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Join the TBBC Winter Reading Challenge: Chilly Chapters!

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For Adult patrons registered with the talking book and braille center: Winter Reading Challenge 2025, TBBC's Chilly Chapters January 6th-February 28th.
For Adult patrons registered with the talking book and braille center: Winter Reading Challenge 2025, TBBC's Chilly Chapters January 6th-February 28th.The Talking Book and Braille Center (TBBC) is excited to invite adult patrons aged 18 and over to participate in the Chilly Chapters Winter Reading Challenge (WRC). This eight-week challenge will run from January 6, 2025, to February 28, 2025, encouraging participants to engage in reading during the winter months.

Registration Details

Participants can register for the WRC from December 2, 2024, to December 23, 2024. Registration is free and can be completed by contacting Liz Kelly via:
Upon registration, participants will receive:
  • A comprehensive packet with challenge rules.
  • Curated lists of recommended books.
  • A reading log to track their reading progress.

The first 75 patrons to register will receive a TBBC logo gift!

Reading Program Details

  • Duration: January 6, 2025 – February 28, 2025
  • Eligibility: Adults (18+) registered with NJSL Talking Book and Braille Center.
  • Reading Log Submission: Participants must submit their completed reading logs by March 1, 2025. Logs can be submitted via:
    • Email: Send a photo or a list of read books to lkelly@njstatelib.org.
    • Mail: Ensure logs are postmarked by February 28, 2025 (participants must provide their own postage).
    • Phone: Consult with a Readers Advisor to add titles to the reading log.

Prizes

All registered participants who report reading at least one book will receive one entry into a prize drawing for $100 Visa Gift Card. Additional entries can be earned as follows:
  • 2 Entries: For the top 10 patrons who read the most books.
  • 3 Entries: For the top 5 readers.
  • “Most books read” Prize: A tactile chess set will be awarded to the participant with the highest number of books read.

Prize Drawing

The drawing will take place on Friday March 14, 2025, with winners notified by email or phone. Results will also be announced in the Spring issue of the TBBC Newsletter.

TBBC Patrons: Submit a Recipe to ‘The Community Table’ Collection

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Woman leaning over kitchen counter with eggs and vegetables in front of her, using laptop.

Calling all patrons of the New Jersey State Library Talking Book and Braille Center!

We invite you to reminisce about beloved homemade meals and treats. Do you have a cherished recipe you’d like to share? We’re excited to announce a nationwide project where TBBC patrons and NLS staff members can contribute their favorite recipes!

Think back to the comforting taste of your mom’s kitchen, the delightful casseroles you enjoyed after school, or those unforgettable Christmas cookies from your grandma. We want to gather these recipes for “The Community Table,” a unique collection that will be produced in audio, braille, and (eventually) large print.

Join librarians from South Carolina and Florida as they create a heartfelt anthology filled with love, memories, and culinary delights from across the country.

To contribute, please email your recipe along with a brief paragraph explaining why it’s special, to tbbc@njstatelib.org.

Thank you for helping us create something truly wonderful to share!

Audio Books on Amazon Alexa Smart Speaker

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Audio Books on Amazon Alexa Smart Speaker

We’re thrilled to announce that the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) is looking for 5,000 users nationwide to help us test the innovative My Talking Books skill on Amazon Alexa smart speakers!

Key Details:

What’s an Open Beta Test?

This is your chance to experience the My Talking Books skill before it officially launches. Your feedback will be crucial in helping us identify and fix any issues. Participants will need to report any problems they encounter.

How to Register:

  • Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis until we reach the 5,000-user limit.
  • If the limit is reached before you register, you will be placed on a waitlist for future access.

Next Steps:

  • Once registered, you will receive an email notification when your access is ready. You must activate the service within 48 hours of receiving this email; otherwise, the license will be reassigned.

Get Started:

  • Ensure you have an Amazon account, an Alexa enabled smart speaker, and an active BARD login.
  • For help or questions, contact the Talking Book and Braille Center (TBBC) at (800) 792-8322 Ext 0 or email us at TBBC@njstatelib.org.

Important Note: You must have an active BARD account to use My Talking Books. If your account is inactive, please contact TBBC to reactivate it before accessing the service.

Don’t miss out on this chance to be among the first to explore a revolutionary way to enjoy your audiobooks! We look forward to your participation and feedback.

Other Commercial Devices

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Other Commercial Devices

NLS is doing an excellent job of allowing multiple devices to access BARD.  Patrons can now use a device that fits their needs while being able to enjoy reading books and magazines.

The Alexa smart speaker is a commercial device that NLS is allowing patrons to use to download items from BARD. The recent grant from the Bordentown Elks Lodge 2085 allowing TBBC to distribute 40 Amazon Echo Dot smart speakers brought to light an issue that patrons will need to be made aware of.

Working with representatives from NLS as well as the United States Postal Service, the post office decided that since access to the BARD program was not the prime function of the Alexa smart speaker, TBBC could not send out the Alexa smart speakers to children in the summer reading program under the provision of “Free Matter for the Blind or Handicapped.”

The additional cost to ensure that children in the program receive this gift was in the hundreds of dollars.  Fortunately for TBBC children, a bequest from the estate of Barbara Shalit will enable the children to receive the Alexa smart speakers.

This is only a reminder that as NLS opens more opportunities for patrons there may be circumstances where postage will need to be paid.

BARD Express Player

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BARD Express Player

The Talking Book and Braille Center (TBBC) is happy to announce that the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) has now made their BARD Express Player available for your PC!

With the BARD Express Player, you can listen to any audiobook on your PC!

If you already have BARD Express on your PC, you just need to update it. When you open BARD Express, there will be an alert saying “A new version of BARD Express is available,” giving you the option to skip, remind you later, or to update. Or, when you are in BARD Express, on the top menu pick the third option, “Help.” The second item is “Check for updates.”

If you want to download BARD Express on your PC, you can download it from this webpage: https://www.loc.gov/nls/how-to-enroll/sign-up-for-bard-and-bard-mobile/welcome-to-bard-express/

Much like BARD Mobile, the BARD Express Player allows you to adjust the narration speed; jump to navigation points such as part, chapter, and article; create bookmarks; and much more. You can also create global settings for narration speed, auto-play, auto-rewind, and more.

If you are using JAWS and NVDA, you can either use the tab key to move to each of the player’s functions or tap a single letter assigned to that function. For example, you can type F for fast forward, R for rewind, and B for bookmarks. A complete list of commands can be found under the BARD Express Help menu.

Scripts are built into the 2024 version of JAWS to optimize the BARD Express Player. If you are using JAWS 2022 or 2023, you can download the same scripts from the BARD Express page on the NLS website and import them into your screen reader.

NLS recommends reading Section 7 of the BARD Express user guide, which is dedicated to the BARD Express Player to familiarize yourself with the new player. The user guide can be found on the BARD Express page on the NLS website at https://www.loc.gov/nls/how-to-enroll/sign-up-for-bard-and-bard-mobile/welcome-to-bard-express/

Summer Reading Program for Children and Teens

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Summer Reading Program for Children and Teens

TBBC is wrapping up another successful Summer Reading Program. This year’s theme was “Adventure Begins at Your Library” and it was most certainly an adventurous summer!  By the end of the program, TBBC will have sent by mail 4 different activity packets in large print and braille, if requested, to all participants. The packages include booklists, craft ideas, activities, and prizes such as wooden snakes, plush stars, sand art, and more thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Library. Additionally, special for this year, each participant had the opportunity to receive an Amazon Echo Dot thanks to a generous grant from the Bordentown Elks Lodge 2085 Elks National Foundation Committee.

We are already looking forward to next summer when things promise to get a bit more colorful as we “Color Our World!” In the meantime, if you’d like any book suggestions, want books sent to you, or have questions about your account and/or how to access any of TBBC’s services, please contact us at TBBCYouth@njstatelib.org! And as a reminder, TBBC’s summer program is open to any child or teen patron of TBBC!

 

Magazines on Cartridges

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Magazines on Cartridges

TBBC has made some changes to the way we distribute our audio magazine cartridges. Previously, TBBC relied on distributors to send nationally produced magazines to you. These magazines came in a red box and were sent from states outside of New Jersey.

Now, those nationally produced magazines will be sent to you directly from TBBC in Trenton, New Jersey. These magazine cartridges will be identical to the book cartridges that you are used to receiving from us. This change in distribution will have no effect on the content of the magazines.

This change will allow for faster check-ins of your returning magazines, which should decrease the time it takes for you to receive new issues.

Our bi-monthly audio catalog, Talking Book Topics, will continue to be mailed from outside New Jersey for the time being.

If you have any questions, or would like to subscribe to any audio magazines, please give us a call at (800) 792-8322 ext. 0. We can also be reached by email at TBBC@njstatelib.org.

TBBC’s Virtual Book Club: The Perfect Place to Talk About Talking Books!

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TBBC’s Virtual Book Club: The Perfect Place to Talk About Talking Books!

Did you know that TBBC has a monthly Virtual Book Club?

Our book club is a great place to get together with other TBBC patrons and discuss some amazing books. We are always looking for new members!

Our Virtual Book Club meets the first Thursday of every month at 1:00 p.m. Since the club is virtual, members can join either online using a link that is emailed to them, or by calling in over the telephone.

Club members get to vote on the books we read, and every book that we feature is available through our library. We also have time at meetings for members to talk about other books they have read recently, which is a great opportunity to get other reading recommendations.

If you are interested in joining a meeting, please call us at 800-792-8322 ext. 812 or email us at tbbc@njstatelib.org.

For more information, and for future meeting dates, you can read more about our Book Club online at https://www.njstatelib.org/talking-book-braille-center/tbbcs-virtual-bookclub/

Registration is Open for Free LEAP Technology Courses

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Registration is Open for Free LEAP Technology Courses

Registration is open for the next session of iPad and iPhone accessibility classes we are offering as part of the Library Equal Access Program (LEAP).

LEAP is a program sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Human Services Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CBVI). LEAP offers classes for individuals aged 55 and above, who have a loss of vision. These classes teach participants how to use accessibility features available on iPads and iPhones. These include features like VoiceOver and Siri voice commands.

The next round of classes will include an iPhone and iPad course for beginners, and an iPhone and iPad course for intermediate users. Classes are free and devices are available for students to use in class.

Click Here for more information about the classes.

Registration is still available for classes at the following locations:

  • Atlantic City Public Library – Richmond Branch
  • East Brunswick Public Library
  • Ocean County Library – Toms River
  • Talking Book and Braille Center in Trenton
  • Gloucester County Library – Mullica Hill Branch

For more information, or to register, please contact Outreach Librarian Stephen Felle by phone at 800-792-8322 x 812 or by email at sfelle@njstatelib.org

Amazon’s Alexa and BARD

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Audio Books on Amazon Alexa Smart Speaker

The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) plans to make audiobooks and magazines available through Amazon Alexa smart speakers in mid to late summer. NLS is in the final stages of beta testing this ability with patrons from across the country. Patrons will use their voice to find and play books and magazines on a variety of Amazon’s smart speakers.

As with other smart speaker products, the books and magazines will be stored within your BARD account. BARD is the Braille and Audio Reading Download service offered by the National Library Services for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress. If you have more than one Amazon smart speaker, you would be able to move from one speaker to another and continue listening.

The National Federation of the Blind’s Newsline has been allowing smart speaker access to local and national newspapers for a number of years.

TBBC will begin training staff on this new feature in May.

Additional BARD News

Besides the work on the smart speakers from Amazon, NLS continues to work on the development of a new Talking Book Player. NLS is in development with the HumanWare company on adding many new enhanced features for the player.

In other news, the number of foreign language titles available in BARD has increased to 60 different languages. The largest collection of titles remains in Spanish with over 6100 audiobooks available to download along with 61 titles in Braille. Luisa Martucci of TBBC staff is available to assist patrons wanting more information about books in Spanish. Luisa can be reached at extension 822.

Burlington County Library System (BCLS) is now offering Video Relay Service for deaf and hard of hearing

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Burlington County Library System Logo

Burlington County Library System is now offering Video Relay Service for our deaf and hard of hearing customers who speak American Sign Language (ASL). The Video Relay Service offers ASL interpretation for telephone calls between a Deaf person and a Hearing person in different locations through the use of videoconferencing technology.

This is a FREE service and available only by appointment at the County Library: 5 Pioneer Blvd., Westampton, NJ 08060.

An appointment is required to use the Video Realy Service at the Burlington County Library

To make an appointment for the VRS please go to the ‘Library Accessibility‘ page on the Library Website and follow instructions under “Video Relay Service for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing.”

Or call 609-267-9660 press 1 for the Adult Reference Desk

Or Email to make an appointment at vrs@bcls.lib.nj.us

 

Surprising Things About Borrowing Books from TBBC

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Book cartridges.

Books the way you want them!  Do you want 1 or 8 or 10 books on your cartridge? Just let us know! If you want more than 8 books on one cartridge, we can do that!  The mailing card with the cartridge will only have the first 8 books on the cartridge listed.

No wait for audiobooks!  If TBBC has the audiobook you want, there is never a wait for that book!  We create a cartridge just for you.

We know books get lost.  We mail books to you; you mail books back.  Sometimes, books get lost.  We know that happens, and it’s OK!  If you asked for books you never got, just call us and we will resend.  If it’s been a while since you got any new books from us, it may be because we never got the books you returned.  Call us and we’ll fix your record and send more books.

We have an email!  You can always email us the list of books you want; by DB number, by author, by title!  Whatever is easiest for you.  Just send us your list, and include your name, to: TBBC@njstatelib.org.

We don’t know you moved.  Have you moved?  Does TBBC have your right address?  Contact us to make sure we have your most up to date address, phone number and email.

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This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed on this website do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.