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In Focus

December 2021

News from the BSBP Braille and Talking Book Library (BTBL)
702 W. Kalamazoo Street
PO Box 30007
Lansing, MI 48909

Prefer the downloadable version of this newsletter? Check out the PDF version or the Microsoft Word version.

Holiday Reflection by Scott Norris, BTBL Manager

The holiday season is upon us and while we are in the midst of the second year of the COVID pandemic, there are still things I am thankful for. The love of family, the closeness of loved ones, the support of friends, and, of course, the never-ending hard work and dedication of my library staff.

While many of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) network libraries closed at some point during the pandemic, our staff at the Michigan BTBL continued working, so books, machines, and reader advisory support could be there for you without interruption during a difficult time. In fact, this year alone, we have sent out over 850,151 audio books on 8,874 cartridges. We repaired over 3,600 machines and sent out over 1,200 Braille books.

So, to my wonderful staff, I’d like to say, “Thank you!” You are appreciated. And to our patrons, I also want to say thank you for your kindness and understanding during these last two years. Things might not be “normal” yet, but together with the right attitude, we will continue supporting our Michigan readers in this time of uncertainty.

In closing, I couldn’t put it better than a patron who recently said, “My books have helped me keep sane.” And so, from BTBL to your homes, please have a safe and happy holiday!

BTBL News

Expanded DVD collection

Described DVDs have an audio narration track that plays in between lines of dialogue to describe what’s visually happening on the screen. Not every DVD has the option, and it may require the help of a sighted person to navigate through the menus and turn the narration track on, but it makes entertainment more accessible for all. We recently added about 70 DVDs to our collection! Ask us for a large print order form, an e-mailed list, or visit http://michigan.gov/btbl.

New NLS Director

Vermont State Librarian Jason Broughton has been selected as the new Director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) as the Library of Congress. Previously, Broughton held positions at libraries in South Carolina and Georgia. He started work at NLS in mid-September, and replaces our now retired previous leader, Karen Keninger. We wish both all the luck in their new endeavors!
– NLS News article.

Free Large Print Calendars

A free large print calendar is only a phone call away. Anyone that received a calendar from us in the past will automatically get the 2021 calendar – these should arrive by mid-December. If you have not received one before and would like to get one this year, please call 1-800-992-9012.

Help Grow Braille! by Lucy Edmonds

If you believe that Braille is a vital link to literacy and provides greater productivity and employability for people who are blind or visually impaired, then we want you as a member of the Braille Revival League to help support this vital cause.

Join the Braille Revival League (BRL) as a new member before February 15, 2022, and receive a special gift, or give a gift membership to a friend, co-worker, or family member, and you both receive the special gift. You don’t need to know Braille to become a member of the Braille Revival League.

Help spread the word and grow BRL. Contact treasurer Jane Carona at 301-598-2131 or via e-mail at jane.e.carona@gmail.com.

BTBL Calendar 

BTBL Club Info

Clubs are currently virtual only. Computer and Book Club meet the second Saturday of the month at 10:30 and 1:30, respectively. Club dates are always subject to change, especially around the holidays.

As always, you may join our clubs by dialing 1-888-278-0296 and entering the access code 5836578. Or you can also now join meetings via Zoom by contacting the library to request the meeting invite.

BTBL Calendar of Events:

December 23-24:  Lansing BTBL closed for the holiday.

December 30- 31: Lansing BTBL closed for the holiday.

January 8: Technology Club – OrCam presented by Stacey Crown

January 8:   Book Club – Our Lady of the Forest by David Guterson (DB 57721 / BR 15323)

February 12: Technology Club- TBA

February 12:  Book Club- Obedience: a novel by Will Lavender  (DB 67221)

March 12:   Technology Club- Eating and Mealtime: grocery shopping and ordering food delivery, presented by Caitlin Snyder

March 12:   Book Club- TBA

December 15 - March 20th: Winter Reading Bingo (see page 2 for more details).

April 21:    Consumer Involvement Committee (CIC) Meeting – This call is open to all patrons. We encourage your participation! Use the dial-in information listed above, and join us from 1-2:30 p.m.

May 10:  Libraries Without Walls- Save the Date! LWW is back at LCC West campus. More details to come. 

Winter Reading BINGO

Looking to read something outside of your box? Try the BTBL Winter Reading Bingo for ALL AGES. To participate, read books that meet the criteria on the Bingo card below by March 19th, 2022 (the last day of winter!). When you are done, call us to report your favorite book read in your Bingo. We will share as many of your selections as possible in our Spring newsletter, so others can try them too!

Technology Corner

There are a lot of accessible formats out there, however, there seems to be an endless stream of printed material that must be dealt with. From reading your mail to deciphering menus, print seems unavoidable. Optical character recognition (OCR) systems provide persons who are blind or visually impaired with the capacity to scan printed text and then have it spoken in synthetic speech or saved to a computer file. There are three essential elements to OCR technology—scanning, recognition, and reading text.

Many are familiar with the older OCR options such as the Kurzweil products, flatbed scanners and bulky CCTV systems. Fortunately, these are no longer the only options available. There are ways to read print that are much more reasonably priced, in some cases free. Additionally, these newer options are smaller and more portable because they are apps that you can install on that smartphone you already carry everywhere. Here are some popular ones:

Voice Dream Scanner –Available for both iOS and Android and the cost is $5.99. The app uses your phone’s built-in camera to auto focus on text in view. A photo is taken, and the app will read back all the text. It can be set to automatically take the picture once your phone is in the correct position as well as tones to help you get to that position.

Voice OCR – Available for iOS and is free. This one allows you to import PDFs and recognizes handwriting. What is helpful about Voice OCR app is that it will allow you to speak commands to make the app take a photo then recognize the text such as Capture and Read.

Seeing AI – Available for iOS and is free. One difference with this one is in the Short Text mode; it is real time OCR instead of having to snap a picture. Once it is in range, it starts reading. It also has options for document mode, scanning barcodes, identifying currency and colors and much more. There is a similar app for android called Envision AI though, after a 14 day trial, it is a subscription service.

Local Recordings

One of the missions of the Library of Congress’ National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) in Washington, D.C., is to develop and maintain an inventory of braille and recorded materials that will meet the recreational reading preferences and information needs of a highly diverse clientele. The NLS Collection Development Team does a great job of selecting books based on professional book reviews, popular culture, and patron requests to meet these collection building goals.

Thanks to cooperative agreements with commercial audio book publishers, NLS has been able to tap into the commercial market and rapidly grow the collection over the past few years. Additionally, new connections made through the Marrakesh Treaty have expanded the collection beyond the borders of our country. Even with these vast resources, NLS is not able to record or obtain every book for the collection.

Throughout the country, regional network libraries, like the Braille and Talking Book Library (BTBL) in Lansing, Michigan, are also recording materials for patrons. These selections often have more of a local or regional focus. In addition to the local recording program in Lansing, a new recording program has been established by Great Lakes Talking Books in Marquette, Michigan, with a focus on materials related to the history and culture of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

The BTBL local recording program in Lansing has always recorded books about Michigan and the Great Lakes region and by Michigan authors; however, due to changes made to staffing at the start of the pandemic in March 2020, local recording activities were put on hold. As we slowly resume local audio production, the focus has shifted entirely to the Michigan History magazine published by the Historical Society of Michigan. The goal in 2022 is to make Michigan History magazine available to patrons online through the NLS Braille Audio Reading Download service (BARD).

If you are interested in receiving more books about Michigan or the Michigan History magazine when it becomes available in 2022, please contact the library to have Michigan related books added to your request list or to have your name added to the waiting list for Michigan History magazine. Place your request by calling 1-800-992-9012 or emailing btbl@michigan.gov.

BTBL Staff Picks

DB 72629 – A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness, read by Jill Fox. After scholar and witch Diana Bishop requests an alchemical manuscript from the depths of Oxford's Bodleian Library, she finds the magical power within the leather cover disturbing and hastily sends it back. But the book's reemergence causes a chain reaction through the paranormal community. Descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2011.

“This book intertwines several themes that I enjoy: a powerful but reluctant or blocked protagonist, a mixing of the mundane and the magical, and new interpretations of magic and paranormal creatures. There’s some romance, and some scholarly endeavors, for readers who like either of those things. It was also made into a TV show recently, though I personally have not seen it.” – Caitlin, BTBL Librarian

DB 77138 / BR 21495 – The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and their epic quest for gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel Brown, read by Jill Fox. Recounts the accomplishments of nine working-class athletes from the University of Washington who beat elite teams at home and abroad and won the gold medal for rowing at the 1936 Nazi-orchestrated Berlin Olympics. Bestseller. 2013.

“Though I am not sports oriented, I did not want to stop listening to this book. Truly helpful explanations of rowing and its effects are deftly combined with the boys' backgrounds, the political situation, and everyday events. The author gives the reader the feeling of actually being part of this rowing team at this moment in time." – Stephanie H., MI1N BTB paraprofessional

DB 95987 – Chronicles of a Radical Hag (with recipes) by Lorna Landvik. Haze Evans wrote a column for the local small-town Minnesota newspaper for fifty years before a massive stroke left her in a coma. Publisher Susan McGrath enlists the help of her rebellious teenage son to choose some of Haze’s old columns to run while she is gone. Some strong language. 2019.

“I loved this book. It shares the story of a strong woman who sneakily fought for equality in so many different and subtle ways throughout her life. The character reminded me of my late mother who was a force to be reckoned with.  I would highly recommend this one if you need a bit of a laugh mixed with a bit of empowerment.” – Bridgid, BTBL Librarian

DB 60333 - Garlic and Sapphires: the secret life of a critic in disguise by Ruth Reichl. Nineteen-nineties New York Times food critic describes putting on character disguises to maintain anonymity during restaurant visits. She reveals the ways different personas unexpectedly affected her reviews and taught her lessons about character, expectations, and appetites. Includes recipes. Bestseller. 2005.

“I’ve never been to New York City (nor do I ever expect to), but I loved living vicariously through Ruth Reichl’s food writing career at the New York Times. Her sense of humor and clever techniques for obtaining an “ordinary” meal make me laugh. The in-depth descriptions of the restaurants and their complicated menus are very satisfying to this armchair traveler and foodie.” – Betsie, BTBL Librarian

DB 75094– Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. After exhibiting new-found powers during an attack on her convoy, Alina Starkov is taken from her post as a lowly assistant cartographer--and away from her only friend, Mal--to become the protégée of the mysterious and deadly Darkling. Some violence. For junior and senior high and older readers. 2012.

“I started watching the show, Shadow and Bone, available on Netflix, then decided to read the books. Bardugo's world-building kept me engaged and had me wanting to know what happened to the characters next. I recommend this series if you like to escape to an original world with characters that grow on you and an interesting story. Bonus, it’s a series (DB79589 and DB79844)!” – Meagan, BTBL Librarian

DB 78574 / BR 20475 – Flash Boys: A wall street revolt by Michael Lewis. Journalist relates the influence of high-frequency trades--made by computers in fractions of seconds--on financial markets. Chronicles the efforts of a group of men called the Flash Boys to limit the power of this practice. Strong language. Bestseller. 2014.

“I had very little knowledge on this topic beforehand, but the author managed to make the content feel relatable. This read like a story, and there was definitely a "hero" through it all. I will say, it does not instill faith in our financial markets. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with this book, but I'd only recommend it if you have interest in learning more about Wall Street.” – Stephanie, BTBL Librarian

Around the State

The following programs may be offered only to patrons within the counties served for each library location. To find out if a program is available to you, refer to the library listings on page 14 or call the location in question to verify.

Talking Book Library @ Traverse Area District Library
610 Woodmere Ave, Traverse City, MI 49686
1-877-931-8558

Office Hours. We have resumed our regular office hours of Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm.

Support Groups. The Traverse City Visually Impaired Persons group meets monthly, contact Melinda Hollands at 231-590-0986 or mlhollandstc@gmail.com. This is a very active group that is interested in getting out and exploring pertinent topics and trends.

Magnifier Exchange. Do you have a clean, working magnifying device you no longer use? We are happy to accept donations of handheld magnifiers (at least 4x), digital CCTV readers, free-standing magnifiers etc. to pass along to other patrons who can use them, free of charge.  Please call 231 932-8558 with questions or to coordinate a curbside drop-off.

Detroit Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
3666 Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48208
1-313-481-1702

Closed to the Public. The Douglass Branch's LBPH Department is currently closed to the public. Detroit LBPH staff are available to answer phone calls and take orders for talking books and other materials. Currently, there is no proposed date for re-opening the branch to the public.

Phone Book Club. Join us by phone on the 4th Wednesday of the month from 1 -2:30 p.m. Two books are discussed at each Book Club phone meeting.  More programming is coming soon!

Oakland Talking Book Service @ Rochester Hills Public Library
500 Olde Towne Rd, Rochester, MI 48307
1-800-774-4542

Book Groups by Phone. Looking for an opportunity to discuss great books and network with other Oakland Talking Book Service patrons? Consider joining one of our book discussion groups. One meets on the first Monday of the month, the other on the second Wednesday of the month, and both are currently meeting remotely. If you have questions about our book discussion groups or would like to receive one or more of the books, call 248-650-5681.

Macomb Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped @ CMPL
40900 Romeo Plank, Clinton Township, MI 48038
1-855-203-5274

Announcing Library Name Change. We are now The Macomb Library for the Blind and Print Disabled @ CMPL. In 2019, the National Library Service changed its name to the Library for the Blind and Print Disabled. We wanted to follow their lead and as of October 2021 we have officially done so.

Story Phone. We have partnered with our host library, the Clinton-Macomb Public Library, to create a phone option called Story Phone for Grown-Ups. Just call (586) 226-5006 to hear short stories, poems, excerpts and more. To hear a story, you will need to press 4 for the Story Phone for Grown-Ups option. Options will change weekly and will be read by our storytelling team. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

New Facebook Page. We are very pleased to tell you that our Library for the Blind now has a presence on Facebook! Per last year’s survey, we discovered that there are some Facebook users within our patron community, so we decided to create a Facebook page to promote our services and programs. You can find us at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/MLBPDatCMPL/ 

Braille and Talking Books @ Taylor Community Library
12303 Pardee Rd, Taylor, Michigan 48180
1- 844-307-1621

Brown Bag Book Discussion. Meets the 2nd Wednesday of the month from 12 – 1:30 p.m. The group discusses two audiobooks each month.  Please call for titles.

Visually Impaired People's (VIP) Support Group. Meets the 4th Wednesday of the month from 12 - 1 p.m. We meet to discuss important topics and connect over shared concerns, anyone welcome. (VIP does not meet in December).

Quarterly Assistive Device Drop-Ins (ADDI). Coming starting in 2022! The 3rd Thursday of January, April, July, and October will be open for patrons to drop by anytime during 12 - 2 p.m. for assistive technology information or personalized help with popular tech.

Remote Access. BTB events will remain available via conference call. Call: 267-807-9601, Access Code: 965803 or online at http://bit.ly/TCLbtbcall. Please be aware, BTB may change programs from in-person to Remote Only at any time in concern for public health and safety. Please check with the library ahead of time by calling 734-287-4840 or online at http://taylor.lib.mi.us/events

Genesee District Library Talking Book Center
G-4195 W. Pasadena Ave, Flint, MI 48504
1-866-732-1120

Call or Email. Please call the Talking Book Center for book requests and questions! We are 100% open and looking forward to your visit or phone call. Call 810-732-1120 or email tbc@thegdl.org for assistance.

Muskegon Area District Library for the Visually and Physically Handicapped
4845 Airline Road, Unit 5, Muskegon, MI 49444
1-877-569-4801

Programs. Our library will be having monthly book clubs and descriptive audio movie showings. Give us a call for more information!

Bookmobile. We’re heading out with the MADL Bookmobile to reach more patrons and spread the word about the Talking Book program.

Support Groups. Check out our local low vision support groups, which all meet monthly. Please call 616-458-1187 with any questions.

• Muskegon (In-person): 3rd Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at 560 Seminole Rd, Muskegon, MI 49444.
• Ottawa (Phone): 2nd Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Call 701-801-6449

Great Lakes Talking Books
1615 Presque Isle, Marquette, MI 49855
1-800-562-8985

Locally recorded, Laughing Whitefish is now available. DBC 19552 - Laughing Whitefish, by Robert Traver (John D. Voelker), narrated by Mark Hamari - From the bestselling author of Anatomy of a Murder, an engrossing trial drama of ethnic hostility and the legal defense of Indian treaties. Robert Traver (John D. Voelker) was for fourteen years the District Attorney of the rugged glaciated iron mining community of Marquette County, Michigan. He was appointed to the Supreme Court of Michigan in 1957, re-elected two times, and wrote over one hundred decisions. He resigned to continue his writing – and to fish for trout in his beloved U. P. This is Traver’s third novel and eighth book.

About Victoria E. Wolf. The Great Lakes Talking Book local recording booth was made possible by Victoria E. Wolf, and we are sharing her life story written lovingly by her nephew, Doug Paine. Victoria E. Wolf was a product of the U.P., born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Her father emigrated to the US at age 14 from Sweden; her mother, of Finnish descent, was born in an Upper Peninsula (U.P.) logging camp. She was a U.P. girl through and through. Hunting, fishing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling were all favored pastimes. After graduating from “Soo High” (Sault Area High School), she received a bachelor’s degree from Lake Superior State and a master’s degree from Michigan State University. Victoria was a special education teacher for 30 years, working in school districts in Stockbridge and Alpena in the Lower Peninsula. A lifelong lover of books, Victoria developed severe vision problems in her later years due to macular degeneration. Like her mother, who had the same condition, she availed herself of “talking books”. A steady stream of audio books made their way to her house and, later, to her assisted-living facility. Victoria was a most generous person, and she provided significant gifts to several causes in her will. Because of the joy that the “talking books” gave herself and her mother, Great Lakes Talking Books had a special place in her heart. Consequently, she bequeathed a generous contribution to that institution. Victoria E. Wolf died in September 2016 at age 78.

Two Books, Two Communities. This program is a partnership of Northern Michigan University and Marquette/Alger Counties. The book chosen for 2021 is DB 83648 - Fried Walleye & Cherry Pie: Midwestern Writers on Food, edited by Peggy Wolff. Thirty essays on the pleasures of food and eating in the Midwest. Includes Peggy Wolff on fish boils, Elizabeth Berg on meatloaf, Jacquelyn Mitchard on corn, Peter Sagal on pâté, Anne Dimock on rhubarb, Lorna Landvik on diets, and Sue Hubbell on pie. If you would like to participate in the community read, please call 1-800-562-8985, ext. 0.

BSBP Overview

The Michigan Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP) believes in the capacity of people who are blind or visually impaired to achieve employment and independence. BSBP provides training and other services that empower people to achieve their individual goals.

If you live in Michigan and you're blind or visually impaired, the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons will work with you to define your goals and identify appropriate training and other services. Funded by federal and state taxes, BSBP provides counseling and training in skills for daily living without vision. Depending upon your needs and eligibility for specific services, BSBP may also provide some types of adaptive equipment, computer software, and postsecondary education.

BSBP STATE OFFICES:
Cadillac Place
3038 W. Grand Boulevard, Suite 4-450
Detroit, MI 48202-6038
313-456-1646
FAX 313-456-1645

Escanaba State Office Bldg., 1st Floor
305 Ludington
Escanaba, MI 49829
906-786-8602
FAX 906-786-4638

Flint State Office Bldg.
125 E. Union, 5th Floor
Flint, MI 48502
810-760-2030
FAX 810-760-2032

Gaylord State Office
931 South Otsego Avenue # 3
Gaylord, MI 49735
989-732-2448
FAX 989-732-5134

Grand Rapids State Office Building, 4th Floor
350 Ottawa Ave., N.W.
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616-356-0180
FAX 616-356-0199

Bureau of Services for Blind Persons Training Center
1541 Oakland Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
269-337-3848
FAX 269-337-3872

Kalamazoo Regional Office
1541 Oakland Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
269-337-3875
FAX 269-337-3872

Lansing Regional Office
702 West Kalamazoo Street
P.O. Box 30007
Lansing, MI 48909
517-241-1086
FAX 517-335-0254

Michigan Talking Book Libraries

Bureau of Services for Blind Persons, Braille and Talking Book Library
1-800-992-9012
Counties served: Alcona, Allegan, Arenac, Barry, Bay, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Clare, Clinton, Eaton, Emmet, Gladwin, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Ingham, Iosco, Isabella, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lake, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Mason, Mecosta, Midland, Monroe, Montmorency, Newaygo, Oceana, Ogemaw, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Saginaw, Shiawassee, Saint Joseph, Van Buren

Washtenaw Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled @ AADL 1-734-327- 4224
Counties served: Washtenaw

Great Lakes Talking Books
1-800-562-8985
Counties served: Alger, Alpena, Baraga, Chippewa, Crawford, Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Luce, Mackinac, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon, Schoolcraft

Oakland Talking Book Service @ RHPL
1-800-774- 4542
Counties served: Oakland

Genesee District Talking Book Center
1- 866-732-1120
Counties served: Genesee

Kent District Library Talking Book and Braille Center
1-616-784-2007
Counties served: Ionia, Kent, Montcalm

Traverse Area District Library & Talking Book Library
1- 877-931- 8558
Counties served: Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, Wexford

Library for Assistive Media and Talking Books (St. Clair County)
1- 800-272-8570
Counties served: Huron, Saint Clair, Sanilac, Tuscola

Muskegon Area District Library for the Visually and Physically Disabled
1-231-737-6310, 1-877-569-4801
(Ottawa) Counties served: Muskegon, Ottawa

Macomb Library for the Blind and Print Disabled @ CMPL
1-586-286-1580
Counties served: Macomb

Braille and Talking Books @ Taylor Community Library
1-734-287- 4840
Serving Wayne County

Detroit Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
1-313- 481-1702
Serving cities of Detroit and Highland Park

Library of Michigan Foundation

By making a gift to the Library of Michigan Foundation, donors can help the BSBP Braille and Talking Book Library (BTBL) better serve thousands of Michigan residents statewide who are blind or print disabled. Donors may also opt to provide for the Library of Michigan Foundation in their wills. By doing so, donors can make a larger gift than what might be possible during their lifetime and become eligible to receive tax benefits. Please contact Rita LaMoreaux with any questions at 517-974-5523.

Donations can be made online at: https://donate-usa.keela.co/donation-form. Or checks can be made payable to the Library of Michigan Foundation with a note on the memo line “BTBL”, and mailed to the address listed below:

Library of Michigan Foundation
PO Box 11027
Lansing, MI 48901

The Library of Michigan Foundation is a non-profit organization which offers financial support to the BSBP Braille and Talking Book Library (BTBL) program.

If you would like to receive future mailings and information from the Library of Michigan Foundation, please contact the Foundation.

The Braille and Talking Book Library provides library services for individuals unable to use standard print materials. 

You may reach BTBL by:
Phone: 800-992-9012 (toll free)
Fax: 800-726-7323 (toll free)
Email: BTBL@michigan.gov
Web: Michigan.gov/BTBL
BARD: NLSBARD.loc.gov (to download digital books)

The In Focus newsletter is made possible by your generous donations to the Library of Michigan Foundation. The Braille and Talking Book Library is part of the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons.