Reader's Corner
Some very useful resources for readers. This page is dedicated to the reader and their needs. From staff picks, best seller lists, Talking Book Topics, Marrakesh Treaty Books, NLS Reader Events, and all other kinds of reader interests.
Talking Book Topics - lists of recent audio books, (new issues every two months)
Don't get blind sided, get Book-Sighted!!!
The library presents it's book blogs. Curated and cared for by both library staff and patrons. These will provide some inspiration and insight to your reading. Want to find what to read next or see what staff are reading check out these blogs.
- Braille Book Review - lists of recent braille books, (new issues every two months)
- Braille and Audio Book Bibliographies - (Listings on Narrow Topics, including award winners and timely topics, by NLS)
Foreign Language Quarterly (FLQ) - posted every three months on the NLS website. It features a selection of the most popular foreign language titles recently added to the NLS collection, including those from other countries via the Marrakesh Treaty, listed a DBG number. NLS produced books are listed with DB numbers and those converted from cassette tape are listed as with DBF numbers.
Heard Any Good Books Lately? is a regular podcast produced by North Carolina Reading Service and brought to you by The Friends of NCLBPH. It features information about new and the most popular books checked out of the library and other interesting stories about older books. Reviews are drawn from the Raleigh News & Observer book section, The Week Magazine, and other popular sources. It is also available from North Carolina Reading Service's website.
Get the latest episode delivered right to you - Apple Podcasts - Podbean - RSS Feed
The NLS Patron Engagement Section presents some patron-based reading events that offer some behind the scenes looks at how books and reading materials are created, reading technology support and insight about BARD (the Braille and Audio Reading Download service) and kinds of patron services to help you read more. All these programs are offered remotely as a web-based conference:
- NLS Patron Corner (Zoom link) - a quarterly event that offers various reader-focused topics every quarter starting June 2022 and continuing on the second Monday of the third month of each quarter at 7 pm Eastern Time. The first four sessions will be June 13, 2022; September 12, 2022; December 12, 2022; and March 13, 2023.
- When you join this Zoom event, you will be in the waiting room until the program starts. When you enter the room, your phone or computer will be muted. Please stay on mute unless you are called on. If you want to ask a question, you may raise your hand by pressing Alt Y on your computer or Star 9 on your phone. Once you are called on, press Alt A on your computer or Star 6 on your phone to unmute yourself. Finally, this meeting will be recorded. If you do not wish to be recorded, we ask that you avoid speaking during the session.
- The Many Faces of BARD (Zoom link) - a monthly event that happens on the second Thursday of each month at 7 pm Eastern Time, starting on August 11, 2022. Each event will cover one aspect of BARD (the Braille and Audio Reading Download) usage. It happens on the second Thursday of each month at 7 pm Eastern Time.
- When you join this Zoom event you will be placed in a virtual waiting room until the program begins. When you enter the room,you will be on mute, and you should remain on mute unless the host calls upon you to speak. If you want to ask a question, you may raise your hand by pressing Alt Y on your computer or Star 9 on your phone. Once you are called on, press Alt A on your computer or Star 6 on your phone to unmute yourself. Finally, this meeting will be recorded. If you do not wish to be recorded, we ask that you avoid speaking during the session.
Here are some links to resources that offer ideas and inspiration to enhance your reading experience.
- Reading Group Guides.com - a good site for those interested in books groups and some good book suggestions
- New York Review of Books - a good site to learn about recently reviewed books from a trusted source
- Washington Post Critics Picks - a selection of good reads from the Washington Post
Braille Display Pilot Resources
Humanware has created some useful MP3 audio guides about the Brailliant 14 that can help the braille display pilot patrons learn to use their assigned device.
- Brailliant 14 Introduction
- What's in the Box - Orientation
- First Power Up and Application and Terminal Modes
- Navigation Strategies
- The Menu
- A Tour of Settings
- Local Notes
- Using the Stop Watch
- One Hand Mode
- Connecting to PC or Mac in Terminal Mode
- Connecting with an IOS Device in Terminal Mode
- Synchronizing Notes
- Care and Feeding,Maintenance, Charging and Troubleshooting
To reset the Humanware Brailiant BI 14 Braille Display to factory default:
- Press the joystick toward you while also pressing dots 4,5,6
- You will be asked whether you want to restore default settings
- Answer Yes
- You will then be asked whether you want to erase your data
- Answer Yes
To reset the Humanware Brailiant BI 14 Braille Display but keep your saved data:
- Press the joystick toward you while also pressing dots 4,5,6
- You will be asked whether you want to restore default settings
- Answer Yes
- You will then be asked whether you want to erase your data
- Answer No
On mobile devices that run iOS, you can use BARD Mobile to read braille books and magazines using a Bluetooth braille display. BARD Mobile for Android does not support braille. As with audiobooks, BARD Mobile unzips your braille files automatically, so you don't need to worry about doing this. Even though you may be reading 6-dot braille from BARD, you should set your braille display to 8-dot braille. Also, single-letter QuickNav should be turned off so you can use the BARD Mobile navigation commands. If it isn’t, you can turn it off by typing dot 7 with the Q-chord command. For more information about reading braille on BARD Mobile, please see Chapter 7 of the BARD Mobile User’s Guide, located on your BARD Mobile bookshelf under the Help category.
If you’d like to read it in braille, but don’t have any prior experience with reading braille in BARD Mobile, you might want to start out accessing the guide on the web: https://nlsbard.loc.gov/apidocs/BARDMobile.userguide.iOS.1.0.html