, and once you sign up, you will get one annually. The calendar runs through January of the next year, so it gives time for the new year to come in. 

Fresh from the Florida Recording Studio 
New Locally Produced Books: 
Coming to Pass: Florida’s Coastal Islands in a Gulf of Change by Susan Cerulean DBC17191 Coming to Pass tells the story of a little-developed necklace of northern Gulf Coast islands. Both a field guide to a beloved and impermanent Florida landscape and a call for its protection, Susan Cerulean’s memoir chronicles the uniquely beautiful coast as it once was, as it is now, and as it may be as the sea level rises.  Reading time: 7 hrs.

Find more new books produced here in our studios by going to the WebOPAC, the online public library catalog for Florida. Go to flopac.klas.com , and click on the Browse category in the menu bar. Scroll down to the heading Locally Recorded titles and click the link underneath for Titles that were recorded in Florida. Use the limits on the left-hand panel to refine your search by date and subject.
Magazine Anthologies
We offer great anthologies, created from our locally produced material, combined with magazines available from BARD. Depending on the collection, they can be produced from 2 to 4 times each year.  There are multiple monthly issues of each title included in each collection.

Here is one of the six collections:
ANT4H Home and Health: Jan., May, July, Nov.
Some of the titles include:
•	Southern Living
•	Taste of Home
•	Consumer Reports: On Health new!

Holiday Closing Dates
We are open from Monday -Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. Our upcoming holidays:
December 25-26, 2023 (Monday and Tuesday) Christmas
December 29, 2023- January 1-2, 2024 (Friday, Monday, and Tuesday) New Year 

The Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services are part of the
Florida Department of Education, Division of Blind Services.
Visit our websites at www.dbs.fldoe.org or www.fldoe.org 

Contact us at 1-800-226-6075 or via email at OPAC_librarian@dbs.fldoe.org