Vol. 51, No. 4 Spring 2022

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FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR

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ERIN PAWLUS

Spring is a season of new beginnings and I wanted to introduce myself as the new Administrator, following the retirement of Janet Fisher.

My name is Erin Pawlus, and I have a background in public librarianship and have worked for the Arizona Talking Book Library for 12 years. I started as a Reader Advisor – and it’s entirely possible that I may have even spoken to you on the phone to discuss the next book you wanted to read! In those days, the digital machines and books were still very new and most of our patrons also received the four-sided cassette tapes.

My next roles were as Technical Services Librarian, cataloging books and supervising our busy mail room, and more recently acting as Assistant Administrator. I have learned a lot about both our library and the National Library Service and I am honored to continue my journey here with you.

In this issue, you will find out more about our Summer Reading Program for adults and youth – where you’ll discover “oceans of possibilities”! We have additional articles from a retiring staff member and the Arizona Friends of Talking Books, and a list of recently added magazines. Read on and enjoy!

Erin Pawlus, Administrator

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RETIREMENT NEWS: KATHY, CERTIFICATION SPECIALIST

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KATHY CHEATHAM

I am happy and sad to say that I am retiring on April 28th after 20 years with the State Library, which included 10 years at the Arizona Talking Book Library. As Certification Specialist, I assist people during the application process and confirm eligibility requirements. I also help patrons who are moving to Arizona or out of state to transfer the accounts. I may have spoken to you on the phone about audio and braille magazine subscriptions as well.

I wasn’t familiar with the library service at first, but I soon found out and called my aunt in California who had Macular Degeneration and told her all about the similar service there (which she signed up for). I really loved working here and I feel that this Library and the people that work here do a very unique and special job. It was never more evident than during the early days of the pandemic; so many people let us know how much they appreciated receiving our books and magazines in the mail. Our wonderful patrons are what make this job so rewarding. I feel this part of my career is what defined me, and I will miss my workmates and patrons immensely but I do plan on volunteering so I will still be in touch.

Upon retirement, I will be babysitting my 5-month-old adorable grandson and this summer I will be going to Boston. I am also going to try and get my German Shepherd certified as a Therapy Dog and take her to schools so kids can read to her. Reading is important and I’m so glad that I got the opportunity to work with you.

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OCEANS OF POSSIBILITIES: Adult Summer Reading 2022

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Join the Arizona Talking Book Library for 2022’s Adult Summer Reading Program! Our adult program is based on a bingo board. Each square is a different subject. Your goal is to read a book from each subject and mark off every square. According to Dr. Kristen Willeumier, a neuroscientist, listening to an audiobook may lead to developing greater empathy because you're hearing the emotion in the narrator's voice, not just reading it on the page. "Listening to an emotionally-driven storyteller engages emotional circuits in the brain and can heighten the intensity and imagery of the episodes, leading to deeper processing of the narrative and greater enjoyment of the material than experienced by reading a book," she says. Audiobooks can offer a feeling of escapism which, for many, can help to reduce feelings of stress and boost happiness.

Read with us May 31st to July 31st. Participants can win one of 5 grocery store gift certificates, silly prizes and by completing your Bingo board, a chance to win an Amazon Fire tablet.

You can call us at 602-255-5578 or 800-255-5578 (outside the Phoenix area) and leave a message requesting book recommendations and to sign up over the phone.

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OCEANS OF POSSIBILITIES: Youth Summer Reading 2022

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Books, whether fiction or nonfiction, can transport the reader into a whole different world. This summer we take to the seas. If your family enjoys adventures, why not try a story of treasure hunting and pirates. Arggh, International Talk Like a Pirate Day is September 19th, so there is plenty of time for all of the family to learn Pirate (or any foreign language). Make the most of the age-old love of hearing stories shared across generations, introducing a range of voices and accents, and engage the whole household in exciting ways.

Arizona Talking Book Library’s Summer Reading Program has arrived on the back of a narwhal. We want you to read, read and read about Oceans this summer. The program runs from May 31st to July 31st. For neat prizes, read every day for 20 minutes. This can be by yourself or with someone else. Add a sticker to your game board for every 20 minutes. After you have used all 50 of your stickers, fold it in half and mail it back to us to be entered in a drawing for an Amazon Fire tablet.

You can call us at 602-255-5578 or 800-255-5578 (outside the Phoenix area) and leave a message requesting book recommendations and to sign up over the phone.

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SUMMER READING PROGRAM REGISTRATION

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ADULT Summer Reading Program Registration

Call: (602)255-5578 / (800)255-5578 or
Email: [email protected] or
Fill out the form below, fold in half and mail: Arizona Talking Book Library, 1030 N. 32nd St., Phoenix, Arizona 85008

Name _______________________________________________________________

Phone Number or Email ______________________________________________

Have you participated before? Yes ____ No ____

YOUTH Summer Reading Program Registration

Call: (602)255-5578 / (800)255-5578 or
Email: [email protected] or
Fill out the form below and mail to: Arizona Talking Book Library, 1030 N. 32nd St., Phoenix, Arizona 85008

Name _________________________________________________ Age _________

Phone Number or Email ______________________________________________

Contact Name
(if different from above)__________________________________________________________________

Have you participated before? Yes ____ No ____

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WHINE & CHEESE 2022

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The Arizona Friends of Talking Books supports the work of the Arizona Talking Book Library to offer free services to thousands of patrons who are unable to read because of vision loss, physical or reading impairments. Each year, the Friends schedule a community fundraising activity to bring in additional funds to support the work of the library and its volunteers.

The Arizona Friends of Talking Books are holding their biennial Whine and Cheese fundraiser silent auction on Friday, September 30, 2022 at the Phoenix Art Museum. More information on this event will be available at the Friends website https://www.azfotb.org as it gets closer to the date.

Donations to the Arizona Friends of Talking Books can also be made throughout the year, and do not need to be linked to a specific fundraising event. The Friends are a non-profit organization with Tax ID number 86-1008453.

On behalf of the Friends of Talking Books, we thank you for your support and continued interest in the Arizona Talking Book Library.

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NEW MAGAZINES AVAILABLE

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Please contact the library if you would like to subscribe to these new audio or braille magazines. For a list of additional magazines available, please visit the NLS website at https://www.loc.gov/nls/braille-audio-reading-materials/magazines/ or call us for more information.

Audio:
Popular Science (Quarterly): The world’s largest science and technology magazine.

Braille:
Cricket (9 issues/yr.): Stories, poems, and articles for ages 9-14.
Dell Sunday Crosswords (Quarterly): 60 themed crossword puzzles.
Dogster (Bimonthly): Lifestyle stories, new products, and advice on caring for dogs.
Interweave Knits (Quarterly): Articles, patterns, and styles for knitting hobbyists.
National Geographic Kids (10 issues/yr.) Articles for children about people, places, customs, animals, and plants.
Sports Illustrated Kids (11 issues/yr.): Sports news and articles for ages 8-14.

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