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In Focus

August 2022

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 Microsoft Word version.

Braille-On-Demand

The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) has started a nationwide pilot program to provide Braille-on-Demand to patrons. Now at over six weeks in, the pilot is proving popular!

If you are a patron and read braille, you can now request one hard-copy braille book per month to keep for your personal library! You can choose from any of the 16,000-plus ebraille titles currently available on BARD. A short form to request a Braille-on-Demand book is at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NLSbrailleondemand

So far, braille reading patrons nationwide have ordered 265 titles. The Braille-on-Demand vendor, the Clovernook Center’s Braille Printing House, has produced and shipped 200 titles, with more coming out every day. Cookbooks, knitting books, and titles in the Harry Potter series are among the most popular requests. If you plan to make a request, please keep in mind the length of the braille book and the space required to store that at your home. Again, these requests are books for patrons to keep indefinitely.

If interested, you may complete the form yourself or contact us and we’ll be glad to help! For further details, please contact the library at 1-800-992-9012.

Adaptive Technology Corner

NEW Patron Program: The Many Faces of BARD

Beginning August 11, 2022, the Patron Engagement Section of NLS will offer a monthly program called The Many Faces of BARD. This program will occur on the second Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. (EST). It will last for one hour and will cover one aspect of BARD (the Braille and Audio Reading Download) usage. Each program will start with a brief presentation. The remainder of the time will be spent answering questions about the presentation or other questions related to BARD usage. The first presentation will provide an overview of all the available BARD products.

These sessions are open to all patrons nationwide via Zoom link or by calling 1-669-245-5252 with Meeting ID: 161 116 1911 and Passcode: 489758. Upon connecting, participants will be placed in a virtual waiting room until the program begins. When they enter the room, they will be on mute, and they should remain on mute unless the host calls upon them to speak. The Many Faces of BARD programs will be recorded.

For further details, please contact the library at 1-800-992-9012.

Echo Show

The Echo Show is part of Amazon’s Alexa smart speaker device family. It is much like the original Echo with the Alexa virtual assistant, but it also features a touchscreen that can be used to display visual information, play video or do video calls or even read step by step recipes. Further, it has the VoiceView Screen Reader which describes what you touch and interact with on the screen. You can also manage screen reader settings, including: turning VoiceView on/off, adjusting reading volume and speed, and feedback tone volume. There is a learn mode so you can learn the gestures used to navigate the screen. Echo Show also includes a Screen Magnifier which allows you to use gestures to magnify the screen, similar to the pinch gesture used on most phones.

The Echo Show has color inversion. This inverts color values on all screens.  For example, white text on a black screen becomes black text on a white screen. It also has color correction that modifies the screen colors to assist with Deuteranomaly (red-green), Protanomaly (red-green), Tritanomaly (blue-yellow) color blindness.

It also features an accessibility feature called Show and Tell which identifies items using the Echo Show’s camera. You hold up a product in front of your Echo Show’s camera and ask Alexa to identify. Alexa will provide tips on how and where to hold the product so that she can identify it. There will be a tone when she is done. There is also a built-in tutorial on Echo Show devices. The tutorial gives you product placement hints, sounds to expect, and camera tips. The Echo Show is a great tool for your home.

BTBL Calendar 

BTBL Club Info

Clubs are currently virtual only. Technology 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. No club meetings in July and August. 

Join BTBL Tech and Book Club via Zoom: https://bit.ly/36vEPld

To join by phone, dial: 929-205-6099

Meeting ID: 951 928 2886, Meeting Password: 528260

BTBL Calendar of Events:

Aug. 11:  The Many Faces of BARD, NLS virtual patron program (more info on page 3)

Sept. 5: Lansing BTBL closed for Labor Day

Sept. 10: Technology Club – Outlook Email, presented by Ather Jammoa

Sept. 10: Book Club – Book Smackdown, tell us about a book you read over the summer and enjoyed!

Sept. 12: Patron Corner, NLS virtual patron program (more info on page 5)

Oct. 10: Technology Club – iOS updates presented by Al Puzzuoli

Oct. 10: Book Club– TBA

Oct. 20: 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.

Nov. 8: Lansing BTBL closed for the Election

Nov. 11: Lansing BTBL closed for Veterans Day

Nov. 19: Technology Club – Holiday Shopping presented by JJ Meddaugh

Nov. 19: Book Club– TBA

Nov. 24-25: Lansing BTBL closed for Thanksgiving

BTBL News

BBR to cease large-print publication this fall

Due to the worldwide paper shortage and declining subscriber numbers, the last large-print issue of Braille Book Review (BBR) will be September–October 2022. BBR will remain available in hardcopy braille, ebraille, and HTML.

To subscribe to BBR in hardcopy braille, contact us directly. You can also subscribe to BBR in ebraille via the BARD website or the BARD Mobile app. Or view BBR in HTML at www.loc.gov/nls/bbr.

As a reminder, NLS also stopped publishing Talking Book Topics in large print. This is also available via subscription on BARD, online at www.loc.gov/nls/tbt, or in audio.

MDHHS Seeking Volunteers for New Pilot

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Economic Stability Administration is launching an exciting new pilot to assist the visually impaired and they need your help!

Through the Office of Race, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, MDHHS is creating an adaptive assistance application for individuals who are visually impaired and are applying for Food Assistance, Cash Assistance, Childcare, Healthcare, and State of Emergency Relief. The pilot includes an assistance application in Braille, enlarged print, and audio recordings in English, Spanish, and Arabic.

Their priority population for this pilot are individuals who identify as Hispanic, are visually impaired or blind, and would benefit from the public assistance programs and services listed above. MDHHS is seeking feedback from this population on how they can provide easier access to public assistance benefit programs.

A one-hour focus group will be scheduled during which participating individuals can provide feedback to MDHHS regarding accessing public assistance benefits. Compensation of $42 will be provided to those who participate in the one-hour focus group session.

If you or someone you know is a member of the priority population described above and would like to participate in a one-hour focus group, please contact MDHHS-EIA-ESA@michigan.gov.

NLS Patron Corner

The next NLS Patron Corner will be held at 7 p.m. (EST) on Sept. 12. The topic for this session is ‘Narration: The Art of Telling the Story’. The guest speakers will include Celeste Lawson, narrator and head of the NLS Media Lab. She will include other NLS narrators on her panel. The session will run for 90 minutes.

Patron Corner is held quarterly and is an opportunity for patrons to learn more about various services directly from NLS staff. The programs are interactive, last for one hour, and have a designated topic of discussion. Nearly 200 patrons joined us during the first Patron Corner in June for a lively discussion.

Bring your questions and your thoughts and join us on Sept. 12 via Zoom:

https://loc.zoomgov.com/j/1600983343?pwd=VW9tRWtwY3BsdHRac0s2MmJkN0RCZz09. You can also join by telephone by calling any of these numbers: 669-254-5252, 646-828-7666, 669-216-1590, or 551-285-1373. (These are not toll-free numbers, so long-distance charges may apply, depending on your phone plan.) When prompted, enter Meeting ID 160 098 3343.

Book Account Selections

When you signed up for NLS service, you may have elected to have your library’s reader advisor select books for you, based on your interests — specific authors such as Stephen King or Nora Roberts, or genres such as biography, science fiction, romance, or westerns. But if you’ve found a specific book, a new favorite author, or want to explore a new genre, all you need to do is let your reader advisor know!

Most of our patron accounts are set to Turnaround service with a 3 cartridge maximum, meaning every time you return one of your 3 cartridges you will automatically get one to replace it. The type and number of books on each cartridge is customized to each individual patron preference, using a system called Download-on-Demand.

Please feel free to contact us at 1-800-992-9012 if you would like to update any of your accounts settings or discuss other book options.

Summer Reading

We want to congratulate all our youth summer reading participants and reveal the grand prize drawing winners: Elizabeth S., Zane E., Sawyer J., and Ayden KJ. Congrats!

To see pictures of the construction contest entries, or to read excerpts of the writing contest, follow us on Facebook @MichiganBTBL.

Local Recordings

Audiobooks Produced by the Great Lakes Talking Books Center

DBC 19555 - The Cinder Pond by Carroll Watson Rankin. Annotation: Fall into a bygone world on the shores of Lake Superior with The Cinder Pond from celebrated juvenile fiction author Carroll Watson Rankin. Set in an old fishing wharf in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the novel follows protagonist Jeannette Huntington Duval as she leaves her struggling family to live with affluent relatives. For grades 4-7.

DBC 19554 - The Northwoods Reader: Northern Wit & Wisdom by Cully Gage. Annotation: Humorous stories of early 20th Century life in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Book number one in the Northwoods Reader series. Adult.

DBC 19553 - Copper Empire: a novel about the Copper Country Labor Strike in 1913 by Donna Searight Simons. Annotation: Paul Weyburn and his fellow copper miners have tolerated dangerous working conditions for too long in Red Jacket, Michigan. Some of their workmates are being maimed or killed thousands of feet underground. Which one of them will be next? Adult. Unrated. Some violence.

NLS Produced Series, Set in Michigan

Mystery Bookshop (Cozy Mystery series) by V.M. Burns

DB 106307 - Plot Is Murder, book 1

DB 106342 - Read Herring Hunt, book 2

DB 106632 - Novel Art of Murder, book 3

Harbor Pointe (Christian Romance series) by Courtney Walsh

DB 106565 - Just Look Up, book 1

DB 107241 - Just Let Go, book 2

DB 107376 - Just One Kiss, book 3

DB 107868 - Just Like Home, book 4

Popular BARD Books

BARD features a “Most popular books” section where it lists the most downloaded books from the past 30 days. In the mobile App, this option is found on the Get Books tab. On the website, it is on the BARD main page, second link down. Below are a few options currently featured. Non-BARD users can still call to request these titles on cartridge through the mail!

DB 108061 – 22 Seconds by James Patterson. Suspense Fiction, Mystery and Detective Stories, Bestsellers

DB 107591 – Death of the Black Widow by James Patterson and J.D. Barker. Suspense Fiction, Mystery and Detective Stories, Psychological Fiction, Detroit Michigan Fiction

DB 108085 – Kingdom of Bones: a thriller by James Rollins. Suspense, Adventure

DB 108257 – Sparring Partners by John Grisham. Short Stories, Legal Issues

DB 107771 – Before Summer Ends by Susan Mallery. Romance

DB 107793 – A Family Affair by Robyn Carr. Humor, Family, Romance

DB 108079 – Sea Glass Cottage by Irene Hannon. Religious Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance

DB 108275 – Preacher’s Inferno by William W. Johnstone. Western Stories

DB 108261 – 19 Minutes to Live: Helicopter Combat in Vietnam by Lew Jennings. World History and Affairs

DB 108235 – Three Ordinary Girls: the Remarkable Story of Three Dutch Teenagers Who Became Spies, Saboteurs, Nazi Assassins—and WWII Heroes by Tim Brady. Biography, War and the Military, World History and Affairs

DB 107700 – The Secret History of Food: Strange But True Stories About the Origins of Everything We Eat by Matt Siegel.  Cooking

DB 103455 – Stuff You Should Know: An Incomplete Compendium of Mostly Interesting Things by Josh Clark. General

BTBL Staff Picks

DB 102226- Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano. Stressed-out single mom--and mystery author--Finlay Donovan is overheard describing the plot for her next book to her agent, and is mistaken for a contract killer. Accepting the job to help make ends meet, Finlay finds out that real life crime is much harder to do than fiction. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

“Humorous and highly entertaining! This was a great start to a new mystery series with an amazing hook at the end. I fully intend to read the next book in this series asap, Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘em Dead (DB 106920).” – Stephanie, BTBL Librarian

DB 107926 - Book Lovers by Emily Henry. Cutthroat literary agent Nora Stephens agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina, when her sister Libby begs her to accompany her on vacation. Surprisingly, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish, brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute, if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2022.

“This romance novel has clever humor, bookish references, and a realistic enemy-to-lovers theme, but the story is deeper and more layered than it first appears. The relationship between the sisters and their childhood is at first compelling and heartbreaking, but it is also healing and comforting. It's a rocky road, but it's a journey worth taking.” - Betsie, BTBL Librarian

DB 91317 – Winston Brothers, books 1-3 by Penny Reid. Three contemporary romances set in rural Tennessee, written between 2015 and 2016. In Truth or Beard, Duane Winston sets his sights on Jessica James, but she doesn’t want to be tied down. Also includes Grin and Beard It and Beard Science. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2016.

“These are fun, light romances. What I love about these books is that the female characters are not damsels in distress in a size 2 dress. They are regular, strong, independent women who know what they want. The male characters respect and love them because of this. As for the Winston brothers, these bearded gentlemen are well rounded modern men who look out for each other and their love interests in so many ways. How can you go wrong?.” – Bridgid, BTBL Librarian

DB 60337 / BR 16126 – Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt, read by Ray Foushee. Writer Stephen Dubner explains the offbeat issues that intrigue award-winning economist and coauthor Steven Levitt. Explores everyday riddles such as the link between legalized abortion and the crime rate, the effect of parents' income and ethnicity on naming babies, and the motivations of real estate agents. Bestseller. 2005.

“This is an interesting collection of short pieces that delve into various issues and what the author thinks contributes to them. I thought it was a fascinating peek into applied economics, which I would have thought would be dry. If you enjoy reading about unintended consequences and how things that seem completely unrelated might be linked, I’d recommend this book.” – Caitlin, BTBL Librarian

DB 56903- Green Rider, Book 1 by Kristen Britain. Karigan G'ladheon, heading home through Green Cloak woods after expulsion from school, encounters a dying Green Rider. Accepting the Rider's magic brooch and allowing his horse to guide her, Karigan agrees to carry his message to King Zachary--a perilous journey. Precedes First Rider's Call (DB 56909). For senior high and older readers. 1998.

“The first in the series, this is an oldie but goodie. I love the author’s worldbuilding and the journey the main character embarks on. I also love the use of magic and the intrigue. The story has a slow start but by the middle I was hooked. I am now reading the other books in the series”.- Meagan, BTBL Librarian

DB 102474 – First Comes Like by Alisha Rai.  Beauty influencer Jia Ahmed decides it is finally time to meet Bollywood actor Dev Dixit, the man she has been chatting with for months online.  When he doesn’t know her, Jia realizes she has been catfished.  To avoid embarrassment, she asks Dev to pretend to date her.  Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

“A fast-paced and truly likeable romance that could easily be made into a movie.  It also reflects the trend of communicating over social media – both the good and bad sides of it.  I especially appreciated the characters’ cultural traditions and values highlighted in the narrative which makes this novel more than just a boy-meets-girl story.  And with its Los Angeles setting, you can’t ask for a better fictional world to dive into without leaving your chair!” - Anne, MLBPD 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.

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

Re-Opening to the Public. The Douglass Branch is reopening, and we are very excited to welcome our customers back! However, our previously published date of August 22 has been postponed. We will announce the new reopening date when we have more information. LBPH will continue our call-in book club program, but our on-site programming dates will be announced soon!

The newly opened branches and the entire DPL system will continue to follow the COVID-19 safety protocols that require customers to wear a mask inside the library buildings and to safely practice social distancing.

Library for Assistive Media and Talking Books (St. Clair County)
210 McMorran Blvd, Port Huron, MI 48060
1-800-272-8570

Blue Water League of the Blind Book Discussion. Join us from 3-4 p.m. for our upcoming book discussions (dates and titles below): Please visit the link to attend the event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82303948694?pwd=V0lmWFRRL0R6Tm56QTdRUHNoMWI3QT09

• August 18: Accused: Rosato and Dinunzio, Book 1 by Lisa Scottoline (DB 77868)

• September 15: Forward Together: an inside look at guide dog training by Christie Bane (DB 100008)

• October 20: Carrie by Stephen King (DB 55192)

• November 17: Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler (DB 46222)

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

Local recordings now available. Download Cinder Pond (DBC 19555).

Virtual Program. Join us October 6th at 3 p.m. (EST) for a virtual program with Linda Lieburn called My Vision Loss Journey. Linda will talk about her vision loss journey, her experience training at the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons Training Center (BSBPTC) mini camp, taking courses with the Hadley School in Chicago and her deep connection with the school. Linda will also talk about the life-changing and affordable iPhone SE, and various functions she uses and enjoys. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85824947744?pwd=MEZRSTY5RW1JR0ROUHNSam9YYlRSdz09

Washtenaw Library for the Blind and Print Disabled 
343 South Fifth Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 
1-734-327-4224

Support Group. The Center for Independent Living, serving Washtenaw, Monroe and Livingston counties, is pleased to announce a new peer support group for adults who are blind or low vision. Your World: Navigating Life with Low Vision or Blindness is a welcoming, participant driven, peer support group for people who are blind or are experiencing vision loss. The facilitators are trained professionals from a wide range of backgrounds. Monthly meetings will be held the first Wednesday of every month at noon starting September 7. Call to register: 734-971-0277 and ask for Renee, or email rechols@aacil.org.

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

Book Discussion Group. If you would like to join our fun and informal discussion, please call the library for more details. Registration is required.

• October 3 – Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (DB 103929)
• November 7 – Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin (DB 103079)
• December 5 – As You Wish by Cary Elwes (DB 80255)

Vision Network Group. Connect with others in this friendly and informal support group to talk about vision issues. We host a phone group on the third Monday of every month from 10-11:30 a.m. The meeting is moderated by our facilitator, Marie, and the group discusses matters that people with vision challenges face. Call us for more details on how to connect with our group.

AT Demonstrations and Computer Tutoring. MLBPD patrons can set up an appointment at the library for a hands-on demonstration of devices such as check-writing guides, video magnifiers, lamps, and more to assist a person with vision issues. In addition, we offer adaptive technology computer and personal device tutoring either by phone or in-person. Or, check out our iPad with built-in Wi-Fi to try out at home.

Story Phone. Just call (586) 226-5006 to hear short stories, poems, excerpts and more. Press 4 to hear the grown-up option as stories for children are also included. Options change weekly and are read by our storytelling team.  This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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

New Director. The Taylor Community Library welcomes a new director! Matthew Pannkuk comes to us from Minnesota and is excited to be a part of the Braille and Talking Book family.

Brown Bag Book Meets the 2^nd 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 Meets the 4^th 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). Meets the 3^rd 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.

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

Support Groups.

• The Traverse City Visually Impaired Persons group meets monthly. Contact Melinda Hollands at 231-590-0986 or mlhollandstc@gmail.com for more information.
• The Cadillac Area Low Vision group has resumed meeting on the second Tuesday of each month at the Wexford County Council on Aging, 10-11 a.m. Contact Connie Payne at 231-779-0149.

Book Group. Join us for Tuesdays @ Two book discussion the last Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. We meet in the McGuire Community Room at Traverse Area District Library, 610 Woodmere Ave. You may go to https://events.tadl.org/events/month to see what we will be reading.

Magnifier Exchange. We accept donations of clean, working 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 drop-off.

World Sight Day & Meet the Blind Month. We will host a special event during the month of October. Stay tuned for details!

Holiday Party Join us in December for our annual Holiday party! (Date to be announced)

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

Phone-A-Story. Call our Phone-A-Story line at 231-685-0100 to listen to a new short story or poem, continuing chapter excerpt, and children’s story every week. New recordings every Friday.

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): 3^rd Thursday at 10:30am at 560 Seminole Rd, Muskegon, MI 49444.

• Ottawa (Phone): 2^nd Thursday at 10:30am. Call 701-801-6449.

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 Patricia Klausing Headley with any questions at 517-335-1492.

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.