Prairie Trails Memorandum
South Dakota State Library
Braille and Talking Book Library
Winter 2002, Volume 2, Issue 1
Editor: Bonnie Olson
Notes from the Director, Dan Boyd
Every so often I dust off this column for our newsletter. Each time I have this included in our newsletter I have great hope that one of our patrons or a group of our patrons will step forward and take the lead on this project.

The South Dakota Braille & Talking Book Library belongs to our patrons and we work for you.

One of the items on the SD Braille & Talking Book Library "wish list" is to have a "Friends of the SD Braille & Talking Book Library" group established.

Friends are a necessary part of life, for institutions as well as people. Support and recognition are important elements of any friendship. The basic assumption is that Friends of the Library groups can and should supply these necessities to all libraries while they represent the library to the community.

The library can multiply its support if it is willing to establish and perpetuate a Friends group.

The initial reasons for having a Friends group differ from library to library but generally include:
  • Money - Friends have traditionally raised funds for projects and acquisitions in excess of the general library budget and have received all funds directed to the library by our patrons as donations, gifts and memorials.
  • Services - There is no limit to the services that a dedicated volunteer group can provide.
  • Public relations - Each Friend is a walking public relations vehicle for the library. It has been proven time after time that the best advertising for our program is "word of mouth".
  • Advocacy - An informed, active citizen lobby can be the strongest weapon the library has. From time to time there are issues that need to be addressed or bills that are being proposed in the legislature. At these times we need a group that will talk to the legislature for us.
  • Patron Involvement - An organized Friends group is living proof of the library's value to the community or state.
  • Advisory Group - The South Dakota Braille & Talking Book Library also envisions the "Friends" as a group that would take the lead in the development of an Advisory Council. This council would meet on a regular basis with the library director and other staff. The council would receive information on library activities, plans, budget updates, and staffing. The council would then assist the library in the development of a work plan for the next year. The Advisory Council and the Friends Group would also be available to lobby for the interests of the Library.
The South Dakota Braille & Talking Book Library has information on establishing a friends group and also establishing an advisory council. What we need is a library patron or group of library patrons interested in working on this project. If you are interested and would like additional information please contact my office by telephone toll free 1-800-423-6665. I am willing to discuss this by telephone or person to person with anyone who is interested.

Exciting Internet Groups
  • SDBTBUPDATE
    The Braille and Talking Book Library is now offering a list serve. The list serve will provide you with current information such as meetings, new services that are available, new book arrivals, free magazine recordings and any other happenings that may be of interest to our patrons. This information will automatically show up as an e-mail from SDBTBUPDATE (South Dakota Braille and Talking Book Update) on your computer once you have registered.

    The link to subscribe to this service is: http://listserv.state.sd.us/archives/sdbtbupdate.htmlThis will bring up your Internet browser and take you to the Web site.
    1. Here you will need to click Join. Type in your email address and your name.
    2. The first time you log in, you will need to click on Get a New List Serve Password. At this point, you will type in your email address and a password of your choice. The password must be no less than five characters. Retype your password and then click on Register password.
    3. An email message will be sent to your Internet mailbox to confirm your password command. Follow the instructions by clicking on the URL, you will then automatically register your new password for this List Serve.
    For security purposes, we require that you log in with your email address and password whenever you need to review the Archives. This is an exciting new opportunity to provide our readers with the latest information.

  • VIP-SHEEP-TALK
    If you enjoy knitting or crocheting and have Internet access, then this is the listserve for you. VIP-SHEEP-TALK is a list for blind and visually impaired persons who enjoy yarn related crafts. This list is typically for those that enjoy knitting or crocheting, however, if you have a craft you find enjoyable and involves the use of yarn, they would love to have you join.

    This is your opportunity to share and learn patterns, get the scoop on yarns and related supplies, get help on one of those difficult to learn patterns or stitches, and even make some new friends in the process. Participants in this group are from the United States, England, Ireland and Australia. The group welcomes beginners, intermediate and advanced skill level in your craft. No advertising for products or businesses is allowed on this message board.
South Dakota Collection
The following titles are recent additions to the South Dakota collection.
  • SD003168 "Animal Tales"
    Delightful recounting of some of the best-loved stories for children. They're for kids but adults can enjoy them too.
  • SD003311 "The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry
    Two con men get more than they bargain for when they kidnap the twelve-year-old son of a small town banker in Alabama. This novel results in another remarkable ending.
  • SD003314 "A Scandal in Bohemia" by A. Conan Doyle
    A beautiful woman foils Sherlock Holmes and gives the King of Bohemia some very troubling times.
  • SD003315 "The Million Pound Note" by Mark Twain
    A young American is stranded in London, penniless and friendless. Two rich old gentlemen decide he is right for their purpose, and hand him an envelope containing a bank note worth one million pounds.
  • SD003316 "Sidney Carton" based on Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities
    Against the horrendous panorama of the French Revolution, Sidney Carton and his mirror image, Charles Darnay, play out a drama of love, hate and supreme sacrifice.
  • SD003317 "The Law of Averages" by Louis Pelletier
    If a handsome stranger shows up at your door and introduces himself as a lawyer settling the estate of a cousin you never knew you had-- well, you had better watch out!
  • SD003318 "The Nobility Pitch" by Louis Pelletier
    People with titles and English accents may not always be what they seem. This novel is another wonderful swindle from the pen of Louis Pelletier.
  • SD003319 "The Lovers" by David Levy
    The novel is set in the mountains of western Montana in 1883. Our hero, Simon Guthrie, is no dude. He looks like Humphrey Bogart in the African Queen. And Eve is no Katherine Hepburn. Eve is deeply in love with Simon. Ward, a bully and mean drunk, is smitten with Eve. The result is an explosive love triangle.
  • SD003513 "Help Wanted" by Louis Pelletier
    An agency which provides domestic help to the rich, is not what it seems. In this novel, you will meet a killer for hire who is a laugh a minute.
  • SD003515 "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte
    The classic story about a young English governess in the 1800s who must contend with a strange and passionate employer, a mad woman, bigamy and arson. Adapted by Hendrick Booraem.
  • SD003516 "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" by Mark Twain
    The scene is a mining camp in the Gold Rush. Smiley is a betting man, but when he bets with a stranger on his trained frog, he learns a sad lesson about human nature.
  • SD003517 "The Star Boarder" by Louis Pelletier
    If you open your star boarder's suitcase and find fifty thousand dollars in cash, what would you do? Well, you had better be careful or you will likely be one dead landlady.
  • SD003318 "The Spectre Bridegroom" by Washing Irving
    One of America's famous story-tellers weaves a tale of sixteenth century Germany in which a your nobleman, killed by bandits, apparently returns to spirit away the girl who loves him.
  • SD003519 "The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs
    An army sergeant brings home a dried up monkey's paw from India and gives it to his friend. It is suppose to be able to grant its owner three wishes. The friend decides to see if the story is true, which has terrible results.
  • SD003520 "Jeff Peters vs. Matrimony" by O. Henry
    The original title of this novel was "A Retrieved Reformation." Jimmy, handsome and debonair, is the best safe-cracker in Indiana. When he meets the daughter of a small town banker, his whole life changes. The real question is - can he manage to stay out of jail?
  • SD003521 "Jury of her Peers" by Susan Glaspell
    Two neighbors are in the kitchen of a Nebraska farm woman accused of murdering her husband. On the basis of what they find, they draw conclusions about her guilt.
  • SD003522 "The Phantom of the Opera" by Gaston Lereaux
    A phantom haunts the Paris Opera. The phantom kidnaps the young diva and takes her to his hideout on the black lake in the deepest cellar of the opera house. How will she be saved?
  • SD003523 "Monkey Boy" based on Joseph Conrad's Typhoon
    A Chinese prince is smuggled aboard the Nan Shan as it heads to sea and an encounter with a typhoon. Among the 200 other passengers is an assassin whose assignment is to kill the prince.
  • SD003524 "Goldie" by Louis Pelletier
    Two swindlers working the Gold Coast of Miami have a blonde, blue-eyed confederate who is gorgeous but just a little stupid, and she is also in love. It is a poor combination.
  • SD003526 "Wyatt's Wife" by Hendrick Booraem
    Nineteen-year-old Josie Marcus arrives in Tombstone, Arizona just months before the shoot-out at the OK Corral. How she lassoes Wyatt Earp makes a fascinating story-a true story.
  • SD003527 "Insomnia" by Elspeth Eric
    Ever had trouble sleeping? If so, you will feel sorry for Anita Dwyer and at the same time find humor in her situation. This novel is filled with humorous situations that will cause a chuckle or two.
  • SD003528 "Louis Braille and the Baker's Daugher" by Hendrick Booraem and Arthur Jackson
    The fascinating and inspiring story of Louis Braille, blind at age 3, who developed the present-day system of writing for the blind.
  • SD003529 "A Study in Scarlet" by A. Conan Doyle
    Dr. Watson meets Sherlock Holmes for the first time and is plunged into a mystery where there is no murder weapon.
  • SD003530 "Dan Sickles"-original based on a true story by Hendrick Booraem
    Dan Sickles, a successful Tammany politician, is elected to Congress and takes his pretty, young wife to Washington. There she has an affair with Francis Scott Key's son. Murder is the result.
  • SD003531 "Jimmy Valentine" by O. Henry
    The original title of this novel was "The Exact Science of Matrimony". Jeff and his sidekick, Andy Tucker, set up a matrimonial agency in Cairo, Illinois. The results are nearly disastrous, but very funny.
  • SD003532 "The Necklace" by Guy De Maupassant
    In the 19th century, Paris, a discontented young wife borrows her rich friend's necklace to go to a ball. She loses the necklace and sacrifices the best years of her life to buy a replacement. A famous surprise ending is the result.
  • SD003533 "The Cat and the Plumber" by Arthur Miller
    Famed American playwright Arthur Miller wrote this fantasy as a young man. It concerns a talking cat who has political ambitions.
  • SD003534 "The Dreadful Dragon of Oz" by Hendrick Booraem
    Based on characters created by L. Frank Baum. When Dorothy and Mr. Oz return to the Emerald City they discover a dreadful dragon has made some dreadful changes.
  • SD003535 "Sleight of Hand" by Louis Pelletier
    A sleight of hand artist, Professor Montague, has developed a highly successful scam involving bingo games at hometown carnivals. The Worldwide Detective Agency is called in on the case. They find not only crime, but also a lot of laughs.
  • SD003536 "The Brightest and the Best" by Phil Johnson
    This endearing story, based on a North Carolina folk legend about Old Christmas, tells of a little girl who learns about love and giving, from a little stick doll.
  • SD003537 "Silver Blaze" by A. Conan Doyle
    Sherlock Holmes appears to be baffled by the disappearance of a famous race horse and the murder of his trainer. Is Sherlock baffled? Never!
  • SD003538 "Afterward" by Edith Wharton
    An American wife and her husband, a mining millionaire, buy an old manor house in the English countryside, only to discover that is harbors a ghost.
  • SD003540 "Triple a Credit" by Louis Pelletier
    Golden Girl Betty White stars in this delightful tale of a little old lady who is also a consummate swindler.
  • SD003541 "The Shooting of Dan McGrew" by Robert W. Service
    Love and betrayal in Alaska as portrayed in this adaptation of Robert Service's famous poem.
  • SD003542 "Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry
    In Old New York, a young bride sells her hair to buy her husband a watch chain. A delightful story, featuring one of O. Henry's famous surprise endings.
  • SD003544 "The Devil's Disciple" by George Bernard Shaw
    Shaw's satirical look at the American Revolution and other materials. Edited to one hour.
  • SD003545 "The Red-Headed League" by A. Conan Doyle
    Sherlock Holmes solves the mystery of The League of Red-Headed men.
  • SD003546 "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky" by Phil Johnson
    The marshal is away getting married and Scratchy is shooting up the town. Has he got a surprise coming when he meets the bride.
  • SD003547 "Jeff Peters as a Personal Magnet" by O. Henry
    Conman Jeff Peters, posing as a medical doctor, receives several surprises when he sets up to sell his homemade medicine in a small Arkansas town.
  • SD003548 "Row for your Life" by Hendrick Booraem
    The Johnstown Flood is the villain in this touching story of three people whose lives are totally changed by this calamity.
  • SD003549 "The Blue Hotel" by Stephen Crane
    A strange encounter in a railroad town on the western plains. This novel is written by one of America's most exciting teller of tales.
  • SD003550 "The Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum
    A cyclone carries Dorothy from her home in Kansas to the Land of Oz. Once there, Dorothy meets the Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion, Tin Woodman, Wicked Witch of the West and the Wizard. Dorothy is desperate to find her way back to Kansas.
  • SD003551 "Tobermory by Saki" (H. H. Munro)
    At a Long Island house party in the roaring twenties, a German Professor teaches a cat to speak English with unexpected and catastrophic results.
  • SD003552 "Molly O' - A Love Story" by Hendrick Booraem
    In the early 1900s, sixteen-year-old Molly is a singing star on Broadway. She is wooed and won by a Kentucky millionaire who goes broke in the crash of '29. Can she make a comeback?
  • SD003553 "Santa Meet the Mob" by Jim Cort and Hendrick Booraem
    A Santa in the mall finds a briefcase under the Christmas tree. The briefcase contains one hundred thousand dollars in hundred dollar bills. Santa finds good use for the money, but the Mob is not thrilled.
  • SD003554 "How Santa Claus Came to Simpson's Bar" by Bret Harte
    In the Old West, a little boy celebrates Christmas thanks to the courage and daring of Dandy Don - a tenderfoot.

New DVS Additions
Descriptive Video Service (DVS) carefully describes the visual elements of a movie such as the action, characters, locations, costumes and sets, without interfering with the dialogue or sound effects. Our collection consists of over 280 videos that are available for loan. The following videos were recently added to our collection. If you would like a complete listing of all the videos in our collection, contact your reader advisor at 1-800-423-6665.
  • DVS00283 "Spy Kids"
    This popular family/action film from Disney and director Robert Rodriguez follows the hilarious adventures of two young spies (played by Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara) as they try to save their secret agent parents from danger. Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino star as their parents. This movie is rated PG.
  • DVS00284 "Spider-man"
    After being bitten by a genetically modified spider, a nerdy high school student gains spider-like abilities, which he must eventually use to fight evil as a superhero. This blockbuster film stars Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe, Rosemary Harris and James Franco. This movie is rated PG-13.
  • DVS00285 "Scooby-Doo"
    Two years after Mystery, Inc. goes out of business due to personal conflicts, Scooby-Doo and his crime-solving gang reunite to investigate paranormal incidents on Spooky Island. Starring Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, Linda Gardelline and Scooby-Doo. This movie is rated PG.
  • DVS00286 "Insomnia"
    Set in a small Alaskan town, with an ever-shining midnight sun, this psychological thriller stars Al Pacino and Hilary Swank as detectives trying to crack a murder, while Robin Williams gives a creepy performance as the chief suspect. This movie is rated R.
  • DVS00287 "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood"
    Sandra Bullock, Ellen Burstyn, Ashley Judd, Maggie Smith and James Gardner star in this comedy/drama about a modern-day mother/daughter rift and how enduring friendships and childhood secrets help to repair it. This movie is rated PG-13.
  • DVS00288 "Bridget Jones's Diary"
    This romantic comedy featuring Oscar-nominee Renee Zellweger as Bridget Jones - a fun-loving, 30-something brit. While trying to find true love, Bridget decided to turnover a new page in her life by channeling her thoughts, opinions and insecurities into a journal that becomes a hilarious chronicle of her adventures. Also starring Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. This movie is rated R.
  • DVS00289 "Lilo and Stitch"
    Lilo, a young Hawaiian orphan, adopts an unusual pet named Stitch, that turns out to be a notorious, extraterrestrial fugitive. This creative animated feature from Disney is a bright and edgy comedy about friendship and finding your place - even if you come from two different worlds. This movie is rated PG.
All descriptive videos are on loan to patrons for one week. Please be kind and return the videos within that time frame so that others have a chance to receive them. Remember, you are responsible for videos that are on loan to you. If you experience any problems with the video or have questions about descriptive videos, please contact Judy at 1-800-423-6665.


Magazine News
If you enjoy Reminisce and Country magazines, you may be interested in the new magazine that we have added to our collection. Country Woman magazine is our most recent addition. If you are interested in household information, farm and garden advice, craft and decorating ideas or recipes, call you reader advisor to day to begin receiving the Country Woman magazine.

Just a reminder to make sure that magazines received from the library, in the brown plastic cases, are returned within the month in order for you to receive the next month's edition. If you are a subscriber to the Reader's Digest magazine, and you are no longer receiving the magazine it may be because your subscription has elapsed. Call your readers advisor if you wish to continue receiving the Reader's Digest.


It's spring cleaning time again
It is once again that time of year when the weather turns nice and you are ready to open your windows and enjoy the fresh air. It may also be that time of year when you are feeling the urge to freshen up your house and get ready for those wonderful days spent outside. If you happen to find Talking Book cassettes that you have already listened to or an extra machine that is just taking up space, please send those back so that others can get some use out of them.

We would appreciate your help in returning books as you finish them so that others may have the opportunity to enjoy them. The number of books that have to be written off to lost each year steadily increases. With your help we can keep that number down, while ensuring that you have a steady supply of books available for your reading pleasure.

If you happen to find that your reading preferences are changing or that you wish to increase/decrease the number of books that you are currently receiving, contact your reader advisor so that they may assist you.


In the Spotlight
Hello everyone! This is Frank Sack, I am the tape inspector for the library. I work at the library part-time. I am in charge of inspecting the Talking Books that are returned daily to ensure that they are operating correctly. Sometimes the number of books returned gets in the 100's. When new books arrive, I enter those into the computer system, so that you will have new materials to read.

The last 10 years of my 30 year work history involved working strictly with the blind, in their homes. I quickly discovered there are many blind individuals who had been avid readers before losing their sight, and were not aware of the Talking Book program. It was very fulfilling to see the sometimes dramatic, positive outlook on life when a person learned they could still enjoy their favorite reading materials. This positive reaction almost always carried over into nearly all aspects of their daily lives. Because of this, I applied for this position at the library, after retiring and am very happy that I was able to obtain this position.

My personal history started as a typical farm/ranch boy. Even after all these years I still miss that simple life. I will sometimes go camping with my family on a large ranch. After high school, I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and a Master of Science degree in Counseling, both from Northern State University in Aberdeen. For 5 years, I worked as a teacher, counselor, and psych examiner.

I then worked for 30+ years as a vocational rehabilitation counselor and teacher, assisting individuals with various types of physical and emotional problems become employed and thus, a productive member of society.

In my spare time, I like to putter around in my flower garden, watching plants grow. Perhaps as a carry-over of my love for the farm/ranch life. My family enjoys camping whenever possible, especially in Custer State Park. Over the years, my entire family, including my wife have become addicted to hunting wild turkeys on a large ranch west of Pierre. I had hunted turkeys for many years and thoroughly enjoyed introducing my wife and two boys to this sport. Last spring brought me my greatest thrill, when my 6-year-old grandson called in a very large "boss" gobbler, using only his mouth as a call. This was probably the greatest thrill of "grandpa's" life, as the little boys' father has gone on and is not here to teach him.

A little hint: Please remember to flip the switch on the cassette player to side 3-4 after finishing sides 1-2. This will help avoid any confusion when you feel that you have missed a large portion of your book.

Keep reading, there is a big, beautiful world out there to be seen with the mind's eye.


Holiday Closing
The Braille and Talking Book Library will be closed on the following holidays. Please place your book orders in advance so that you will have a plentiful amount of books on hand.
Memorial Day, Monday, May 26
Independence Day, Friday, July 4th


Prairie Trails Memorandum The Prairie Trails Memorandum, is published quarterly, it is our means of communication with our patrons. The Prairie Trails Memorandum is available in Braille, Cassette or on a diskette upon request and is also posted on our website.

If you wish to request this newsletter in an alternative format, please contact the Braille and Talking Book Library at 1-800-423-6665.

If you have any questions or comments that you would like to share with us about the library program, please contact us.

Write to: South Dakota Braille & Talking Book Library
800 Governors Drive,Pierre, SD 57501

E-mail: talkbkreq@state.sd.us

Call: 1-800-423-6665

The Braille & Talking Book Library does not endorse any product or service listed in this newsletter.