KidsNews Newsletter
South Dakota State Library
Braille and Talking Book Library
Fall/Winter 1997, Volume 3, Issue 2
Compiled and edited by:
Connie Sullivan, Children's Services Coordinator
Welcome to KidsNews
Children are like kites. You spend a lifetime trying to get them off the ground. You run with them until you're both breathless ~ they crash ~ you add a longer tail ~ they hit the rooftop ~ you pluck them out of the spout ~ you patch and comfort, adjust and teach. You watch them lifted by the wind and assure them that someday they'll fly! ... Finally they are airborne, but they need more string and you keep letting it out and with each twist of the ball of twine, there is a sadness that goes with the joy because the kite becomes more distant and somehow you know that it won't be long before that beautiful creature will snap the life line that bound you together and soar as it was meant to soar ~~ free and alone.
- author unknown

FROM THE DESK OF DAN BOYD, DIRECTOR,
S. D. BRAILLE & TALKING BOOK LIBRARY

There are two items that I would like to visit with you about in this issue of the newsletter.

The first item is that we were successful in securing the necessary funding to purchase a new computer system. This new system replaces a system that was fifteen years old. Changes in technology in the past fifteen years were starting to cause us many problems. The computers we are now using were running too fast for some of the old computer system programs.

The new system was installed and staff were trained in the operation of the system the last week of July.

With anything new there are always a few problems that need to be solved before everything runs exactly the way it is designed to run. There were a few problems with the conversion of our library patron and book records from our old system to the new system. Most of these problems have been solved, and this system works much better than the old system.

The second item relates to your telephone calls to the library, the way they are handled, and what you can do to help us when you call.

When you call the Braille & Talking Book Library, your call is answered by the receptionist for the SD State Library. This person is handling many calls at the same time. For this reason it is very important that the receptionist understand your request. I have listed below the general areas of responsibility for each staff person you may need to contact. When you call, ask for the person by name. If that person is not available, you will be asked to leave a message on their voice mail. Leave a brief message that includes your name and telephone number. The person will return your call as soon as possible. If the person you wish to speak with is out of the library, your call will be transferred to another staff person.
  • KAREN KNUDSEN - Karen is responsible for general library service and maintenance of records for all our library patrons. This includes book request lists, changes in the types of books you like to read, requests for more or less books, ordering/canceling magazine subscriptions, address changes, and canceling your library service.
  • KAREN POCHOP - Karen is responsible for ordering your textbooks if you use large print or cassettes, recruits and manages the library's volunteers, editor of the adult library patrons newsletter, and assists with the daily management of the Braille & Talking Book Library.
  • CONNIE SULLIVAN - Connie is responsible for ordering your textbooks if you use braille, having other materials you want produced in braille, the Governors Summer Reading Program, and development of other library programs for children, and assists with the daily management of the Braille & Talking Book Library.
  • DOYLE JOHNSON - Doyle is responsible for providing you with your cassette player, record player, catalogs, and for repair of your playback equipment or questions about the operation of the playback equipment.
  • JUDY SHATTUCK - Judy is responsible for assigning projects to narrators, duplication of the needed copies of magazines and newsletters, daily operation of Radio Talking Book, and repair of damaged cassette books.
Please remember that this is your library. We want to provide you with the best possible library service. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions about the library, please call. We will be happy to discuss any library issues with you.


AS AUTUMN APPROACHES
(Reprinted from Salem, Oregon newsletter)

The days will soon be getting shorter, and that means less hours of daylight. The longer nights just might encourage you to read more, or to try that mystery author you have always wanted to read.

To make sure your autumn nights are filled with plenty of reading material, may we offer the following suggestions:
  • If your file is set up for automated book selection, return books as soon as you finish them to ensure a steady turnaround of books.
  • If you want to receive only your own book selections, you must keep plenty of titles on your request file. If you would like to try a new subject area, or a new author, call and ask for the reader's advisor. Our shelves are filled with talking books encompassing all topics.
  • Call ahead of time if you want additional books sent during busy holidays. Plan now for the upcoming winter holidays, and prepare a reading list of titles you will be ordering.
  • Call if your book supply is generally too low. We can send more books and fine-tune your service to meet your particular needs. The best way to order talking books is whatever way is the most convenient for you. Some patrons will always call in their requests, while others prefer to mail us a list.
Phone in your requests during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. central time or mail your requests directly to Braille and Talking Book Library. Remember to include your name and address on all orders and to put postage on handwritten orders.


"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."


LIBRARY OF CONGRESS ANNOUNCES Twenty-Five New Magazines
Exciting new magazines will soon be available to patrons through the Library of Congress national magazine reading program. Eleven new braille magazines and fourteen new audio magazines will be available to patrons beginning in January 1998.

Among the new braille magazines are Muse, Spider, and Stone Soup, all children's magazines. New cassette magazines include Cricket (on one cassette with National Geographic World), Seventeen, Spider, Sports Illustrated for Kids, and Young Adult Magazine of the Month, all children's and young adult magazines.

These new magazines are either additions or substitutions to the Library of Congress magazine reading program. Talking Book Topics and Braille Book Review will include a complete listing of magazine offerings beginning with the July-August issues as well as information on subscribing to new magazines.


WALT DISNEY, MICKEY MOUSE & BOOKS!
Walt Disney was born in 1901 in Chicago and grew up in Kansas and Missouri. WALT DISNEY (RC 31735) follows the life and dreams of the creator of Mickey Mouse. Disney brought the world live-action films, wildlife documentaries, and the amusement parks Disneyland and Disney World. For grades 2-4 and older readers.

Since Walt Disney World is celebrating its 25th anniversary and Mickey Mouse is now officially considered a senior citizen, the staff at your Regional Library thought it would be fun to offer a list of books about mice.
  • Once a Mouse... (RC 22903) by Marcia Brown, Caldecott Medal. A fable from India. A compassionate hermit changes a frightened mouse into successively larger animals to save him from his enemies until the mouse's enemies arrogance brings about his downfall. For grades K-3.
  • The Rescuers... (RC 25863) by Margery Sharp. Miss Bianca, an elegant and clever spy for the Mouse Prisoners' Aid Society, leads a rescue party in its search for a mouse poet held captive in the horrid Black Castle. For grades 3-5.
  • The Biggest Pumpkin Ever... (RC 22430) by Steven Kroll. Two mice, one a village mouse and the other a field mouse, fall in love with the very same pumpkin. The village mouse intends to enter it in the town's pumpkin contest, and the field mouse intends to carve it into the world's biggest jack-o'-lantern for Halloween. For preschool-grade 2.
  • Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH... (RC 23562) by Robert O'Brien. A widowed mother mouse with housing problems seeks the help of a colony of rats. She discovers that the rats, who are super-intelligent laboratory specimens, have developed a highly sophisticated civilization which includes computers. For grades 4-7.
  • The sequel to Mrs. Frisby and The Rats of NIMH is Racso and the Rats of NIMH... (RC 26785) by Jane Leslie Conly. After mouse Timothy Frisby and Racso, a city rat, arrive at school, crisis erupts. Developers are building a dam to turn the valley into a recreational lake. The rats work hard on an indigenous plan to destroy the project. For grades 3-6.
  • And, no list would be complete without the zany adventures of Ralph in The Mouse and the Motorcycle ( RC 24692) by Beverly Cleary. This is the first book in the "Ralph the Motorcycling Mouse" series. A young mouse named Ralph makes friends with a boy and discovers the joys of motorcycling. For grades 3-6.
Mail your requests directly to Braille and Talking Book Library, 800 Governors Drive, Pierre SD 57501; or phone your requests in on our toll-free number 1-800-423-6665.


AT THE MOVIES WITH DESCRIPTIVE VIDEOS
Have you check out our new videos? Here are some of the titles you may be interested in:
  • DVS 00010 = 101 Dalmatians - G
  • DVS 00011 = Dumbo - G
  • DVS 00015 = Alice in Wonderland - G
  • DVS 00034 = Mary Poppins - G
  • DVS 00046 = Old Yeller - G
  • DVS 00053 = Casper - G
  • DVS 00059 = Aladdin - G
  • DVS 00075 = The Sound of Music - G
  • DVS 00131 = The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh - G
  • DVS 00134 = Frosty the Snowman - G
  • DVS 00135 = Rudoph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
  • DVS 00137 = Pocahontas - G
For a complete listing please call the library on the toll-free number 1-800-423-6665 and ask for Judy.


SCHOOL DAYS
The school year is a busy time for students. Remember the Braille and Talking Book Library. If you need books for a report or something to read for fun, let us know. Sometimes we can help find a book you haven't been able to locate in your catalogs. We like to know about your special interests and to hear about books you enjoy. Let us hear from you!


OTHER PLACES TO GET BOOKS
Children's Braille Book Club features a new book every month in a print-braille format. Contact National Braille Press, Inc., 88 St. Stephen Street, Boston, MA 02115, 1-800-548-7323 for more information.

Seedlings Braille Books for Children lists over 200 books in its catalog. For more information call 1-800-777-8552.


MUSIC COLLECTION
(Reprinted from Kentucky LBPH's Listening Post)
The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped has a music division. Although actual music is not available, an extensive collection of music scores, textbooks and instructional materials in braille, large print, disc, and cassette formats can be obtained directly from NLS in Washington, D.C. Musicians, music students, and those who want more in-depth music materials can easily access this collection by calling toll-free 1-800-424-8567.


TROUBLESOME TAPES
If you receive tapes that sound garbled, here are some tips that may help.
  1. The tape may be loose. Tighten the tape by turning the left spoke of the cassette clockwise.
  2. The tape may have static build-up. Gently tap each side of the cassette several times on a table or desk.
  3. Check the variable speed control (the sliding knob on the right side of the player) and the speed switch (below the variable speed control). Both controls must be to the left (slow speed) for library tapes.
If the problem remains, place a rubber band or string around the defective tape and return the book. Call the Library at 1-800-423-6665 for a replacement.


Justin Haar in the News
Reprinted Courtesy of Madison Daily Leader
(Editor's note: This week's guest columnist is Justin Haar. Justin, a seventh-grader at the Madison Middle School, wrote his book review as one of the requirements for earning a Reading Merit Badge. Justin is a member of Boy Scout Troop #225.)

The book I read was called "Star Wars Heir to the Empire, Volume 1" and was written by Timothy Zahn. The book was about the Rebel Alliance and the Empire. It took place five years after the second Death Star Battle.

The new leader of the Empire was Grand Admiral Thron. He was making a plan to capture some of the Rebel Alliance warships by attaching mole miners to the command part of the ship. Then the storm troopers inside would take over the ships.

The Empire also discovered a new animal life that pushed the force away from themselves. They also discovered a new Jedi. The Redel Alliance found a way to disable the mole miners. They knew about the animals and the Jedi.

Luke got stuck in space. Some smugglers picked him up and brought him back to their base. Han was trying to get some smugglers to fly cargo ships for the Alliance. He also saved Luke from the Empire and the smugglers.

I liked this book because I like Star Wars. If you like Star Wars, you should try reading some of these books found at the library.


1997 Summer Reading Program
The South Dakota Braille and Talking Book Library is a program of the South Dakota State Library. The Braille and Talking Book Library has the responsibility of providing alternative formats for printed materials to those individuals who cannot read standard print. Our collection includes books recorded on cassette and books in braille.

The Summer Reading Program, now in its ninth year, is designed for children ages 7 through 15. Its purpose is to encourage print-handicapped children to discover the fun of reading for pleasure, to continue improving reading and comprehension skills over the summer, and to promote use of the library. The children can choose to read books in braille or recorded. The children are divided into three age groups: 7 - 9, 10 -12, 13 - 15. After the child reads the books, they must submit a book report to the library. Winners are determined by the number of book reports returned. This year 65 students checked out 2,000 books and returned over 460 book reports.

Supplemental funding for this program is provided by the South Dakota Dairy Queen Association. The State Fair Board provides carnival tickets and gate passes for 1st place winners.

The 1997 first place winners were:
  • Recorded books: Max Blaschke (ages 7 - 9), Justin Haar (ages 10 -12), Guy Balo (ages 13 -15)
  • Braille books: Nick Pavel (ages 7 - 9), Amanda Hofland (ages 13 - 15)
James Konechne received an award for participating in the summer reading program for all nine years. James is an avid reader in braille and has won many reading contests. Since the summer reading program begin, he has turned in over 160 braille book reports. As he has gotten older, the books he reads have gotten much longer.

James, who lives on a farm near White Lake, South Dakota with his parents, and his two sisters, turned 16 this summer and is ready to move on in his life. However, he will always be an avid braille reader.


KidsNews
KidsNews, published quarterly, is our means of communication with the younger patrons of the Braille and Talking Book Library. KidsNews is available in braille, on cassette or on a diskette upon request and is posted on our website: www.sdstatelibrary.com/talkbook

If you have any questions or comments you would like to address, or wish to request this newsletter in alternative format, please contact the Braille and Talking Book Library.


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