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Spring 2026 Edition
Greetings from Liz Burns
Last fall, TBBC’s director of eighteen years, Adam Szczepaniak, retired. During his tenure, TBBC evolved from audiobooks on cassettes to digital books and mobile apps for smart phones and tablets. He expanded TBBC’s partnerships with public libraries throughout the state and strengthened our LEAP and Tech Loan programs with the NJ Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
Liz Burns was appointed as the Director. Liz has been with TBBC almost as long as Adam, starting in 2007 as the Youth Services Librarian, and later serving as Head of Reader Services and Associate Director. She looks forward to continuing TBBC’s mission of ensuring equitable access to library resources for individuals who are blind, visually impaired, or otherwise print-disabled.
Talking Book and Braille Center (TBBC)
TBBC’s Own Rising Star
In February, Luisa Martucci, Hispanic Outreach Coordinator at TBBC, received the New Jersey Library Association’s Rising Star Award from the New Jersey Library Association.
Through bilingual outreach and community events, Luisa has expanded awareness of TBBC services among Spanish-speaking communities across New Jersey.
Introducing the DA2
The Next Generation Digital Talking Book Machine
The wait is over!
The brand-new DA2 audiobook player is now available for patrons!
The DA2 brings exciting new features. With built-in Wi-Fi capability, you can log directly into the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) service from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress (NLS) and download books straight to the machine’s internal storage, no cartridge required, though cartridge playback remains available. The DA2 also supports Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to pair wireless speakers, headphones, and even compatible hearing aids.
To help you get the most out of your new device, NLS has created a series of how-to videos covering everything you need to know. Topics include power management, navigating menus, using text input mode, logging into BARD, and much more. These videos are available on the Library of Congress’ official YouTube page at www.youtube.com/@loc and are a great resource whether you’re just getting started or looking to explore the DA2’s full range of features.If you’re interested in receiving a DA2, we’d love to hear from you!
Give us a call at 800-792-8322 or email TBBC@njstatelib.org to express your interest. We’re happy to answer any questions and help get you set up.
Talking Book Topics Audio Cartridge
One question that we are constantly getting asked is, “How do I find out about the new books at TBBC? Is there a list you can send me?”
The answer is Talking Book Topics (TBT)!
TBT is a bimonthly audio magazine that brings highlights of the newest books added to the NLS collection. It’s an easy and enjoyable way to stay up to date with the newest books available from the library.
TBBC will soon be distributing TBT on cartridge! If you are interested in subscribing to this, please let TBBC know. We will then sign you up to get this audio cartridge every other month. Once you are done with it, just return it to TBBC like you do other books and magazines. If you are already subscribing to other magazines, TBT will be included with your other magazines.
TBT on cartridge may sound familiar, because NLS used to distribute this directly to patrons. There has been a recent change, and now these will be coming directly from TBBC. If you used to get this cartridge, you’ll need to resubscribe to get the one from TBBC.
If you hear about books you want, you just need to call, email, or even mail TBBC to get the books you want.
If you are a BARD user, you don’t need to get a cartridge from TBBC.
TBT is available on BARD under magazines. TBT is also available in print on the NLS website page, Talking Book Topics.
Summer Reading 2026
TBBC is pleased to announce that our Summer Reading program is returning!
This year’s program is something entirely new, designed for patrons of all ages. More details are on the way, so make sure we have your current email address on file to stay in the loop on this and all TBBC updates.
Collections Connections
NLS has developed another great resource for patrons – The Collections Connections email newsletter!
Each month it highlights fiction and non-fiction titles focused on a theme. This is a great way to find books you would like to read or add to your wish list. To sign up, send your name and email address to the Collections Connections team at connections@loc.gov.
REV250 Book List
As the nation marks 250 years since the Revolution, the NJ State Library unveils “NJ250: Living Documents, Evolving Rights.” It’s a new digital exhibition exploring how New Jersey’s evolving constitutions shaped, and were shaped by, the fight for liberty.
Explore more at www.njstatelib.org/nj250
In addition, NLS has several books about the Revolution. Here are some of them:
The American Revolution: An Intimate History
By Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns
“From a small spark kindled in America, a flame has arisen not to be extinguished.”
— Thomas Paine
“In defeating the British Empire and giving birth to a new nation, the American Revolution turned the world upside down. Thirteen colonies on the Atlantic coast rose in rebellion, won their independence, and established a new form of government that radically reshaped the continent and inspired independence movements and democratic reforms around the globe.
The American Revolution was at once a war for independence, a civil war, and a world war, fought by neighbors on American farms and between global powers an ocean or more away. In this sumptuous volume, historian Geoffrey C. Ward ably steers us through the international forces at play, telling the story not from the top down but from the bottom up — and through the eyes of not only our “Founding Fathers” but also those of ordinary soldiers, as well as underrepresented populations such as women, African Americans, Native Americans, and American Loyalists, asking who exactly was entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Enriched by guest essays from lauded historians such as Vincent Brown, Maya Jasanoff, Jane Kamensky, and Alan Taylor, and woven together with the words of Thomas Paine — The American Revolution reveals a nation still grappling with the questions that fueled its remarkable founding.”
— From the publisher
An Afro-Indigenous History of the United States
By Kye T. Mays
“Beginning with pre-Revolutionary America and moving into the movement for Black lives and contemporary Indigenous activism, Afro-Indigenous historian Kyle T. Mays argues that the foundations of the US are rooted in antiblackness and settler colonialism, and that these parallel oppressions continue into the present. He explores how Black and Indigenous peoples have always resisted and struggled for freedom, sometimes together, and sometimes apart. Whether to end African enslavement and Indigenous removal or eradicate capitalism and colonialism, Mays show how the fervor of Black and Indigenous peoples calls for justice have consistently sought to uproot white supremacy.
Mays uses a wide array of historical activists and pop culture icons, “sacred” texts, and foundational texts like the Declaration of Independence and Democracy in America. He covers the civil rights movement and freedom struggles of the 1960s and 1970s and explores current debates around the use of Native American imagery and the cultural appropriation of Black culture. Mays compels us to rethink both our history as well as contemporary debates and to imagine the powerful possibilities of Afro-Indigenous solidarity.”
— Provided by the publisher
Paul Revere’s Ride
By David Hackett Fischer
The author debunks some of the myths surrounding Paul Revere’s midnight ride. Fischer shows the American Revolution as a series of contingent events, some of which Revere played a role in.
Revere did not hold high office or write great papers, but he did belong to several groups that, through individual choice and collective effort, laid plans for the American Revolution. Fischer also discusses the role of British General Gage.
The Greatest Sentence Ever Written
By Walter Isaacson
“To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, Walter Isaacson takes readers on a fascinating deep dive into the creation of one of history’s most powerful sentences: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Drafted by Thomas Jefferson and edited by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, this line lays the foundation for the American Dream and defines the common ground we share as a nation.
Isaacson unpacks its genius, word by word, illuminating the then-radical concepts behind it. Readers will gain a fresh appreciation for how it was drafted to inspire unity, equality, and the enduring promise of America. With clarity and insight, he reveals not just the power of these words but describes how, in these polarized times, we can use them to restore an appreciation for our common values.”
— From the publisher
These Truths: A History of the United States
By Jill Lepore
Explores the ideas at the core of America’s founding: political equality, natural rights, and the sovereignty of the people. Beginning with Columbus’s landing in 1492, the author examines whether events have shown America to embrace or reject those concepts. Intertwines histories of politics, law, journalism, and technology.
- Unrated.
- Commercial audiobook.
- Bestseller. 2018.
Washington: A Life
By Ron Chernow
Award-winning author pens a comprehensive biography of America’s first president. Uses previously unavailable letters and papers to delve into the personality behind the icon. Details Washington’s private life, including his beliefs about slavery, while chronicling the wars and political conflicts that shaped the country’s path.
- Some violence.
- Pulitzer Prize.
- Bestseller. 2010.
Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation
By Joseph J. Ellis
Author of American Sphinx (DB 44729) explains the importance of a few prominent leaders in the development of democracy after the American Revolution. Describes significant contributions to the new nation made by John Adams, Aaron Burr, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington.
- Bestseller. 2000.
The Friends of The New Jersey Library for the Blind and Handicapped
Happy spring to everyone! Marie Sawyer here, I am the president of the New Jersey Library for the Blind and Handicapped.
The Friends support programs and projects for the New Jersey State Library Talking Book and Braille Center.
I have a hard-working strong board, though I’d like to make it even stronger. Please consider joining us. The process is simple, an application and a $10 check.
There are only two general meetings every year, one in December and one in June. The meetings are conducted on a conference call, so you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home.
There are two ways to get in touch with us. The first is by email; friendsnjlbh@yahoo.com or call me at 973-777-2006. All responses will be responded to in a timely manner.
Think about it, come join us.
Our next general meeting will be held by conference call on June 6, 2026, beginning at 10 a.m. To join the call 605-468-8005. Access code 425373
Stay connected and informed by subscribing to our TBBC Quarterly Highlights Newsletter, designed with accessibility in mind.
Listen to the audio edition, explore our latest issue, or browse archived newsletters at your convenience.
Do You Still Have Questions?
- Email: tbbc@njstatelib.org
- Phone: 800-792-8322 ext. 0
- Fax: 609-406-7181
TBBC is open to walk-in visitors Monday through Friday 8:00, a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and State Holidays.
Servicios Hispanos
- Llame gratis al 800-792-8322 ext. 822; o envíe un correo electrónico a tbbcspanish@njstatelib.org.
- TBBC abre cinco días a la semana, de 8:00 a. m. a 3:30 p. m., de lunes a viernes. Cerramos los sábados, domingos y días festivos estatales.
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.
TBBC Quarterly Highlights Archive
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