Summer 2023

Spring was a pretty quiet time at Talking Books! Besides our regular materials distribution, Access Services Librarian Babak Zarin held information sessions for some of the local school and library systems and was also able to visit Talking Books users at nearby active living communities and the Belmont Satellite Location. 

Summertime, however, is shaping up to be way busier. While outreach visits will continue, there’s a lot more going on. Read on to learn all the latest!

Fiction Bestsellers

• Trouble with the Cursed by Kim Harrison (DB 109150)
• The Measure by Nikki Erlick (DB 109475)
• Tom Clancy: Zero Hour by Don Bentley (DB 109105 ) 
• Blackout by Ragnar Jónasson (DB 110118)
• The It Girl by Ruth Ware (DB 109689)

Nonfiction Bestsellers

• Patriarchy Blues: Reflections on Manhood by Frederick Joseph (DB 108723)
• My Remarkable Journey: A Memoir by Katherine Johnson and Lisa Frazier Page (DB 108945)
• The Pope at War: The Secret History of Pius XII, Mussolini, and Hitler by David I. Kertzer (DB 109027)
• What Can I Say? A Kid's Guide to Super-Useful Social Skills to Help You Get Along and Express Yourself, Speak Up, Speak Out, Talk About Hard Things, and Be a Good Friend by Catherine Newman (DB 108964)
• Mantel Pieces: Royal Bodies and Other Writing from the London Review of Books by Hilary Mantel (DB 108720)

Book and Magazine Production Delays

NLS is working to address book and magazine production delays that impact the timely upload of materials to BARD and the physical distribution of materials to patrons. Delays have been caused by ongoing problems with the new production and inventory control system NLS began using last year. Producers are diligently working through the resulting backlog, with priority being given to new books added to the collection and bestsellers. We apologize for the impact these production delays are having and assure you NLS is working with all parties to reduce the backlog as quickly as possible.

Additional Options in Mail Pickup of NLS Materials

Since the pandemic, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has instituted new policies for pickup of packages, such as braille and digital books, due to staff shortages, turnover, and seasonal workers. They have shared that if you’re having difficulty mailing your books back, you can arrange to have them picked up by completing a short form at tools.usps.com/schedule-pickup-steps.htm. You can also streamline the process by speaking with your mail carrier directly. Note: Talking Books librarians have heard the phone call-waiting line is very long, and so using the website or talking with your mail carrier are strongly recommended as better ways to make arrangements.

FLQ Is Now ILQ

Looking for the latest non-English language books? The publication formerly known as Foreign Language Quarterly (FLQ) is now International Language Quarterly (ILQ). This change is due to NLS shifting its terminology to better represent its non-English language materials. “International” embraces the fact that languages other than English are both spoken abroad and here in the United States. In fact, the NLS collection includes books in Native American languages that predate the arrival of English! The latest issue of ILQ, available at www.loc.gov/nls/ilq, includes books in Algonquian and Cherokee, as well as Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and other languages.

Longer Book Descriptions Offer More Details

The March-April issues of Talking Book Topics and Braille Book Review were the first with mostly publisher-provided book descriptions. These longer descriptions provide a more complete picture than the short annotations NLS staff members produced for decades. We hope they will make it easier for you to identify titles of interest!

Note: NLS uses publisher-provided book descriptions verbatim, with no editorial changes. As such, they do not represent the position of the Library of Congress or the Fredericksburg Area Subregional [Talking Books] Library. NLS will continue to provide rating taglines for its in-house books, though it does not provide ratings for commercial audio books added to the collection.

Use the NLS Catalog to Send Search Results to Your Inbox

Searching for a book but not quite ready to download or request it? The new NLS Catalog, available at nlscatalog.loc.gov, can email your search results to you for later reference. After performing a search, select the checkbox next to each result that interests you, then click the Email button. The checkbox next to Select All allows you to select an entire page of search results in one click. On the next page, you will be prompted for your email address and have the opportunity to type any notes to yourself in the comments field. Click the Email button on this page to send yourself catalog records for all the titles you selected. The email will include a link to the BARD page for each book, if available, for ease of downloading.

Braille Books You Can Keep Indefinitely

NLS patrons who read braille can request hard-copy braille books to keep indefinitely! Many patrons are taking advantage of this to request books of knitting patterns or cookbooks, while others are building at-home libraries of their favorite book series. To request a book in hard-copy braille, use the form found at surveymonkey.com/r/NLSbrailleondemand. If you would like to place your request over the phone or by email, please contact NLS at 1-800-424-8567 or nlsref@loc.gov.

Sign up for the NLS Patron Listserv!

Want to learn how to make the most of NLS? The NLS Patron Engagement Section now hosts an announcement-only listserv with information and updates about NLS programs, services, and products. New posts are added a few times a week. To sign up, send your name and email address to the Patron Engagement Section at nlspes@loc.gov. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Free Services for People with Reading Disabilities

Many people ask if NLS services, such as Talking Books and BARD, are available to people with dyslexia. Yes, they are! NLS patrons with reading disabilities may receive these services. To sign up, contact your local Talking Books library.

Looking for Your Next Great Read?

Due to worldwide supply chain issues, NLS has ended production of large-print, hard-copy publications, including Talking Book Topics (TBT) and Braille Book Review (BBR). But there are other ways you can get both publications!

• TBT is available in HTML and PDF at loc.gov/nls/braille-audio-reading-materials/latest-books-in-braille-and-audio/talking-book-topics-bimonthly-magazine, in audio from BARD and BARD Mobile, or on cartridge by subscription.
• BBR is available in HTML and BRF at loc.gov/nls/braille-audio-reading-materials/latest-books-in-braille-and-audio/braille-book-review-bimonthly-magazine, in hard-copy braille by subscription, or in eBraille by subscribing through the BARD website or app.
• On the BARD website: Once logged in, select Braille Book Review (braille) in the drop-down menu Magazines by Title, and then select Subscribe to Braille Book Review (braille). Individual issues can also be downloaded.
• On the BARD Mobile app: Once logged in, select Get Books, then Browse Magazines, then Braille Magazines, then Braille Book Review (braille). If you are using the app visually, tap the + symbol at the top of the screen to subscribe. If you are using Voiceover, this button is labeled Subscribe.

You can sign up for TBT on cartridge or BBR in hard-copy format by contacting your Talking Books librarian.

Summer Reading

CRRL will once again be holding a summer reading challenge! The “Booked for the Summer” challenge runs May 15 through June 15. Participants are eligible to win prizes such as free books and a completion prize of a really nifty pen. Click here to sign up.

All Talking Books members with CRRL library cards may participate. If you live in CRRL’s service area or a county with which we have a reciprocal borrowing agreement and do not have a library card, you can apply at librarypoint.org/card. Your library card barcode will be emailed to you, and your physical card will be mailed to you. To register for the reading challenge, visit librarypoint.org/summer or call Babak at (540) 372-1144, extension 7054. 

CRRL’s reading challenges are held online throughout the year, including a year-round reading challenge, on the Beanstack software platform. This is a highly accessible platform, one that involved Talking Books libraries in its development. Find all our challenges at librarypoint.org/reading-challenges.

Lunch & Learn

Every Friday from 12:00-1:00, CRRL offers a free, virtual class series where people can explore new ideas and interests. You can attend classes live at facebook.com/crrlnews. No Facebook account is needed.

Highlights of the upcoming quarter include:

• “Summer Reading and You” (June 23)
• “Hollywood Actors” (July 7)
• ”Gari Melchers Home & Studio” (August 4)

The full list of upcoming topics can be found here.

Memory Café

CRRL offers a quarterly Memory Café for those with early-stage dementia or Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. This quarter’s café will be held at Salem Church Branch on Friday, June 16, 10:30-12:00.

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 1:00-2:30 at Howell Branch in southern Stafford. You can find a full listing of meetings by clicking here.

Time with a Therapy Dog

In partnership with Blue Gray Therapy Dogs, CRRL is pleased to offer Time with a Therapy Dog, a program for adults and teens with disabilities in grades 7-12, along with their caregivers, who may read or relax with a certified therapy dog. The program is offered in person; sign up at the branch. To learn more and get the full schedule, click here.

Sensory Time

Sensory Time is a monthly early literacy class specially developed for children and youth of all ages who have autism or other developmental challenges. Presented at a preschool level of development, Sensory Time has stories and activities that allow children to develop the skills and practices they need to become ready to read, all set in a quieter environment with lights lowered, distractions minimized, a smaller class size, and specially trained staff.

Sign up for Sensory Time classes here in our online events calendar. Note that, while an adult must always attend with children, we ask that you please only register the child participating.

Books-by-Mail

Books-by-Mail is a service that is open to those with a CRRL library card whose temporary or permanent disabilities prevent them from coming to a library branch or lobby stop in person. Those who use it can ask Access Services staff to send them items from CRRL’s physical collection - such as books, DVDS, or CDs - through the mail. It’s a fantastic service, and we have seen an increase in the number of people who are using it! But one question that those who are new to Books-by-Mail often ask is, how do we get these items back to the library?

Here’s the answer: in the past, the most common way items have been returned was by having a friend, family member, or caregiver carry them back to the nearest CRRL branch on your behalf. You are also welcome to mail them back to us at Access Services, 125 Olde Greenwich Drive, Suite 160, Fredericksburg, VA, 22408.The choice is yours, as long as you do return them to us, as you will be responsible for replacing lost items.

Upcoming Holidays and Your Next Issue of Sightlines

All CRRL branches will be closed Monday, June 19 for Juneteenth, Tuesday, July 4 for Independence Day, and Monday, September 4 for Labor Day. Your next Sightlines newsletter will come out in mid-September.

Contact Us

For book requests, to share a review, or for more information on any of our services, contact CRRL Access Services Librarian Babak Zarin at 540-372-1144, extension 7054; toll free at 1-800-628-4807, or email talking-books@crrl.org.