Vol. 48, No. 4
Spring 2019

FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR

---

JANET FISHER

Welcome to the new year!

There are choices we make each day on how we use our time and those things that we get involved in. In this issue of Talking Book News we have included a few things that are in the forefront at this time of year for our library:

I’m excited about the upcoming Summer Reading Program! It’s fun to have two programs – one for children and youth, and one for adults. How often does someone reward you for reading each day? We will do just that, when you read during the months of June and July! You’ll be able to download a book from BARD or call us to get a book on cartridge sent directly to you. Maybe you’ll become as excited as I am!

The Arizona Talking Book Library is very fortunate to have an active group of volunteers. We were able to show our gratitude at the annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon sponsored by the Arizona Friends of Talking Books, scheduled on the Saturday before National Volunteer Week. Certificates were presented to volunteers for their donation of time which reached 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, or 5,000 hours. We congratulate those who received certificates and recognize all of our volunteers who generously donate their time and talents to the Talking Book Library.

The Arizona Friends of Talking Books supports the Talking Book Library’s audio recording program, volunteers, and many other things. This year’s Friends’ annual fundraiser is called the Whine-a-Thon (the spelling is correct – it is Whine with an “h”); information is included in this newsletter and on the Arizona Friends of Talking Books website (http://azfotb.org).

This newsletter carries articles on these topics and several more.

Back To Top

SUMMERTIME WITH TALKING BOOKS

---

Are you going away for the summer? Did you know that you’re welcome to take your player and books and continue your love of reading? All we need from you is to contact your librarian and provide a temporary address of where you will be staying this summer. Please give us a call at 602-255-5578 or email us at [email protected] two weeks before you leave. To return services to your permanent address contact us again two weeks before heading home.

If you’re staying in Arizona this summer, outreach would like to be a part of your community. We provide talks about our services to groups at active adult centers, social organizations, low vision groups, libraries, healthcare facilities, and retirement villages of any size and location throughout the state. This library also participates at community fairs and health events year round. Please contact the Outreach Librarian, Christine Tuttle, at 602-255-5578 or at [email protected].

Back To Top

NLS STUDIO DIRECTOR TRAINS VOLUNTEERS

---

Studio volunteers participated in two 1-day training sessions in April provided by Celeste Lawson, Studio Director at the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

During the training Celeste said, “A narrator should be natural, unaffected, and have someone really specific you’re talking to.” In regard to the monitor role, she pointed out, “A monitor (director) is the first set of ears to hear this story.” Celeste added, “You should be really open with the narrator about how the story is striking you.” She also advised reviewers to not “get too fixated on little noises, breaths, and ticks” unless they “take the listener out of the story.” “For all three jobs, telling the best story is the goal.”

We were grateful for the opportunity from the National Library Service to periodically send Celeste to our library for training and expert assistance.

Back To Top

SUMMER READING FOR ADULTS?
BECAUSE THE COST
OF GOING TO SPACE IS ASTRONOMICAL!

---

Everybody knows a humongous thing happened on Sunday, July 20th, 1969 at exactly 4:17 E.D.T. The ‘Eagle’ has landed. Bingo. Just like that. Man became an alien.
—Janet Turpin Myers

Explore the wonders of our solar system, the cosmos, and beyond while trekking across our sky full of stories. Try something new: learn about constellations and mythology. Ponder one of humankind’s greatest questions: are we alone in the universe? Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the first humans walking on the Moon on July 21.

Why participate in Arizona Talking Book Library’s “A Universe of Stories” summer reading program? Audiobooks are immersive, educational, instructional, entertaining and they’re perfect for the time rich and the time poor. They can expand your vocabulary and improve your fluency and comprehension.

Your goal is to complete the entire tic-tac-toe game board by reading the items in the boxes for an entry into the grand prize drawing of a Schwan’s Gift Card – no duplicates allowed! You can also win smaller prizes by completing a horizontal line, a vertical line and/or a diagonal line for 3 separate and fun surprises. Make sure to call 602-255-5578 (outside the Phoenix area 1-800-255-5578) or email [email protected] to let us know how it is going and collect your progressive prizes!

We hope that you enjoy reading and that you will discover some of the treasures of your library. Ask your librarian for suggestions of great astronomy, science fiction and cosmology books.

Back To Top

MISSING YOUR MAGAZINES?

---

If you haven’t been receiving your NLS magazines lately, please call and let us know about it. A lot of you are showing more than two overdue magazines which prevents more magazines from going out. This can be fixed. Call 602-255-5578 (outside the Phoenix area 1-800-255-5578) to start the procedure.

Back To Top
 

 

MESSAGE FROM THE
ARIZONA FRIENDS OF TALKING BOOKS

---

Board of Directors:
Caitlin Fine, President
Matt Crothers, Vice President
Michael Geiger, Treasurer
Mallory DeLashmut
Jane Bergamo
Jordan Bublik
Janet Fisher, Library Liaison
Bryan Grossman
Andrea Pasquale
Leslie Rachels
David Rockwell
Michelle Sbraga
Frank Vance
Seth Franzman

Dear Library Supporters:

As you know, the Arizona Talking Book Library offers free services to thousands of patrons who are unable to read because of vision loss or physical impairments. Your financial assistance is critical in our continuing efforts to support those programs.

The Friends are holding our biennial Whine-A-Thon – a mail-a-thon and prize drawing that you can participate in from the comfort of your own home. We will gratefully accept donations of any amount and for each donation of $25.00, your name will be entered into the drawing; any donation of $100.00 will receive five entries.

We have exciting grand prizes including an Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Alexa as well as a selection of gift cards and certificates (each valued at $25.00 or more)! Please keep checking our website for an updated list of prizes.

In order to be entered into the prize drawing, please make sure that your entry reaches us by June 7th in time for the June 14th drawing date. We are enclosing a special envelope for your convenience and using it will alert us that your Whine-A-Thon donation is enclosed. We will contact each winner personally and all winners’ names will be posted on our website shortly after the drawing. (For additional information about our mission, please visit our website at www.azfotb.org.)

On behalf of the Friends of Talking Books, we thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Caitlin Fine, President
Arizona Friends of Talking Books

Back To Top

PARENTS, BUILD SOME
MOON LANDING MEMORIES THIS SUMMER!

---

The Arizona Talking Book Library is offering “A Universe of Stories” program this summer to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the first humans landing on the Moon as part of NASA’s Apollo lunar mission. We want to support you, as parents, family members and caregivers, to inspire children of all ages to dream big, believe in themselves, and create their own story. By reading together, the entire family will learn about words and language, build listening skills, expand vocabularies, and gain knowledge about a variety of topics.

The importance of reading aloud with children of all ages (yes, even teenagers) cannot be stressed enough, even for children who can read on their own. What are the benefits to be gained from reading aloud? Instilling a love of reading in your child, sharing more difficult books, encouraging reluctant readers, and increasing family involvement through the sharing of good books are just some of the benefits.

How the Program works:

1. Children of all ages can register for the Summer Reading program any time after the last day of school by calling us at 602-255-5578 (outside the Phoenix area 1-800-255-5578) or email us at [email protected].
2. Spend at least 20 minutes each day reading together, even if your child is more interested in reading on his or her own, sit together and read something side-by-side. Then, ask questions about what he or she is reading.
3. Keep track of your minutes (adults can participate, too!).
4. Let us know as each member reaches 500, 750 and 1000 minutes to be entered in our awesome giveaways, and contests until August 5th. (Last winners drawn for the State Parks entrance passes on August 12th).
5. Make it fun! Reading shouldn’t be a chore; it should be an adventure. If your attitude reflects the joy you feel from getting lost in a book, it’s easier for your children to catch it too!

We hope that both you and your family enjoy reading together and that you will discover some of the treasures of your library. Ask your librarian for suggestions of great space and universe books.

Back To Top

2019 VOLUNTEER LUNCHEON

---

The Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon is a special time for the Library to bring our volunteers together and celebrate the contributions and dedication they have made to our patrons and our library. On Saturday, April 6, we held our 39th Annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon.

Our thanks go to the Arizona Friends of Talking Books for sponsoring this event, the library, and the volunteers throughout the year.

Special guests of the luncheon were Secretary of State’s Communication Director C.Murphy Hebert, State Librarian Holly Henley, Friends Board President Caitlin Fine, and Cindy Garfio, keynote speaker, college student, avid reader, and long-time patron of the Talking Book Library.

Certificates were presented to volunteers for their donation of time which reached 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, or 5,000 hours.

Certificate recipients attending the luncheon:
Back row: Madge Farkas, Mike Briske, Orrin Johnson, Ron Donnell;
Front Row: Carolyn Farkas, Virginia McClain, Barbara Pastore, Sue Curry, Ione Marie.
Not in photo: Kay Brouwer, Susan Smith, Doug Wright, Grace Wright, and Patrick Crawford.

 

Ron Donnell received his certificate for working 5,000 volunteer hours. In photo: Holly Henley, Ron Donnell, C.Murphy Hebert.		Caitlin Fine, Friends board president, spoke to the group providing comparisons of volunteer hours to activities in her daily life.
		Cindy Garfio addressed the group, exclaiming the joy of listening to talking books and her inclusion in the volunteer program to tell others about their importance in her life.

 

We thank the Arizona Friends of Talking Books for their continued and heartfelt support of the volunteers and the library. We also congratulate those who received certificates and recognize all of our volunteers who generously donate their time and talents to the Talking Book Library.

 

Back To Top

SAVE THE DATE -- VRATE 2019

 

Vision Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Expo will be two days for 2019.
Friday, November 15th and Saturday, November 16th
at the Glendale Civic Center, 9am – 4pm each day.

This free event will include lectures, discussion panels, and full access to the exhibition center.

Registration for participants and caregivers will open in June.
Vendor and sponsor opportunities are available.
www.vrateaz.com

 

Upcoming Event: Whine-A-Thon -- thru June 7, 2019

 

Back To Top