Indiana Insights - Spring 2018

Indiana Insights Talking Book and Braille Library

Join our new book club

We are excited to announce the launch of our new book club! The first meeting will take place via conference call at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, May 22nd. Participants can join the discussion by calling our toll-free dial in number, 877-422-1931, and entering the conference code, 8762032518. We will be discussing A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline, which is available in braille (BR 21873), audio (DB 87630), and large print (LP 20372). This novel is a historical fiction work about the life of Christina Olson, who was the model for Andrew Wyeth’s famous 1948 painting Christina’s World.

Our second meeting will take place on at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, August 21st using the same dial-in number and conference code as above. We will be discussing Fredrik Bachman’s A Man Called Ove, in which a grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door. It is available in braille (BR 21609), audio (DB 84392), and large print (LP 19517).

To request the books and to let us know you are interested in attending, please contact Laura Williams at 1-800-622-4970 or lawilliams1@library.in.gov


Patron survey

Please take a few minutes to fill out our user survey. This survey is focused on the library’s outreach efforts. The survey closes at 5 p.m. on June 30, 2018. 

Take the survey here


Sign up now to download books from BARD

There are over 84,000 books available for patrons to download, free of charge, from the BARD website. Also, with BARD Express and the BARD Mobile apps for iOS, Android, and Kindle devices, downloading books from BARD has never been easier. Here are a just a few of the many ways BARD can benefit you:

·        Never wait on the mail again. With BARD, when your current book ends on a cliffhanger, you can download the next book in the series (if it is out yet) immediately!

·        Take your books with you. You can listen to books using BARD Mobile on your cell phone as you go about your day.

·        Older titles available through BARD. The collection of NLS’s digitized cassette books is available on BARD. This includes many old books by favorites such as Rex Stout and Louis L’Amour.

·        Download a copy of the King James Bible (DB68777), which will never need to be returned.


Book recommendations

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan (DB 88107, BR 21988)

Since the day his fiancée died forty years ago, Anthony Peardew became a self-appointed keeper of lost things. Laura takes a job as his assistant and, upon his sudden death, she is charged with reuniting items from Anthony's collection with their owners. Strong language.


Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley (DB 85389, BR 21611)

Ted Flask is an aging writer whose best friend is a dachshund named Lily. They live a quiet, happy life together until Lily is stricken with a brain tumor that Ted thinks of as an octopus. Ted fights for Lily, confronting the monster trying to take his companion. Some strong language.

Thomas Murphy by Roger Rosenblatt (DB 87005)

Thomas Murphy, an aging Irishman now living on Manhattan's Upper West Side, is a poet who teaches writing to the homeless. Although his daughter fears that he is losing his memory, Murphy continues to visit his usual haunts, finding an unexpected new connection with a blind woman named Sarah. Some strong language.

City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World's Largest Refugee Camp by Ben Rawlence (DB 85749, BR 21709)

A portrayal of the lives of nine occupants of the Dadaab refugee camp in the inhospitable deserts of northern Kenya, where only thorn bushes grow. Those profiled include a former child soldier, a schoolgirl, and a man who scrapes together a living by pushing a wheelbarrow. Some violence.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (DB 87829)

Socially awkward and perpetually cranky, Eleanor works a boring office job and avoids dealing with other people whenever possible. She begins to open up after she develops a crush on a local musician and also becomes friendly with Raymond, the new IT guy.

The Horse Dancer by Jojo Moyes (DB 87713)

Lawyer Natasha is facing trouble at work while also forced to share a house with her ex-husband, Mac. In her work with troubled teens, Natasha meets Sarah. Taking Sarah under her wing means taking on Boo as well, a horse Sarah's grandfather gave her. Unrated.


Spring cleaning for talking book items

Spring is a great time to check your closets, under your bed, or anywhere else you might have old or overdue Talking Book materials. If you are a long term talking book patron and still have an old yellow cassette player or green cassette tapes you are no longer using, please return them to the library. The current Talking Book player, which all patrons who receive audiobooks are using, is black and has a moon shaped button on it. This does not need to be returned.

If you do find books or equipment you did not know you had, there is no reason to panic as there are never any overdue fines or fees on our materials. Simply flip the cards around and return them in the mail like you normally would.

Spring 2018

Volume XLI No. 1


Vision Expo is taking a break in 2018

After careful consideration, it has been decided to make the Indiana Vision Expo a biennial event rather than an annual event. As such, there will be no Indiana Vision Expo this year; the event will return in 2019 and will continue every other year going forward.

Please feel free to share any feedback on past Vision Expos and ideas to improve the event in the future with us by email.

We sincerely apologize for any disappointment this might cause.


    Summer reading returns!

    Summer reading is just around the corner for our young patrons ages 4-18. Our theme this year will be “Libraries Rock!” and will run from May 29th to July 30th. Any audio, braille, or large print book borrowed from the library during that period will count towards the reader’s total. This includes braille and audio books downloaded through the BARD website or mobile app. Prizes will be awarded to all participants. Each eligible reader will be contacted regarding the program. Look for more details on our website in coming weeks, including printable applications and reading lists.


    New books from Indiana Voices

    IDB00173 Indiana Beach: A Fun Filled History by W.C. Madden

    From its humble beginnings as a place to swim and row a boat, Ideal Beach eventually became Indiana Beach, a small amusement park where families could have good old-fashioned fun. Founded by Earl Spackman in 1926, its popularity was bolstered by the addition of a dance hall that drew the top bands of the nation during the Depression and war years of the 1940s. When Earl passed away, his son Tom continued his legacy.

    IDB00165 The Dillinger Days by John Toland

    For thirteen violent months in the 1930s, John Dillinger and his gang swept through the Midwest.  Dillinger's daring escapes and his countless bank robberies excited the imagination of a despondent country and earned him the dubious honor of being  Public Enemy Number One. His brief but significant career is vividly chronicled here in extraordinary detail.

    IDB00164 The Bears of Blue River by Charles Major

    The Bears of Blue River, set in 19th century Indiana, follows the adventures of a young boy named Balser Brent. Brent loves hunting wild animals, especially bears. The mischievous Balser spends most of his time in the forest, finding himself in many dangerous situations, often of his own devising.


    Still time to apply for a 2018 technology grant

    Applications are still being accepted for the 2018 Technology Grant from the Indiana State Library Foundation. The purpose of this grant is to provide monetary reimbursement towards the purchase of an assistive technology device of the grant recipient’s choosing. Applications will be accepted until the money allotted for the year has been awarded. For more information, including application instructions, please visit our website at http://www.in.gov/library/5442.htm


    NLS launches new, nationwide marketing campaign

    Recently, NLS launched a new marketing campaign aimed at increasing awareness of the Talking Book program. Ads have been running on TV and radio stations such as National Public Radio, the History Channel, and the Hallmark channel; they will be running in three week intervals through late 2019.

    You can help spread the word about Talking Books to friends and family members who could benefit from the program by talking to them about it or by sharing the commercial. You can view the commercial on the NLS Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ThatAllMayRead/


    Indiana Talking Book & Braille Calendar:

    Talking Books will be closed on the following days in 2017 and 2018:

    Tuesday, May 8, 2018
    Wednesday, July 4, 2018
    Monday, Sep. 3, 2018
    Monday, Oct. 8, 2018
    Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018
    Monday, Nov. 12, 2018
    Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018
    Friday, Nov. 23, 2018
    Monday, Dec. 24, 2018
    Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2018

    Indiana Talking Book & Braille Library Hours:
    Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.


    Maggie Ansty, Editor
    317-232-3684 or 1-800-622-4970
    e-mail: tbbl@library.in.gov
    http://www.in.gov/library/tbbl.htm