Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled

NLS will soon open beta registration for the new My Talking Books skill on Amazon Alexa-enabled smart speakers. All GLS patrons with a compatible speaker are invited to register.

Patrons who register for open beta will be onboarded on a rolling basis starting from September 25, 2024. To register for the My Talking Books skill open beta, fill out the Patron Registration Form at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mtb-open-beta.

For patrons who are under the age of 18, a parent or legal guardian is additionally required to fill out and sign the Parental Acknowledgment Form at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mtb-parental-acknowledgment.

[Image: An Alexa-enabled smart speaker, accompanied by the text My Talking Books Alexa Skill. Open Beta Registration.]

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No! It’s BARDman! Our very own GLS Atlanta Manager, Barnaby Camp made an appearance at the National Library Service for the Blind And Print Disabled Biennial Conference as his alter ego, BARDman. BARD provides instant access to hundreds of thousands of books, magazines, and music materials in accessible formats that can be downloaded directly to your smart device.
[image: Barnaby Camp dressed as a superhero speaking on a microphone]

Just before lunch aka Barnaby Camp, Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, made a special appearance at the national conference to promote use of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled‘s app.

GLS Programs are on the go again! We're bringing BINGO to southeast Georgia. If you are in the area, join us for Bingo on Thursday, September 19 at 12:00 PM at the Brunswick Library. Whether you're a Bingo pro or new to the game, everyone is welcome! For full event details, visit https://gls.georgialibraries.org/event/bingo-at-brunswick-library/.
[image: hands holding sheet of paper that says bingo]

Atlanta area veterans! Save the date and plan to attend the We CARE Veterans Fair at Ebenezer Baptist Church on Saturday, October 5. Come meet dozens of professionals from agencies and nonprofits who are here to serve you. The GLS outreach librarians will be there, so stop by our table for some swag and a smile!

Image:
A silhouette of a soldier in front of a waving US flag, a father posing with a son in uniform, and a close-up of medals on a lapel. Accompanying text:
Ebenezer Baptist Church
We Care Vet Fair
October 5, 2024
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
101 Jackson St NE, Atlanta, GA 30312.
Do you receive all of the benefits you earned through military service?
Free. VA Benefits. Vendors.
Veterans of all ages are welcome. Families are welcome.
For more info, visit WeCareVetFair.com or call 770-973-0014.

GLS is proud to be joining the 11th Annual Clarkston Tell Me A Story! Festival as a Literacy Partner. We will be there with a hands-on braille awareness activity and a chance to try out our talking book machine and our BARD Mobile app. This wonderful free event for families offers an exciting line-up of storytellers and entertainers, a children's parade, international foods for sale, language and literacy activities for kids, a book giveaway table, and more! It all takes place Saturday, September 14 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Clarkston Community Center, 3701 College Avenue, Clarkston, GA 30021.

[Image: A promotional graphic for the festival includes explanatory text as outlined in this post, plus a photo of a costumed storyteller entertaining a group of children.]

Looking for your next great read? Get some ideas from the new issue of the bimonthly NLS publication Talking Book Topics (TBT). TBT lists a selection of titles recently added to the NLS digital audio collection:
https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/talking-book-topics/talking-book-topics-september-october-2024/

[Image: An open book with sound waves coming from the pages. Text reads: Talking Book Topics. September/October 2024. Browse the new issue to find your next great read!]

If you participated in the unique experience that is DragonCon in Atlanta over Labor Day weekend, you might have met up with a superhero named BARDMan. Our own caped crusader was on site to spread the word about accessible reading for all.

[Image: A superhero in a caped costume adorned with digital book cartridges and the BARD Mobile logo strikes a pose next to a Disability Services banner.]

Curious about how technology is helping people with visual impairments? Join us on Tuesday, September 10th from 10 am to 12 pm for GLS Tech Talk, featuring a demo of Envision glasses for the visually impaired. Guest speaker Shawn Keen will present the glasses and answer questions. For Zoom details, visit https://gls.georgialibraries.org/event/236695/.
[image: megaphone, Text reads: Tech Talk Second Tuesdays at 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.]

Update: The GLS Atlanta library remains closed for walk-in service today. Our Reader Advisors are currently available by phone or email until 5 PM. Call 800-248-6701 or send a message to [email protected].
[image: paper pinned to wall with text: closed for walk-in service]

Closing Alert! The GLS Atlanta library is closed for walk-in service today. Our Reader Advisors are available by phone or email during the regular hours of 8 AM to 5 PM. Call 800-248-6701 or send a message to [email protected].

Please note that all GLS departments will be closed for Labor Day on Monday, September 2nd. We will resume our regular hours of operation on Tuesday, September 3rd.
[image: five American flags; text reads GLS will be closed Monday, September 2]

Woof! Woof! Happy National Dog Day! Today, we celebrate our furry best friends and the joy they bring to our lives. You can find many books about dogs in our catalog. From heartwarming tales to training tips, we've got something for every dog lover. To search our catalog, visit https://gls.klas.com/index.jsf.
[image: group of five dogs sitting in a meadow]

Next Tuesday, August 27, it's Cobb County's turn for some BINGO fun with GLS. Join us at Switzer Library in Marietta starting at 12 noon. As always, large print and braille bingo cards will be provided, as well as snacks. You do not have to be a GLS patron to play, but registration is required. Check out the details on the GLS Events Calendar: https://gls.georgialibraries.org/event/bingo-at-cobb-county-public-library/

[Image: Colorful large print bingo cards on a black background with text reading GLS Bingo in Marietta. Tuesday, August 27, 2024.]

The monthly That All May eRead online program returns next Tuesday, August 27 at 7 p.m. Learn all about how to use your NLS Braille eReader to read BARD Mobile braille books. This is the first of a two-part program for August and September. The September program will cover using your eReader to read commercial braille books on your mobile phone. Visit the GLS events calendar for details and login information: https://gls.georgialibraries.org/event/that-all-may-eread-monthly-program/

[Image: Hands using a braille eReader next to a phone displaying BARD on the screen. Text reads That All May eRead: Using BARD Mobile with the NLS eReader.]

The new version of BARD Express for the PC has a built-in audio player so you can listen to the books you have downloaded without having to transfer them to a cartridge or a USB drive first. Check out the details in the announcement from NLS. Have you tried the new BARD Express Player feature yet? Let us know what you think!

NLS has launched the newest version of BARD Express, featuring the long-awaited BARD Express Player, which allows you (if you’re an NLS patron, that is) to choose an audiobook or magazine from your BARD Express bookshelf and listen to it directly on your PC. Much like BARD Mobile, the BARD Express Player lets you adjust the narration speed, jump to navigation points such as chapters or articles, create bookmarks and much more. You can also create global settings for narration speed, auto-play, auto-rewind and other specifics to make your experience more personalized. Find out more about the new player by visiting https://www.loc.gov/nls/how-to-enroll/sign-up-for-bard-and-bard-mobile/welcome-to-bard-express?loclr=fbnls. There you can access the updated user guide or learn more about updating scripts for older JAWS screen reader versions. Contact your local NLS network library (https://www.loc.gov/nls/find-your-library?loclr=fbnls) for additional help.
[Image: An NLS patron and her cat enjoy an audiobook downloaded from BARD on her laptop. iStock photo.]

Tune in tomorrow, Wednesday, August 21 at 2 p.m. for this month's meeting of the GLS Peer Support Group. Vanessa will report on her experience attending the NFB National Convention last month, with information about the different exhibitors that were there. There will be time for questions and answers. For details and login information, visit https://gls.georgialibraries.org/event/peer-support-group-2/.

[Image: A white dog holds a rotary phone receiver in its mouth. Text reads Peer Support Group. GLS - Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled.]

Summer Reading is behind us, and the results are in! As a community, the GLS summer readers read a combined total of 631,898 minutes between June 1 and July 31. Sixty-one percent of participants achieved their reading goal and were eligible for a grand prize drawing. Two lucky winners got their names drawn out of the hat: Kay T. in the 18 and older category, and Princess R. in the under 18 category. But they were all winners in our book! Congratulations to all: keep reading and we hope to see you around for GLS Summer Reading 2025.

Read more about GLS Summer Reading in a new post on the GLS blog: https://gls.georgialibraries.org/summer-2024-reading-is-its-own-adventure/.

[Image: A collage with scenes of dancing and celebrating Polynesian style, playing a washboard, and playing bingo, with the caption Summer Reading Fun with GLS.]

We had an absolute blast at our folk dancing and line dancing class yesterday! Whether a seasoned pro or trying out these dance styles for the first time, everyone had a smile on their face and a spring in their step. Huge thanks to GPLS Director of Youth Services, Evan Bush and GLS Atlanta Assistant Manager, Vanessa Meadows for their patience, guidance, and enthusiasm!

[image: group of men and women standing in various stages of lifting their hands]

It's that time of year again, and we're here to make your back-to-school season a little brighter! GLS provides access to accessible books and magazines in various formats to ensure individuals with reading disabilities or vision impairments have the opportunity to learn and grow. Whether you prefer braille, large print, or audiobooks, we've got you covered. Dive into exciting new stories, explore fascinating topics, and expand your knowledge with our inclusive collection. To get started, visit our website at https://gls.georgialibraries.org/. Or, call us at 1-800-248-6701.

[image: "back to school" written on small framed chalkboard surrounded by pencil holder containing color pencils, handheld magnifier, and an apple sitting on stack of notebooks.

August is Women in Translation Month, a celebration of women writers from around the world writing in languages other than English. Do you want to try tapping this rich vein of literary works? A great place to start is with the female Nobel laureates in literature. You can find titles by all of these Nobel winners in the GLS collection:
- Svetlana Alexievich
- Annie Ernaux
- Elfriede Jelinek
- Herta Müller
- Wisława Szymborska
- Olga Tokarczuk
- Sigrid Undset

[Image: An open book, accompanied by the text: Women in Translation Month. August 2024. womenintranslation.org.]

Practice your dance moves and learn some new ones at GLS Atlanta next Thursday, August 15 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Evan Bush will teach traditional folk dances like the Rakes of Mallow (Irish Stew) and Old Brass Wagon. Vanessa Meadows will teach one or more popular contemporary line dances. No dance experience is necessary, but do call 800-248-6701 and let us know if you are coming. Find out more on the GLS Events calendar: https://gls.georgialibraries.org/event/folk-dancing-and-line-dance/.

[Image: Dancers in boots and jeans move on a wooden dance floor. Text reads: Line Dancing & Folk Dancing: Learn Some New Moves. Thursday, August 15, 1 - 3 p.m.]

Last month's Open Forum session of The Many Faces of BARD was such a hit that we are offering Open Forum, Part 2 for the August session. Once again, the NLS download tech support team will be in the Zoom room to answer your BARD questions, so tune in this Thursday, August 8 at 7:00 p.m. For login information, as well as recordings of previous Many Faces of BARD programs, visit https://www.loc.gov/nls/news-and-updates/many-faces-of-bard/.

[Image: A crowd of multicolored question marks hover above a cluster of raised hands. Text reads: The Many Faces of BARD: Open Forum, Part 2. August 8 at 7 p.m. on Zoom.]

Care to play a game? Or hear from award-winning author Angeline Boulley? You only have a couple of days left to access the following special summer offerings from NLS; they are going away this Friday, August 9. These experiences were created for our blind and print disabled patrons, but they are open to all:

- Choose Your Reading Adventure Game.
- Escape from the Whispering Library Game.
- Recording of Angeline Boulley's author talk.

For links to all of these activities, visit https://www.loc.gov/nls/summerreading2024/.

[Image: Bigfoot looks over the shoulder of an explorer reading a book outdoors. Text reads Last Chance to Play!]

The latest issue of GLS News is out! Click through to read our quarterly newsletter in one of four accessible formats (braille is also available upon request).

In the Fall 2024 issue of GLS News:
- Summer reading wrap-up.
- Fabulous Friends of GLS.
- Magazine delivery changes.

Read the new edition and explore back issues at https://gls.georgialibraries.org/newsletter/.

[Image: The GLS News logo and a bulleted list of featured articles, above a group picture of Friends of GLS.]

GLS Summer Reading 2024 ends today! We have had a summer full of reading and adventure. Thank you to everyone who joined us on this journey through books. Though our adventure may be ending, the love for reading lives on.
[image: illustration of a boy and girl waving from a hot air balloon]

Get ready for a thrilling discussion of "False Witness" (DB104747) by Karin Slaughter at our next For Grown Folks Only Book Club meeting!

Join us on Wednesday, August 14 from 2:00-3:45pm on Zoom for a deep dive into this gripping legal thriller filled with twists and turns. For Zoom meeting details, visit https://gls.georgialibraries.org/event/for-grown-folks-only-book-club-false-witness-by-karin-slaugter/.

[Book cover: silhouette of woman running through field against backdrop of a stormy sky]

GLS had a wonderful time at today's ADA 34 event, celebrating Disability Pride Month and 34 years of the Americans with Disabilities Act! We always welcome the opportunity to team up with public library staff to shout the message that Libraries Are For Everyone. Holding down the library information table today were GLS Advisory Council member Bridgette Suttle and Fulton County librarian Kimberly Snoddy-George, one of our esteemed GLS Ambassadors.

[Image: Two smiling women stand behind a table laden with information and giveaway items.]

Happy 34th Birthday, ADA! Today we celebrate the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act into law on July 26, 1990. How well do you know your rights and the rights of others? Browse and bookmark an A to Z collection of resources from the ADA National Network: https://adaanniversary.org/countdown/.

[Image: President George H. W. Bush signs into law the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 on the South Lawn of the White House. L to R, sitting: Evan Kemp, Chairman, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Justin Dart, Chairman, President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. L to R, standing: Rev. Harold Wilke and Swift Parrino, Chairperson, National Council on Disability, 07/26/1990. (George H. W. Bush Presidential Photographs)]