Spring 2025

What’s New at Access Services

Winter was a calm time at Talking Books, with staff mostly focusing on planning for events here at CRRL. This isn’t to say nothing happened. Access Services Librarian Babak Zarin was able to do some outreach, offering training to CRRL staff and presenting at the 2025 Southeast Collaborative Online Conference. 

Spring is also shaping up to be a relaxed season, but things are always happening at the library! Please see more information below.

New eNewsletter Highlights Books on BARD

The NLS Collections Division has launched a monthly eNewsletter called Collections Connections, which highlights works of diverse interest that can be downloaded from BARD. A quarterly audio supplement offers readers deeper dives into the collections through interviews with librarians across the Library of Congress, guided audio tours of the historic Capitol Hill campus, and rich audio descriptions of special collections.

To start receiving the newsletter, send your email address to connections@loc.gov.

Bestselling Talking Book Titles

Fiction

• Counting Miracles: A Novel by Nicholas Sparks (DB 124452)
• Joy: A Novel by Danielle Steel (DB 123511)
• The Little Village of Book Lovers: A Novel by Nina George (DB 123162)
• The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey (DB 124053) 
• You Belong with Me: A Novel by Mhairi McFarlane (DB 124276)

Nonfiction

• The Art of Power: My Story as America’s First Woman Speaker of the House by Nancy Pelosi (DB 123812)
• Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten (DB 126221)
• The Selfishness of Others: An Essay on the Fear of Narcissism by Kristin Dombek (DB 124357)
• Tripped: Nazi Germany, the CIA, and the Dawn of the Psychedelic Age by Norman Ohler (DB 124123)
• What’s Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service by Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack (DB 123808)

Adult Winter Reading Challenge

There are still a couple weeks left to participate in this year’s Adult Winter Reading Challenge! Running January 1 through March 31, all Talking Books members with CRRL library cards are welcome to participate and can sign up online. Talking Books read between January 1 and March 31 count as part of the challenge. This year’s prize for reading at least 5 books is a special sticker and a delicious chocolate bar. Learn more about the challenge at librarypoint.org/winter.

A CRRL library card is required to participate. If you live in the library’s service area or a county with which we have a reciprocal borrowing agreement and do not have a library card or have lost yours, you can apply for one at librarypoint.org/card. Your library card barcode will be emailed to you, and your physical card will be mailed. You can also ask the Access Services Librarian to register you. 

CRRL offers reading challenges throughout the year through the accessible Beanstack website and mobile app. Register for a Beanstack account using the Beanstack Tracker App or Beanstack website, then sign up for challenges, including the Winter Reading Challenge. You can log reading anytime, but only reading logged during a challenge will count towards that challenge.

Classes Presented by Talking Books Users

Virginia Lyman Lucas presents the World War II Movie Discussion Group on the first Saturday of every month, from 2:00-4:00, at Salem Church Branch. The group will meet on March 1, April 5, and May 3, with each meeting focusing on a different classic World War II film.

Marcia Grimsley of Life Advancement Coaching will be offering an “Ask a Life Coach” class on Thursday, April 24, 6:30-8:00, at Salem Church Branch. Attendees can have their personal, career, and business questions answered and learn strategies for stress reduction, goal achievement, and creating a more peaceful lifestyle.

Lunch & Learn

Every Friday from 12:00-1:00, CRRL offers a free, virtual class where people can explore new ideas and interests. You can watch classes live on Facebook at facebook.com/crrlnews or on YouTube at youtube.com/crrlvideo. Note that Facebook now requires a login to access content. Highlights of the upcoming quarter include: “Exploring Poetry’s Connections” (April 4), “Rappahannock Education Farm” (April 25), and ”Music on the Steps 40th Anniversary” (May 16). A full list of upcoming classes and recordings of previous classes can be found at librarypoint.org/lunch-learn.

Memory Cafés

CRRL offers two quarterly Memory Cafés for those with early-stage dementia or Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. The first café will focus on trains and will be held at Salem Church Branch on Friday, March 21, 10:30-12:00. The second café will be held at Fredericksburg Branch on Friday, April 25, 10:00-11:30.

Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Groups



In partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, CRRL hosts two monthly Alzheimer’s caregiver support groups, meeting the first Wednesday of each month from 5:00-6:00 at Cooper Branch in Colonial Beach and the third Tuesday of each month from 1:30-3:00 at Howell Branch in Stafford. You can find a full list of meetings here.

Quiet Reading Time

Quiet Reading Time provides a space for adults to read with others in a quiet, supportive environment. Adult coloring pages provided. Audiobook listeners, bring headphones. Quiet Reading Time will be offered on fourth Fridays--February 28, March 28, April 25, and May 23, from 3:00-5:00, at Howell Branch.

Time with a Therapy Dog and PAWS for Reading

In partnership with Blue Gray Therapy Dogs, CRRL is pleased to offer Time with a Therapy Dog, a program for adults and teens in grades 7-12 with disabilities, along with their caregivers, to read or relax with a certified therapy dog. This program is offered at Fredericksburg and Howell branches.

CRRL is also pleased to offer PAWS for Reading, a program for children in grades K-6, along with their caregivers, to practice reading with therapy dogs trained to be avid listeners. The program is offered at Fredericksburg, Howell, Porter, Salem Church, Snow, and Towne Centre branches.

Contact the branch to reserve a time for either program.

Sensory Time

Sensory Time is an early literacy class for children and youth with autism or other developmental challenges. Offered at a preschool level of development, it features stories and activities in a quieter environment with lights lowered, minimal distractions, smaller class sizes, and specially trained staff. 

Sensory Time is offered on second Tuesdays at Howell and fourth Mondays at Fredericksburg, from 4:30-5:00. Sign up for classes here. While adults must always attend with children, please only register participating children.

Upcoming Holidays and Your Next Issue of Sightlines



All CRRL branches will be closed Friday, May 2 for staff training, Monday, May 26, for Memorial Day, and Thursday, June 19, for Juneteenth. Your next Sightlines newsletter will come out in mid-June.

Contact Us

For book requests, to provide feedback, to arrange a visit by Access Services staff, or for more information on any of our services, contact Access Services Librarian Babak Zarin at 540-372-1144, extension 7454; toll free at 1-800-628-4807; or email talking-books@crrl.org.