Director's Column
Welcome to 2006! The staff
of the Talking Book Program (TBP) hopes that everyone had a good
holiday season and sends best wishes for the New Year.
In memoriam We recently learned of the death of Mrs.
Lois Ford La Bauve, a former director of this program. Mrs. La Bauve
died October 27, 2005, in Austin, at the age of 103. She came to
work at the Texas State Library in 1961 as a volunteer and was hired
as the director of the Division for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
in 1962, serving until her retirement in 1972. During her tenure,
the program emerged as the distinctive entity that it is today.
Mrs. La Bauve became a client of TBP after her eyesight began to
fail and remained active in the program until shortly before her
death. In honor of her 100th birthday, she established a scholarship
at the University of Texas at Austin to assist visually impaired
students. A daughter, two grandchildren, and several nieces and
nephews survive Mrs. La Bauve.
Sunset review TBP's parent agency, the Texas State
Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC), will undergo a "sunset
review" during the next two years. All state agencies go through
this evaluation, or sunset review, every twelve years. The purpose
is to determine if the agency is performing its functions and whether
or not those functions are still needed. The Sunset Advisory Committee
oversees the review and reports to the Legislature. During the 2007
legislative session, the Legislature will need to pass legislation
continuing TSLAC as an operational agency. If you are interested
in learning more about the sunset process, please visit the advisory
committee's web site at www.sunset.state.tx.us.
Extending a loan Sometimes, you need to keep a book
or magazine for a little longer. Extending the loan allows you to
keep the item for that longer period. You may extend a loan under
certain circumstances.
- A loan may be extended only once.
- A loan cannot be extended if someone else has reserved the item.
- A loan cannot be extended if it is already overdue.
- A loan cannot be extended if you have other items that are
overdue.
Call a Reader Consultant at 1-800-252-9605 for all the details.
Helpful hint If you need to order books, ask a question,
give us a new address, etc., please call 1-800-252-9605.
Some of you have been calling a number in a different part of the
agency causing a delay in your service!
New magazines Many of you subscribe to magazines on
cassette, either directly from the National Library Service (NLS)
or through us. More magazines may be available from programs in
other states. TBP staff has determined that one or two additional
magazines could be added. If you want to read a magazine that we
do not offer now, call a consultant at 1-800-252-9605 and "vote"
for it. Staff will add the top choices. Remember, this only applies
to magazines that already are being recorded. If no one is recording
the magazine, we cannot add it.
Until next time,
Ava Smith, Director, Talking Book Program
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The TBP is Inaugurating the Texas Talking
Book Century Club
This new club's members are patrons who are 100 or more years
old. Currently there are 60 readers eligible for this club. Please
join us as we recognize them at a ceremony in the State Capitol's
Open-air Rotunda (in the lower level extension) at 2:00 pm on March
22.
Marion Chesney's Romance Novels Remain Popular
Here's a peek at the first two of Marion Chesney's six novels
featuring Miss Hannah Pym as she travels about England.
Emily Goes to Exeter
RC 34662
Hannah Pym receives a legacy and decides to travel around England.
On the way to Exeter, she and her fellow passengers are snowbound
at a secluded inn. She realizes a "male" passenger is Emily Freemantle.
She tries to create a match between Emily and Lord Ranger Harley.
Belinda Goes to Bath
RC 34663
On the way to Bath, Miss Pym meets Belinda Earle and feels
Belinda is the right match for the Marquess of Frenton, in whose
castle they live after their coach plunges into a nearby river.
However, Belinda and the marquess do not seem interested in each
other.
Lost Messages
iThe best way to send us a message is by telephone at 1-800-252-9605
or, in Austin, call 463-5458. Please don't put notes in returned
books. We may miss your message and not be able to reply to your
question.
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Texas Talking Books will be closed on the
following holidays:
- Monday, January 16 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Monday, February 20 Presidents' Day
Of course, you can always leave a message if you call after hours
or on a holiday or email us at
tbp.services@tsl.state.tx.us.
Talking Book Program Gradually Changing
to Digital Talking Books
The transition of books and magazines recorded in an analog manner
to Digital Talking Books (DTBs) will make DTBs available beginning
in 2008. DTBs have two major advantages over recorded cassettes.
First, they offer a better quality of sound reproduction - no more
"tape hiss." Second, they allow easier navigation such (1) book
marking; (2) search functions; (3) note taking; and (4) word searches.
As much as possible, the National Library Service (NLS) will keep
the classic narrators, such as Alexander Scourby.
The transition from recorded cassettes to digital flash memory cards
will begin in 2008 and take about five years to complete. NLS began
developing its digital collection in 2002. At least 20,000 books
and 50,000 playback machines will be produced by 2008. Likely, magazines
will be still produced on cassette for a while longer. At first,
NLS will produce the most popular titles. The remaining titles will
be duplicated as needed, on demand, and distributed to patrons from
a national source. These new books will be on a 128 MB flash memory
cartridge, or card, with one book per card. Cards will be slightly
larger than a credit card and labeled in Braille and large print.
It's important to remember there will be an overlap of cassette
books and DTBs during this conversion period. No one will have to
give up cassette players, books, or magazines. Keep in mind, however,
that at some point the newest books will not be produced on cassette
- only in the new digital format.
NLS is often asked why this move to DTBs is taking so long. There
are two answers: (1) The transition is too complex to rush and requires
careful planning and execution; and (2) The unit price of media
in the flash-memory based system must decline. Of course, this may
change as "decisions in the medium term do not preclude the implementation
of other alternatives…as the fluid digital environment evolves and
new …options become available." (Current Strategic Business Plan:
Implementation of Digital Systems," January 11, 2005, www.loc.gov/nls/businessplan/executivesummary.html).
Disability Information and Referral Center (DIRC)
Call the Disability Information and Referral Center toll-free
at 1-800-252-9605 for information on disabilities and health conditions.
You May Enjoy Reading These Three Locally
Produced Books
Rites and Witnesses
CT 5588
by Rolando Hinojosa Narrated by Janice Lathin
Hinojosa's novel focuses on wealthy ranchers and their domination
of the economic and political life of a small city on the Texas-Mexico
border. To read this book, call 1-800-252-9605 and ask for CT 5588.
Short Fiction by Hispanic Writers of the United States
CT 5587
by Nicolas Kanellos Narrated by Gratia Winship
These selections include Cuban-American, Mexican-American and Puerto
Rican writers of short fiction in the United States. These are not
folksy, picturesque, or touristy renditions but incisive authentic
representations of Hispanic life in the United States. This book
contains some sex, profanity, and violence. Call 1-800-252-9605
and ask for CT 5587
Too Many Ghosts
CT 6742
By Paul Gallico Narrated by Carol Esler
Lord Paradine's ancestral home has become a tax-blighted burden
and a haunted one at that. Hero Alexander is summoned from London
to exorcise the premises, but he has his own disturbing effect on
the ladies of the house before he completes his de-ghosting duties.
Call 1-800-252-9605 and ask for CT 6742.
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Tips
and Reminders for Better Service
Equipment. Talking Book cassette players are just like any
mechanical device—they break down from time to time. You'll get
the best service from your equipment if you:
-
always use the battery to play your tapes and allow the battery
run down completely before recharging it;
-
keep food and beverages away from the player;
-
clean the heads from time to time using a head-cleaning tape
(available at stores that carry stereo equipment);
-
don't try to fix a broken player—just return it.
Before returning a piece of equipment, please call or write to
let us know you are returning it and to request a replacement. It's
a good idea to keep the box your player comes in so you can use
it to return equipment if it breaks down.
Loan Period. The normal loan period for braille, large print,
or cassette books is 45 days. Please call or write if you need to
keep the book longer. Returning books promptly and keeping a list
of book requests on file with us will keep a steady flow of reading
material in your mailbox.
Broken Books. To let us know you have had a problem with
a book, please mark a large "X" on the return label on the left
side of our address.
Services. Our staff is dedicated to making
the Talking Book Service work for you. Please let us know how we
can help by contacting us at:
Talking Book Program
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
PO Box 12927
Austin TX 78711-2927
1-800-252-9605 (in Texas)
512-463-5458 (in Austin)
512-936-0685 (fax)
tbp.services@tsl.state.tx.us
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