August 2024

A reminder: The Reading Light is available as an email version for our BARD users, a print copy for our Large Print Direct patrons, and of course, there are audio and braille versions available!


The Reading Light is also available on the Talking Book Services website in audio and PDF formats at https://www.mlc.lib.ms.us/tbs/the-reading-light-newsletter/.



If you’d prefer to get your Reading Light in a different format, let us know!

Braille eReaders are now available through Mississippi Talking Book Services!

Through our partnership with the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Mississippi Talking Book Service now offers Humanware braille eReaders to our Talking Book Service patrons. A braille eReader, or refreshable braille device, is a device that allows for the downloading and reading of electronic braille files containing books and magazines. The eReader has a 20-cell refreshable braille display and an eight-key Perkins-style keyboard. The braille cells are called ‘refreshable’ because each cell comprises pins that move up and down through holes that represent the braille cell. The pins in the cells will automatically change to match the braille letters and words of the current line of text as you scroll while reading. The device can manually go forward or backward, and there is also an auto-scroll setting that the patron can set at a comfortable speed while reading.


The files can be loaded onto the device in one of two ways, either by downloading the eBraille file from the BARD app or by transferring the files directly from a cartridge or computer to the device. A WiFi connection is required if downloading the eBraille from BARD but once the item is downloaded, the connection is no longer needed. It also has both WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities. Reading any items already loaded onto the eReader does not require an internet connection. The eReader also comes with a USB-A cable for connecting an NLS-style cartridge to load e-braille files directly onto the device and a USB-C cable for charging the internal battery.


The eReader is extremely portable and fits in most typical backpacks, tote bags, or purses which makes reading wherever you are simple and convenient. A manual is also included with each eReader, in printed braille format, to help with starting up and operating the device.


Like other aspects of talking book services, braille eReaders are at no cost to Mississippi patrons. To request a braille eReader, call us at (601) 432-4111 or email us at talkingbooks@mlc.lib.ms.us. Any of our Talking Books staff members will be happy to assign one or provide more information.


If you are not currently a Talking Book Services patron but are a Braille reader and interested in receiving an eReader, call or email us for an application for TBS services.


Happy Reading!

TBS Braille and DVD catalogs

Although we may be known as Talking Book Services, we are much more than just audiobooks! As a TBS patron, our entire catalog of braille books and DVDs, are available for our patrons to request and check out. We have over 300 DVDs available, including modern favorites, children’s movies, classics, documentaries, some television series, and even some special editions! And as a TBS patron, you have access to all of them. We also have hundreds of braille titles available, many of which are Twin Visions children’s books. Twin visions books are a specialized form of braille book that features all the original artwork and text, as well as a braille overlay and are designed to be read along with a sighted individual. They are perfect for sighted parents to read along with a sight disabled child, or vice versa.


Browse the collection by logging into MLC’s online patron access catalog at https://tbsopac.mlc.lib.ms.us/ and using the search feature. Patrons can use the quick search feature by typing in a specific title or author, or by using a keyword. The search can be refined by medium, language, availability, or subject. Once they have found what item(s) they would like to check out, it is as simple as adding the item to their basket and clicking check out. For DVDs or braille, the specific title will be sent out if the patron is not at their checkout limit, and if a copy of the title is available. If all copies are checked out, the patron will receive the title as soon as a copy is returned.


If you have any questions on how to access the online patron access catalog, how to log in, or the steps on how to check out, please call us and speak with a readers advisor!

Accessible Games and Story Kits

The Mississippi Library Commission is committed to serving all Mississippians, and in such, our special collections department has been working to grow our collection of accessible games and sensory story kits. These games and kits can be checked out to our patrons, or for your school or local libraries next book club, game night, children’s day, or story time. Games include braille dominoes, playing cards, tic tac toe, scrabble, and UNO cards, and we currently have over 15 story kits to choose from.

Story kits are kits that contain one print/Braille book and a number of items related to the book. The kits were created to enhance books for children. Each book contains printed words, illustrations, and Braille making them accessible to readers with and without visual impairments. The items provided in these kits provide a hands-on way for children to experience books and aid in the comprehension and enjoyment of the story.


Anyone can sign up to receive story kits; they are not limited to children with visual impairments. Children of all ages and capabilities can use tactile and sensory exploration to enhance their understanding of concepts and ideas transmitted through books. Kits are sent and returned through the mail. The loan period for story kits is six weeks.


Check out https://www.mlc.lib.ms.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Sensory-Story-Kit-Catalog.pdf for a full catalog of our story kits and if you would like to request a game or story kit, please email us at talkingbooks@mlc.lib.ms.us or call us at 601-432-4151.

Summer Reads On Demand and on BARD!

Are you a patron of Talking Books Services looking for a good summer read? Here’s a list of available summer-y reads in our collection! Need help finding your next great read? Call our Talking Books department and we would be glad to help you!

 

    DB 93081 — The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogene Hermes Gowar

    BARD description: “1785. Merchant Jonah Hancock is shocked when one of his ship's captains returns home with the news that he sold the ship for the mummified remains of a mermaid. All of London wants to see the wonder, and Jonah finds himself engaged in a perilous liaison.”

 

    DB 82438 — The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery

    BARD description: “Naturalist and documentary writer explores the world, intelligence, and consciousness of octopuses. Describes her interactions with captive giant Pacific octopuses named Athena, Octavia, Kali, and Karma at the New England Aquarium in Boston, and her field investigations in French Polynesia and the Gulf of Mexico.”

 

    DB116483 — The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

    BARD description: "Belly spends the summer she turns sixteen at the beach just like every other summer of her life, but this time things are very different.

 

    DB110397 — Why Sharks Matter: A Deep Dive With the World’s Most Misunderstood Predator by David Shiffman

    BARD description: "Sharks are some of the most fascinating and ecologically important, yet most threatened and misunderstood animals on Earth. More often feared than revered, their role as predators of the deep has earned them a reputation as a major threat to humans. But the truth is that sharks are not a danger to us—they're in danger from us. In Why Sharks Matter, marine conservation biologist Dr. David Shiffman urges us to overcome our misconceptions and embrace sharks as the imperiled and elegant ocean guardians they really are. Touching on everything from Shark Week to shark fin soup, over-fishing to marine sanctuaries, Shiffman reveals why sharks are in trouble, why we should care, and how we can save them. A witty narrative highlighting the author's fascinating experiences working with sharks, this exploration of the essential principles of shark conservation science and policy is full of amazing facts about both little-known and iconic shark species. It spells out how healthy shark populations support marine ecosystems—and the coastal economies that depend on them—while carefully explaining what scientists, conservationists, and readers can do to help. With his signature pragmatism and irreverence, Shiffman doesn't shy away from explaining why much of what you've heard about sharks and how to save them is wrong. Perfect for shark enthusiasts, Why Sharks Matter provides an approachable, informative guide to the world of shark conservation, and an insider's introduction to the passionate, brilliant people who work to protect our oceans. This fun read will have you looking at sharks with a fresh perspective and an understanding that their survival is crucial to the survival of another apex predator—ourselves."

 

    DB 80491 — Death by Cashmere: A Seaside Knitter’s Mystery by Sally Goldenbaum

    BARD description: “Not long after Isabel "Izzy" Chambers opens up a knitting shop in the sleepy fishing town of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, a diverse group of women begins congregating each week to form the Seaside Knitters. When Izzy's renter drowns mysteriously, the women decide to investigate.”

 

    DB110072 — Hokuloa Road by Elizabeth Hand

    BARD description: "On a whim, Grady Kendall applies to work as a live-in caretaker for a luxury property in Hawaii, as far from his small-town Maine life as he can imagine. Within days he's flying out to an estate on remote Hokuloa Road, where he quickly uncovers a dark side to the island's idyllic reputation: it has long been a place where people vanish without a trace. When a young woman from his flight becomes the next to disappear, Grady is determined—and soon desperate—to figure out what's happened to Jessie, and to all those staring out of the island's "missing" posters. But working with Raina, Jessie's fiercely protective best friend, to uncover the truth is anything but easy, and with an inexplicable and sinister presence stalking his every step, Grady can only hope he'll find the answer before it's too late. Perfect for fans of Peter Heller and |The White Lotus|, and from award-winning writer Elizabeth Hand, a master of crime fiction known for her magnetic characters, seductive prose, and fearless excavations into the darkest corners of our world, comes a chilling and illuminating new novel about a place unlike any other—and the deadly cost of keeping it so."


 DB85796 Hillbilly Elegy: a memoir of a family and culture in crisis by J.D. Vance

○ BARD description: " Memoir of growing up in the Ohio Rust Belt in a family culture rooted in Scots-Irish Appalachia. Explores political themes affecting these community cultures through the lens of personal and familial experiences. Discusses what it took to go from nearly failing high school to graduating from Yale Law School."

    DB121247 Think Twice by Harlan Coben

    BARD description:"A man presumed dead is suddenly wanted for murder in this thriller of secrets, lies, and dangerous conspiracies that threaten to cover up the truth ... Three years ago, sports agent Myron Bolitar gave a eulogy at the funeral of his client, renowned basketball coach Greg Downing. Myron and Greg had history: initially as deeply personal rivals, and later as unexpected business associates. Myron made peace and moved on--until now, when two federal agents walked into his office, demanding to know where Greg Downing is. According to the agents, Greg is still alive--and has been placed at the scene of a double homicide, making him their main suspect. Shocked. Myron needs answers. Myron and Win, longtime friends and colleagues, set out to find the truth, but the more they discover about Greg, the more dangerous their world becomes"

     DB120802 Murder Inn: From the author of the summer house by James Patterson & Candice Fox

    BARD description:"The doors of the Inn at Gloucester are always open to anyone running from trouble or hiding from life. Its owner, former Boston police detective Bill Robinson, welcomes them with no questions asked. Until two strangers arrive for a temporary stay and a longtime resident starts looking over his shoulders. There's another newcomer in town who puts the Inn under surveillance. When the surveillance turns into a series of attacks. Robinson launches an all-out fight to defend his town, his chosen family, and his home."

Helpful Hints and Reminders

  • In order to maintain an active status as a TBS patron, you need to check out or download at least one item each calendar year. Maintaining an active status ensures that you receive this newsletter as well as other updates.


  • When calling the Mississippi Library Commission, please identify yourself as a Talking Book Services patron. This will assist in getting your calls to the appropriate department.


  • Please retain the box the digital player arrives in. This box can be used to send the item back if you need a replacement or decide to discontinue service. Do not use tape on the box. The player can be mailed back to the library via the "Free Matter for the Blind and Physically Handicapped" mail program. The free shipping label is marked on the box.


  • Please do not write on the containers, cartridges, or the machines. All of our items are recycled and sent to other patrons after each use.



  • You do not need to send back the "New Patron Packet" or used headphones. They are both yours to keep.

The Reading Light is written and edited by the staff of the Mississippi Library Commission's Talking Book Services department. It is available in Braille, through email, in large print, as well as via MP3 audio on our website.

Visit our Website to read past editions

Library Service Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday - Friday

Phone: 601-432-4151 or 1-800-446-0892 (toll-free)

Fax: 601-432-4476

Email: talkingbooks@mlc.lib.ms.us

Website: http://mlc.lib.ms.us/tbs/

Web Catalog: https://tbsopac.mlc.lib.ms.us/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mslibrarycommission/

This publication is partially funded under the federal Library Services and Technology Act administered by the Mississippi Library Commission for the Institute of Museum and Library Services