American  Council  of the  Blind
of
Minnesota

Spring 2008

THE MINNESOTA MEMO

A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND OF MINNESOTA
P O BOX 7341
MINNEAPOLIS MN 55407

The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily the position of the American Council of the Blind of Minnesota. They are the views of the article's author. Product and service information is provided as a resource only and not as an endorsement of a particular product or service.

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Jo Taliaferro, Editor
E-mail: soaringeagle7@comcast.net

Bob Lockwood
E-mail: peggy_bob@msn.com

Carolyn Coby, Webmaster
E-mail: cs_coby@hotmail.com

INFO EXPRESS

ACBM Info Express - (612)-486-5180, (note the new number) our telephone news and information hotline was established by the membership in October 2005. Its purpose is to provide important and relevant information vital to the membership, quickly and efficiently between scheduled business meetings. Please keep yourself informed by calling regularly. You can also contact any board member using the information provided at the end of this issue of the Minnesota Memo.

Next Memo Deadline

The deadline for article submissions for the next edition of the Minnesota Memo is June 15, 2008.

Table of Contents

From the President’s Disk
ACBM Scholarships
State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind
Chicago Lighthouse Assistive Technology Computer HelpDesk Hopes to Expand Service
Code Factory Receives 2008 AFB Access Award!
Self-Advocacy Can Be Critical When You Are Sick
Reading Habits of the Blind
ACBM Board of Directors

From the President’s Disk

As I write this we've finally had a morning that wasn't below zero! This winter has seemed endless - where is spring? Hopefully by the time you read this we will have some spring flowers—and no ice!

For ACBM spring means elections. There are two open board positions as well as the vice-president and secretary. If you are interested in running for any of these positions please leave your contact information on info express 612-486-5180 or contact the chair of the nominations committee Chris Bell at (612) 859-4938.

As in past years we had a productive visit to our legislators in Washington. Sue, Juliette and I thank ACBM for sending us to work and have a little fun in D.C. The three imperatives we discussed are shown below. If anyone wants additional information let me know and I’ll send you the entire text provided by Eric Bridges ACB’s Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs.

  1. Digital TV Transition and COAT Draft Legislation. On February 17, 2009 the entire country will transition to digital television. The COAT draft legislation seeks to insure that video description is not only mandated but that it is available for pass-through in the digital era.
  2. Pedestrian Safety. Many of us have encountered challenges over the past few years with detecting the movement of hybrids and other quiet vehicles. ACB has crafted proposed legislative language that calls for federal research to be conducted to provide and implement recommendations that would increase blind pedestrian safety on streets and sidewalks.
  3. Website Accessibility. The blindness community has been waiting for the Department of Justice as part of its update of the ADA to propose regulations to those public accommodations which only conduct business via the web or offer services via the web that are not similarly offered at their physical places of business, such as retail stores. The Office of Management and Budget has recently rejected DOJ's proposed regulatory language concerning this very issue. Given this rejection, ACB is seeking a legislative solution.

In the winter memo, information was added to the president’s message by the editorial committee thanking ACB-ES for allowing us to use their office to house the Braille printer. I totally agree with that sentiment. However there was also a sentence added regarding the use of the Braille printer for non ACBM purposes. That statement was made a bit prematurely. Just to set the record straight we are working on a printer policy. The board is trying to determine what cost if any there should be, and who would operate the printer. We should have something available for discussion at the quarterly meeting. If you’d like to add your input please let me know.

Sue Lindgren has been working on finding potential hotels for a state convention. She has determined that prices are less if we have the convention in January 2009 instead of this coming October. We’re leaning in that direction believing that with better hotel rates, we will have a larger turnout.

As a reminder, if you told us you’d pay your 2008 dues and have not yet done so, please send them in to the post office box as soon as possible. We made the payment to the national office based on your saying you would pay your dues. Thanks to Michael Malver for all his work on helping with the membership update project. Between the 2 of us we made numerous calls, sent emails and letters to members we hadn’t heard from.

Hope to see you at the quarterly meeting on April 26th. In addition to holding our elections, Chuk Hamilton will provide updates on State Services for the blind, and we will have a speaker soliciting information on any issues or concerns we might have with the light rail system.

As always feel free to get in touch with me with your comments, questions or concerns. You can also leave a message on info express: 612-486-5180.
Email me at: Janet.Dickelman@comcast.net
Or call me directly at: (651) 428-5059.
Janet Dickelman
President ACBM

ACBM Scholarships

By: Jo Taliaferro, Chair, Scholarship Committee

Every summer, the members of the American Council of the Blind of Minnesota look forward to honoring winners of the 2 $750.00 scholarships which ACBM offers annually.

We award one for an in-coming college freshman and one for a graduate or undergraduate college student, so if you or someone you know wishes to apply, and you are a full-time student, it’s time to step up to the plate. If you are working toward a degree or certificate during the 2008-2009 school year, please apply for one of our scholarships. You will find the cover letter and application later in this issue. If you are not a student, but know of someone who could benefit from financial assistance with their education, please forward this article and accompanying materials. Applications will be accepted no later than May 31, 2008.

The scholarship committee expects to receive many applications, eagerly accepting the rewarding challenge of picking the 2008-2009 winners.

ACBM Scholarship Letter

Dear Students, Counselors, Teachers, Parents, and Social Workers,

The American Council of the Blind of Minnesota (ACBM) is proud to offer two educational scholarships of $750 each for the 2008-2009 academic year. One scholarship will be awarded to a college freshmen (first year post secondary) and one to a student second year or above, post-secondary (undergraduate or graduate). These academic scholarships apply to any full-time post secondary educational programs.

We need your assistance in dispersing this scholarship announcement letter and the attached application form to all blind and visually impaired students planning to pursue post secondary education.

Students must reside in Minnesota to apply for these educational scholarships. All required materials necessary to complete an application are noted on the form following this letter. Note that the deadline for submitting applications is May 31, 2008. The scholarship committee will make its selections in June and winners will be honored at the July 26 ACBM quarterly meting. ACBM expects each student to give a short introduction and to tell the membership about future educational pursuits and career or vocational goals.

ACBM strives to increase the independence, security, equality of opportunity, and quality of life for all blind and visually impaired people in Minnesota.

If you require more information, please contact me at 612-722-1195. My e-mail address is: Soaringeagle7@comcast.net.

Sincerely,
Jo Taliaferro
Chairperson, Scholarship Committee
American Council of the Blind of Minnesota

ACBM Scholarship Application

Please mail your completed application to:
American Council of the Blind of Minnesota Scholarships
PO Box 7341
Minneapolis, MN 55407

Note: These scholarships are intended for full-time students during the 2008-2009 school year and are not extendable. Scholarship money will be paid in two installments. The first installment will be paid upon receipt of proof of registration for the fall-winter school session. The second installment will be paid upon receipt of proof of registration for the winter-spring school session.

Materials may be submitted in Print, large print, or Braille. Cassette tapes, computer disks, and e-mail applications will not be accepted.

Please send all of the following items in written format to the above address by May 31, 2008.

Required Materials:

  1. A completed application form (see below). Note that this application form must be signed where indicated.
  2. A signed statement from a doctor or rehabilitation professional verifying that you are blind or visually impaired.
  3. Transcripts from each college and/or high school that you have attended.
  4. Two letters of recommendation from people outside your family explaining why you are a great candidate to receive a scholarship.
  5. A copy of the letter of acceptance from your post secondary educational institution.

Background Information Section:
Applicant’s Name: _____________________________________________
Applicant’s Home Address: ______________________________________
_____________________________________
Address of post-secondary institution ______________________________
___________________________________
Daytime Phone Number:________________________________________
Evening Phone Number:________________________________________
E-Mail Address (if applicable):____________________________________

Education Section:
For which scholarship are you applying? (Check one below)
· College Freshman (first year post secondary): ____
· Second year or above post secondary (grad. or undergrad.): _____

High School Information:
Name:______________________________________________________
City: ____________________________ State: ________________
GPA on a 4.0 scale: ____________

Post Secondary Institution(s) Attended:

Please provide the following information about each post secondary institution attended:
Name of institution, address of institution, major degree or certificate sought, GPA.
Please use a separate sheet(s) for the above information.

Educational institution you plan to attend during the 2008-2009 academic year:
Name:______________________________________________________
City: ____________________________ State:______________________
Degree or certificate sought:_____________________________________
Will you be attending the educational institution full time during the 2008-2009 academic year? Yes: _____ No: _____
(See note at the beginning of this application.)

Please use separate sheets of paper for the next two sections of this application.

Extra-Curricular Activity Section:
Please indicate your involvement in extra-curricular activities in the following areas. Use a separate sheet(s) to provide this information.

  1. Community service involvement ( number of hours per month).
  2. Organizational involvement (offices held, if applicable).
  3. Tell us about your hobbies?

Personal Sketch Section:
On separate sheets, please provide 2 essays of not more than 500 words each which address the following:

  1. Describe a situation in which you solved a problem or broke down a blindness-related barrier in order to meet an academic requirement. i.e. getting a reader.
  2. Describe two instances in which you would or you have advocated for your own needs or the needs of others. Use any life experience you wish.

Signature:_______________________ Date:_____________

State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind

By Rebecca Kragnes

Since 2003, I have been ACB-M’s representative on the State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind (SRC-B). I have been privileged to be the Council’s chair for the past two years and its Vice chair the previous two years. One can only have two three year terms, so my term is expiring in early 2009. This means that ACB-M needs to have someone ready to take my place. I’d like to see people apply right now, so there is no excuse for this seat being vacant when my term ends. It’s been my experience that the Governor’s Office -- who appoints people to the SRC-B and other councils -- takes its time in doing so, and that’s even more reason for interested ACB-M members to apply now.

I will describe my perspective of this position, but first, here is the information for applying. Application forms may be found at http://www.sos.state.mn.us/docs/oa_application.pdf, or may be obtained from the Office of the Secretary of State, Open Appointments, 180 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155-1299, or in person at Room 180 of the State Office Building. Please contact Cathy Carlson at State Services for the Blind (SSB)

with further questions about applying for the SRC-B. Her phone number is (651) 642-0797, and her e-mail address is: Cathy.Carlson@state.mn.us

My introduction to the SRC-B wasn’t very positive. In the late 90’s, I heard tapes of meetings where members seemed to do nothing but fight amongst themselves. The administration and agency culture leaned heavily in the direction of NFB and its agenda. I admire the brave souls who stood up for fairness, but I wouldn’t have wanted to try to work in such an arena. Before I had the courage to apply myself, I had to go to meetings and see promise of change. Rod Hayworth was Chair early in this decade, and through even-handed logic and development of a work plan, he managed to turn this Council into a productive unit. As succeeding chairs, Jennifer Dunnam and I have done our best to continue what he started.

I am still very glad there are two national consumer organizations for the Blind, because our focuses and approaches are quite different. However, I have learned that it is possible to work harmoniously with people in other blindness organizations. Some things which have come from NFB have benefitted all, and I learned not to reject an idea simply because of where it came from. When it comes to agencies for the Blind, ACB and NFB agree more than they differ. Both want separate agencies with specialized services, both want to see programs offered by State Services for the Blind thrive. This is not to say that everything is always perfect. I hope the person who takes my place continues to consult with ACB-M Leadership when it comes to controversial issues. Because of BLIND Inc. -- NFB’s adjustment to blindness training Center in Minnesota -- NFB has a financial stake in what occurs at SSB. There have been moments when I see their members pushing for things which would give NFB advantages, and I hope my successor will continue to be on guard and resist these efforts. I have tried to make sure that Informed choice and other SSB policies truly are fair and that the composition of people on committees and SRC-B written documentation reflects an organizationally balanced perspective. In the last couple of years, I have worked closely with SSB’s administration and have been impressed at their efforts to be fair. Consequently, I see this as a very good time to be on the SRC-B.

Another reason this is a good time is that two levels of training will be available to new members. On the state level, the SRC-B has developed a new member orientation packet. On the federal level, the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) will be introducing its on-line training for members of state rehabilitation councils. With the variety of information available, learning the responsibilities of this position will not be quite as difficult as it was for me. When I joined, I didn’t have much training at all, and I think these things will give my successor an advantage.

A final incentive to apply is the small per diem council members receive for attending meetings of the council and its committees. Funding for transportation, mileage, and child care is also available.

Perhaps you’re not ready to apply for the council, but its various committees also need people to serve. There are currently committees focusing on Deaf Blind, Children, Seniors, Minority Outreach, and the Communication Center. Another committee oversees the formation of the Council’s goals and priorities and customer Satisfaction surveys. The final committee focuses on vendors of Adjustment to Blindness Training and customer surveys regarding such training.

In June, I will send out a notice urging people interested in these committees to apply and listing the application deadline. I will be appointing people to committees at the august meeting, and committee members will serve from September 2008 through August 2009. Applying for a committee is no big deal. Either write or call Sharon Killa at SSB and give your first, second, and third choices of committees on which you are interested in serving. Sharon’s phone number is (651) 642-0729 and her e-mail address is: Sharon.Killa@state.mn.us

The best way to find out more about the SRC-B and its committees is to go to meetings. All meetings are open to the public, and especially at Council meetings, I’ve tried to encourage an ACB-M presence in the audience. NFB takes up most of the audience, and I’d like to see more of our members there. The audience tends to play a part in these meetings, and the most unpleasant moment I’ve had as chair was an interaction with an NFB audience member who made false accusations saying I abused my power as chair. I was grateful that an ACB audience member was there to help me combat these allegations. I will end this article with a list of State Rehabilitation Council meeting dates and times for 2008. Committee meetings are announced at Council meetings. All SRC-B meetings are held in Conference Rooms A and B at State Services for the Blind at 2200 University Avenue West Suite 240 in St. Paul. We offer complimentary pizza and soft drinks one half hour prior to the weekday meetings and coffee and rolls to those who attend on Saturdays.
Thursday, April 3. 5:30 to 8:30 PM.
Thursday, June 5. 5:30 to 8:30 PM.
Thursday, August 7. 5:30 to 8:30 PM.
Thursday, October 2. 5:30 to 8:30 PM.
Saturday, December 6. 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

Chicago Lighthouse Assistive Technology Computer HelpDesk Hopes to Expand Service

Used by permission.

CHICAGO – In an ongoing effort to accommodate people across the country who are visually impaired and in need of technical support, The Chicago Lighthouse hopes to expand its toll-free telephone > assistive technology support line. Since it was developed in 2006, the service has accommodated over 1,500 requests for assistance from individuals in 48 states, Canada, China and South Africa.

Servicing the calls is Ray Campbell, a former engineer with Lucent Technologies who now works in the Lighthouse’s Adaptive Technology program. “I’ve taken requests from Delta Junction, Alaska to Pilots Knob, Missouri; from Bird Island, Minnesota to Sasketoon, Saskatchewan, Canada; and from Lanzhou, Cansu, China to Somerset West, South Africa,” Campbell notes. “Our intent is to offer a one stop place where people who are blind or visually impaired can get the assistance that they need,” he says.

Campbell points out that he is able to listen to what JAWS or WindowEyes is saying and walk the caller him right through their problem. “I’ve assisted people with everything from installing Antivirus software to helping someone navigate the eharmony.com site using JAWS to assisting organizations with designing an accessible website to showing someone how to find Game Day Audio on the Major League Baseball website, www.mlb.com to assisting someone in accessing his credit card statement on-line,” he continues.

Campbell’s assistance has been well received across the country.

“I’ve got one gentleman in South Carolina that calls me two to four times a week to ask for my help,” he says. One lady Campbell assisted in San Francisco wrote a letter thanking the Lighthouse for offering the HelpDesk service and praising Campbell for his assistance. “People contact me as they value my opinions on what technology they should buy, and while that’s a bit scary it also feels very good,” he smiles.

Campbell adds that if he can’t resolve the issue over the phone or through e-mail, he will schedule an on-site visit as long as the customer resides in the Chicago metropolitan area.

The program was made possible when the Lighthouse successfully matched a $41,000 grant from The Boeing Company. “We’re tremendously grateful to Boeing for their support and we intend to use the support line in strengthening our level of customer service and showcasing the Lighthouse as a national leader in adaptive technology,” says William Bielawski, program manager for adaptive technology and office skills training at the Lighthouse.

Bielawski notes that any blind or visually impaired person could contact the support line regardless of what product they’re using. “It can be any hardware or software relating to assistive technology as long as the customer is visually impaired,” he says.

Bielawski encourages calls from employers, counselors, teachers and other individuals who work with people who are visually impaired. “We’re excited to have an opportunity to make it easier for people with visual impairments to take advantage of the many technological advancements that are now more readily available.”

The Chicago Lighthouse is one of the nation’s most comprehensive social service agencies. Housed under its roof are the nation’s oldest low vision clinic; one of the few remaining clock manufacturing facilities in the U.S.; a nationally acclaimed school for children who are blind with multi-disabilities; a VA program serving veterans in all 50 states; and a radio station. The agency provided education, referral and direct services to more than 70,000 people in fiscal year 2007.

Code Factory Receives 2008 AFB Access Award!

Mobile Speak and Mobile Magnifier recognized for providing unique eyes-free access to mobile devices.

Code Factory is very pleased that our pioneering work in making mobile devices accessible has led to our being selected as one of the three recipients of the 2008 Access Awards from the American Foundation for the Blind. The Access awards are distributed annually to individuals and organizations which are eliminating or substantially reducing inequities faced by people who are blind or visually impaired. Previous recipients of the award have included leading organizations in their field, like IBM, Sun Microsystems, and Google.

The 2008 Access Award acknowledges Code Factory’s work in releasing the Mobile Speak and Mobile Magnifier line of products.

Available from http://www.codefactory.es/en/products.asp?id=16, the Mobile Speak product line includes the world-leading screen reader for mobile devices, the first screen reader for the Windows Mobile operating system, and the only screen reading solutions with complete Braille support that can be purchased for palmtop computers running Windows Mobile Professional/Classic, Windows Mobile Standard, or Symbian series 60 as their operating system.

Available from http://www.codefactory.es/en/products.asp?id=47, the Mobile Magnifier product line includes the only magnification solution for Windows Mobile devices and, like the Mobile Speak line, the only solutions of its kind available for both Windows Mobile and Symbian devices.

“The past ten years have seen extraordinary progress in the use of mobile computing”, says Eduard Sánchez, CEO of Code Factory. “By ensuring that our software remains the most advanced in its field, we have made it clear that impaired vision is no barrier to accessing the best and most useful methods of communication. Our products are unique in providing magnification, speech, and Braille output for Symbian and Windows Mobile devices, as well as in supporting the largest number of GSM, CDMA, and WCDMA phones in the industry. This enables any person with a visual impairment, whoever and wherever they are, to benefit from the best technology available. We will, with the help of our users and partners, continue our record of innovation for many years to come.”

“In the most important sense”, explains Greg Gladman, Code Factory’s chief technical officer, “we at Code Factory are honored every time one of our customers tells us of something he can do with one of our products and a mobile device that he couldn’t do, or couldn’t do as easily, before. We are honored and pleased to accept this award as a public recognition of those many conversations, and of the ingenuity and ability of our customers in using mobile devices to their fullest potential.”

Code Factory will be presented with the AFB Access Award at the 2008 JLTLI (Josephine L. Taylor Leadership Institute) national conference. The ceremony will be held at 5:00 PM on April 4, 2008 at the San Francisco Airport Marriott in Burlingame, California.

To learn more about the AFB access awards, visit:
http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=28&TopicID=236

About Code Factory
Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Terrassa/Barcelona, Spain, Code Factory is the global leader committed to the development of products designed to eliminate barriers to the accessibility of mobile technology for the blind and visually impaired. Today, Code Factory is the leading provider of screen readers, screen magnifiers, and Braille interfaces for the widest range of mainstream mobile devices including Symbian-based and Windows Mobile-powered Smartphones as well as Pocket PC phones and PDAs. Its product line is the only one to support phones working on the GSM, CDMA and WCDMA networks. Code Factory's success lies in giving excellent customer support and in responding immediately to the needs of its end users.

Among Code Factory’s customers are well known organizations like ONCE, and carriers such as TMN, Vodafone, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and AT&T. The company also collaborated with leading TTS providers and Braille manufacturers, thus enabling Code Factory to provide excellent text-to-speech technology in many languages for Mobile Speak products, and to incorporate support for over twenty wireless Braille devices into the software.

For more information, feel free to contact Code Factory S.L.:
Code Factory, S.L., Rambla d'Egara 148 2-2, 08221 Terrassa (Barcelona) Tel. +34 93 733 70 66, info@codefactory.es, www.codefactory.es
Code Factory, S.L. - 2008

Self-Advocacy Can Be Critical When You Are Sick


By: Christopher G. Bell

When I spent almost all of last February in a nursing home after tearing a tendon in my right knee, I assumed I could rest, recuperate from surgery and begin physical therapy. What I did not assume was how much time I would have to spend as a self-advocate. Here are a few examples.

My doctor, in my presence, ordered a particular diagnostic test. After two days passed with no test, I challenged the doctor’s nurse practitioner as to why the doctor’s order was not carried out. She denied to my face that such an order was issued. I demanded she check my medical record. The test was performed that afternoon.
The physical therapists repeatedly complained that calls and faxes to my surgeon had not resulted in updated physician’s orders, without which I would not be able to maximize my opportunity for such therapy. Seventeen days post-surgery passed without orders but the physical therapy staff was passive and ineffective in their efforts to obtain such orders. So I picked up the phone and spoke to my doctor’s care coordinator. I told her that if orders were not received in physical therapy by the close of the next day, I would pursue my legal remedies. Orders were received by the end of the next day.
The professional staff were in unanimous agreement that out-patient therapy at Sister Kinney should follow my discharge from the nursing home. However, my social worker said she could not make such arrangements because she was getting the run-around when she called. I made two phone calls in the two succeeding days and received an appointment for evaluation at Sister Kinney and the evaluation resulted in my acceptance for out-patient physical therapy.
Should you find yourself a patient in a health care facility, don’t forget only you can make sure your needs are being met. If you are not your own self-advocate, no one else will be!

Reading Habits of the Blind

Reading Habits of Blind and Physically Handicapped Defy National Trend.
Book Consumption Rates Seven Times Higher for National Library Service Patrons Than Average Sighted Readers.

WASHINGTON /PRNewswire/ -- This summer, when Americans catch up on their favorite reading, they will also be enjoying a beloved American pastime that research shows is waning. According to a study by the National Endowment for the Arts, Americans of every age are consistently reading less. The study revealed an overall decline of 10 percent in literary reading between 1982 and 2002, totaling an overall loss of 20 million readers. Conversely, participants in the Talking Book program, a free library service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress, read more than the general population by a significant amount. The average NLS patron, an individual with a visual or physical impairment, reads seven times more than most sighted readers, or approximately 35 books a year. These numbers not only highlight the braille and audiobook appetites of NLS patrons, but also speak to the ease in obtaining ample reading material through the Talking Book program. "NLS patrons are extremely avid readers," says Frank Kurt Cylke, NLS director. "NLS is dedicated to fulfilling their reading needs with the highest-quality collection so they can remain engaged in literature and connected to the world around them."

While NLS patrons have higher book consumption rates, their literary tastes do not differ from those of sighted readers, according to Jim Herndon, head of the NLS Collection Development Section. NLS librarians strive to build a well-rounded collection that meets readers' diverse informational and recreational needs. "Selecting titles for the collection is a rigorous process. NLS librarians consult book reviews and bestseller lists, monitor publishing trends, and assess patron requests before choosing titles," says Herndon. "Titles are selected based on such criteria as literary merit and popularity."

With more than 400,000 titles, the Talking Book catalog is wide-ranging. Among its unabridged offerings are bestsellers, classics, biographies, romances, mysteries, and westerns. Patrons particularly favor top sellers like Nicholas Sparks's True Believer, Danielle Steele's Impossible, and Malcolm Gladwell's Blink.

NLS libraries offer something for every bookworm, from kids to seniors. Summer reading programs and book clubs nationwide are designed to engage and reward readers. "Superheroes-Powered by Books," a program hosted by one network library, rewards blind and physically handicapped children who use their reading powers to fight summer boredom. Kids can report on the audio or braille books they have read in return for a range of superhero- themed prizes -- from masks to action figures. Additional reader appreciation programs include the 102 Talking Book Club, which honors centenarians for their lifelong devotion to reading.

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress, administers the Talking Book program, a free library service available to eligible individuals of any age living in the U.S. or American citizens living abroad whose low vision, blindness, or physical handicap makes reading a standard printed page difficult. Through its national network of regional libraries, NLS mails books and magazines on cassette and in braille, as well as audio equipment, directly to enrollees at no cost. Further information on eligibility requirements and enrollment procedures for the program is available at http://www.loc.gov/nls or 1-888-NLS-READ (1-888-657-7323).

New Readers for NLS Audio

Two additional devices can now be used to read downloadable audio materials from NLS:

Current owners of these devices are just a free software upgrade away from adding the ability to download and read NLS talking books and magazines.

Remember, to authorize any new device for download, just go to the download site's home page, choose "Update my settings," and then choose "Add a new player."

ACBM Board of Directors

Janet Dickelman, President
St. Paul, MN
Ph: (651) 698-5059
E-mail: janet.dickelman@comcast.net

Michael Malver, Vice-President
Minneapolis, MN
Ph: (612)< 673-0664
E-mail: mmalver@visi.com

Sue Lindgren, Secretary
Minneapolis, MN
Ph: (612) 605-4526
E-mail: slindgren@mindspring.com

Juliet Silvers, Treasurer
Minneapolis, MN
Ph: (612) 824-2131
E-mail: jsilvers03@comcast.net

Chris Bell, Director
Minneapolis, MN
Ph: (612) 859-4938
E-mail: christophergbell@comcast.net

Carolyn Coby, Director
Forest Lake, MN
Phone: (651) 464-5935
E-mail: cs_coby@hotmail.com

Bob Lockwood, Director
Minnetonka, MN
Ph: (952) 932-7269
E-mail: peggy_bob@msn.com

David Moseman, Director
St. Paul, MN
Phone: (651) 340-4217
E-mail: moseman@comcast.net

Jo Taliaferro, Director
Minneapolis, MN
Ph: (612) 722-1195
E-mail: soaringeagle7@comcast.net

Ken Rodgers, Ex Officio Member
Minneapolis, MN
Ph: (612) 236-4115
E-mail: kenrodgers@comcast.net

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