Vol. 52, No. 2 Fall 2022

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FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR

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ERIN PAWLUS

There is finally a chill in the air, which means that a new year is almost upon us. There is also much that is “new” for our library, including someone who has recently joined our staff. In this issue we welcome Stephanie Doser, who is the Certification Specialist for the Arizona Talking Book Library. If you have recently signed up as a library patron, you may have already spoken to her to learn more about the application process.

We are also excited because it has never been easier for those with perceptual or reading disabilities to sign up for service due to changes in eligibility requirements. We hope you will help us get the word out to friends, family and community members who are unable to read standard print materials due to dyslexia or another qualifying disability. You will discover more information in this newsletter.

Be sure to save the date for VRATE in March 2023! It returns to Glendale for an in-person expo. Library staff look forward to visiting with you at our exhibitor’s booth.

Read on to discover new resources, and to take part in opportunities to stay connected and to give this season. We wish you a Happy New Year!

Erin Pawlus, Administrator

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VRATE is Back!
SAVE THE DATE

FRIDAY, MARCH 31st, 2023, 8am - 5pm
GLENDALE CIVIC CENTER, 5750 W. Glenn Dr., 85301

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VRATE - Vision Rehabilitation Assistive Technology Expo will resume, once again, as an in-person expo. The expo hall with exhibitors, breakout sessions, demonstrations, and speakers will all be available as before. One virtual breakout track has been incorporated for those unable to attend in person. Additionally, the exhibitor demonstration sessions will be held on the west outdoor courtyard.

Please remember to register at www.vrate.org and indicate if any special accommodations, such as sighted guides or ASL interpreters, are required for you to fully experience this FREE event for the attending public.

Any questions, please email us at [email protected] or contact the library 602/800-255-5578 and ask for Christine.

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GIVING TO SUPPORT LIBRARY SERVICES

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As the new year approaches, it is a time to think about helping others and supporting those programs that benefit the community and provide value to our lives. There are many ways to assist the Arizona Talking Book Library in providing services to those with visual, physical, or reading disabilities throughout the state.

Donations made directly to the Arizona Talking Book Library support the general work of the library. Charitable contributions to governmental units are tax-deductible under section 170(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code if made for a public purpose; our EIN is 37-1960808.

The library accepts both individual donations and those made through a charitable bequest as part of a will, living trust or through life insurance. You do not have to rewrite your current document but can add a written amendment called a codicil. Such a bequest only becomes irrevocable at your death. Giving to the library in this way helps support the programs and services we provide to our patrons now and secures our future. Please check with your estate planner and/or financial advisor and add as little as one sentence to ensure that we continue our mission “That All May Read”.

Another way to help the library is through donating to the Arizona Friends of Talking Books, a 501(c)(3) charity (Tax ID: 86-1008453). Donations to the Arizona Friends of Talking Books support our local recording studio, volunteer program, and special projects. Here are ways to donate to our Friends:

• Make a one-time or monthly donation on their website: https://www.azfotb.org/donate
• If you shop on Amazon, link your account to the AmazonSmile program (https://smile.amazon.com) and designate the Arizona Friends of Talking Books as a recipient of charitable donations. You do not pay any additional money to provide this donation.
• If you shop at Fry’s supermarket, enroll in the Fry’s Community Rewards program to earn rewards for the Arizona Friends of Talking Books (NPO #90668). You do not pay any additional money to sign up or be a part of this program.
• Ask your Facebook friends to donate to Arizona Friends of Talking Books for your birthday or another occasion. For example, a volunteer once raised almost $500.00 for the library. What a charitable thing for a volunteer to do, in addition to giving their time.

Employees of some corporations and businesses are encouraged to donate time or money to charitable causes. Please check to see if your employer supports the Arizona Talking Book Library or the Arizona Friends of Talking Books.

Checks can be sent to either Arizona Talking Book Library or Arizona Friends of Talking Books at the following address. Please note the intended recipient on the envelope as well as the check:

1030 N 32nd Street
Phoenix, AZ 85008

Thank you for considering a contribution to support our efforts in providing audio and braille materials to those who are unable to read or hold the printed page.

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EXPANDED SERVICES:
PERCEPTUAL AND READING DISABILITIES

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Our service has now expanded to include members of the community who have perceptual or reading disabilities (like visual processing difficulties or dyslexia). This means easier access to books for more of our community here in Arizona. The new listener’s application will still need to be signed by a Competent Authority, but that can include an educator, a certified reading specialist, a school psychologist, a librarian and many more.

Help us spread the word to your community, friends, and family members who:

• Are unable to focus or move the eyes to the extent normally acceptable for reading.
• Are unable to read printed works to the same degree as a person without an impairment or disability.
• Are unable to hold a book or turn pages due to physical disability, allergy, or a perceptual impairment.

Please contact the Arizona Talking Book Library for more information on qualifications and certifying authorities. You can also go to:
https://www.loc.gov/nls/about/eligibility-for-nls-services/talking-books-reading-disabilities/

To read the text of final rule by the Library of Congress go to:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/12/2021-02837/loans-of-library-materials-for-blind-and-other-print-disabled-persons

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NEWS FROM THE
NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE (NLS)

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Quarterly Patron Corner Call

On Monday, December 12, at 5:00 p.m. Arizona time, the NLS Patron Engagement Section will host the quarterly Patron Corner. The topic for this session is Do You Hear What I Hear: The NLS Music Section Is Not Just for Musicians. Guest speakers will include Juliette Appold, head of the NLS Music Section, and other members of the Music Section. The session will run for 90 minutes.

Bring your questions, thoughts, and suggestions!

When you join this Zoom event, you will be in the waiting room until the program starts. When you enter the room, your phone or computer will be muted. Please stay on mute unless you are called on. If you want to ask a question, you may raise your hand by pressing Alt Y on your computer or Star 9 on your phone. Once you are called on, press Alt A on your computer or Star 6 on your phone to unmute yourself.

This meeting will be recorded. If you do not wish to be recorded, we ask that you avoid speaking during the call.

To join by computer:

https://loc.zoomgov.com/j/1617983140?pwd=TXg3S05tOUZ2djUvMUlPbFcvZzVHQT09
Meeting ID: 161 798 3140
Passcode: 315965

To join by telephone:

1-669-254-5252
Meeting ID: 161 798 3140

Be the First to Know About New NLS Developments and Free Training!

Want to get the latest news and updates from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled? NLS’s Patron Engagement Section now hosts an announce-only listserv that will include announcements about NLS programs, services, and products that might be of interest to patrons. New announcements will be posted to the list a few times a week. If you are interested in signing up for this listserv, please send your name and email address to the Patron Engagement Section at [email protected]. You will be able to unsubscribe from the list at any time. So, email [email protected] now!

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INTRODUCING OUR NEW EMPLOYEE

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Glad to be here!

My name is Stephanie Doser, and I am glad I landed at the Arizona Talking Book Library. As the Certification Specialist, I review applications and provide a brief and sometimes introductory overview for those interested in our library services. I also assist patrons with their magazine subscriptions and facilitate the transfer of patrons to and from other Talking Book and Braille Libraries in the country.

I have previously worked in the insurance and financial services industries, as well as the Judicial Branch of Maricopa County. While I am grateful for my time in those areas, I can easily say that the Arizona Talking Book Library is the place that makes me smile the most at the end of the day.

I have lived in Arizona for over 30 years, but you will still find some sort of representation of “Detroit” on or around me, which is where I was born and raised.

I get additional smiles from my husband, 2 adult children and extended family (which includes our shelter dog, Gemma). I welcome laughter, chocolate, and massages- and if all those happen in the same day, then it could hardly be any better.

I am so very grateful to be here, and thankful the people who work here welcomed me more than just with words!

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NEWS SENT DIRECTLY TO YOUR INBOX

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If you are receiving this newsletter in another format, including the large print version through the mail, did you know that it can be sent to you by e-mail instead?

Patrons who subscribe by e-mail receive the newsletter the fastest, because it does not need to wait to be delivered by USPS or converted to another format. The speed of e-mail can be particularly beneficial if there is a library or NLS event scheduled close to an issue’s release date.

If you would like to make the switch to e-mail, just call the library at 602-255-5578 or send us a message at [email protected]. If you would prefer to continue receiving large print or audio, or connect to web-based versions, those continue to be available.

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ATTENTION TRAVELERS

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Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has added a new service to support customers who are blind or have low vision as they travel. This new service, called Aira, provides guidance through a mobile app to assist passengers with a variety of needs, including moving through crowds, avoiding obstacles, finding gates, using self-service kiosks and navigating through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints.

To provide this assistance, the Aira mobile app connects users with professionally trained visual interpreters, who use live-streamed video to translate visual information into descriptive audio at the touch of a button, providing better efficiency, engagement and independence.

The Aira app is free to download and available in the Apple App and Google Play stores. While accessing the service for personal use can require a monthly subscription, Phoenix Sky Harbor will offer the service for free to users at the Airport.

In addition to Aira, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport offers a variety of tools and programs for people with disabilities. Most recently, the Airport implemented hearing loops in renovated areas of Terminal 3 and the newly-added Terminal 4 Eighth Concourse, to improve accessibility for hearing-aid users to airport announcements and the overhead paging system. Phoenix Sky Harbor also provides a sensory room for individuals with autism, dementia or other sensory-related conditions.

More information about the Airport’s accessibility and assistance programs is available at https://www.skyharbor.com/beforetraveling/Accessibility

The full press release can be found at https://www.signalsaz.com/articles/new-service-supports-sky-harbor-customers-who-are-blind-or-have-low-vision/.

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RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR
WITH AN ACCESSIBLE CALENDAR

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The 2023 Large Print calendars, which are funded by Arizona Friends of Talking Books, have been mailed to our patrons. If you are not yet signed up to receive it annually but would like to be on the list, please call the library at 602-255-5578.

If you would prefer a free braille calendar, they are available through the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults. To request a calendar, fill out their online form at https://www.actionfund.org/resources/braille-calendars. If you do not have access to a computer, please contact us and a librarian can assist.

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