Craig's Desk Intro - episode 12 Welcome Intro Music bed starts up then fade into. Music bed 40-45 seconds long. (Disclaimer voice) The following show was recorded in the studios of NCLBPH, unmasked, in a sound proof booth that is socially distant and responsible. It's content is intended for people who are blind or print impaired. Hello and welcome to Craig's Desk, a program from the North Carolina Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, NCLBPH. I'm your host Craig Hayward, the technology librarian at NCLBPH. This show's main purpose is to help answer library technology questions and offer insight about the library's digital and online resources, with an occassional look at what's happening with the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, known as NLS. I hope I can help you learn something about the library's service, how to navigate the technology and just find more to read. Whether it's the online catalog, the website, how to use social media or downloading books from BARD, I'll do my best to answer your questions. I'll also try to give you a little bit of insight into the library's technology future. I created this show for you, as a guide in the evolution of our service, so you can navigate the changes and be more empowered. On this episode we have something a little bit different, a featured interview with our writing contest participants, plus the Marrakesh pilot begins, finally. I appreciate the support and the following of the show. I couldn't do this show without you. I hope you'll continue to follow the show and that our audience will continue to grow. Get those reading and library technology questions to me and I'll keep trying to answer them. Remember that the email for your questions is nclbph.tech.librarian@gmail.com (spell it out slowly). Enough talk, let's get this episode of Craig's Desk started. ************************************* Fade out, use transition "music" then fade in to next section ************************************* Annual Writing Contest Interviews with participants Here is Clint Exum the library's Outreach Specialist with more information about the library's annual writing contest and some interviews with participants. **************************************** Fade out, fade in music, fade out to next section ***************************************** NLS News The Marrakesh Pilot project begins The big news on this show is the start of the Marrakesh pilot with NLS. For those that have longed to have more reading from more parts of the world, a new era is beginning. This pilot offers a whole lot more books in many different languages other than English and even lots of non-American English ones. As a result of this pilot now being live, the library has created a new temporary website where pilot patrons can find books and then order them. By using the Accessible Books Consortium's online catalog, you can find all kinds of books from other parts of the world and then using the library's online form found of the temporary website, you can order these books individually. I can't share the URL on this show, because it is closed to the public and only available to those who are pilot patrons. One thing to note is that once you place an order for a book it will take the library at least 2 days to process everything and get it set up as an order on Books On Demand. Books On Demand is how we're offering this pilot. If you get regular books on demand orders this is easy. If you don't yet, we'll set you up. You will also need an NLS digital talking book player to participate. If you want to be part of this historic offering, you will need to hurry to do it because this part of the pilot will run from now to the end of the 2021. Contact the library by email at nclbph@ncdcr.gov and if there is room for you we'll set you up. Otherwise you will just have to wait until NLS rolls out these new materials across the program. I have been looking forward to starting the pilot along with the rest of our staff. I'm really happy that we can just get started. We look forward to hearing any feedback patrons have about this historic offering. I know that many of our patrons have been asking for more books in more languages. This will be good for everyone. **************************************** Fade out, fade in music, fade out to next section ***************************************** The Library's Online Resources Nothing new to offer on this show. We're taking a break because of the interview and Marrakesh information on this show. Stay tuned for future episodes. As always, if you have comments about things like this, you are welcome to email me at nclbph.tech.librarian@gmail.com ********************************************* Closing That's the end of this episode of Craig's Desk. If you have any questions about the library's technology, how to do something or would like to give some feedback, send an email to nclbph.tech.librarian@gmail.com (spell out). Craig's Desk is a production of The North Carolina Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, a section of the State Library of North Carolina, part of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. This episode was produced onsite, in the studios of NCLBPH. Many thanks to the other person helping on the other side of the glass to produce this show, Clint Exum our Outreach Specialist and jack of all trades around our studios. As it has been from the beginning, this show is a production of EMC-squared productions. Intro music is "One Fine Day" and closing music is "Step To The Beat" and are offered royalty free from the website Keep Calm and Podcast. Segment Transitions starring nature are from Zapsplat.com If you like what you have heard or are just curious about upcoming episodes please subscribe to this podcast. There are links from our website for Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our podcast platform called Podbean and even an RSS feed to listen to it on your own podcatcher app. Whenever we put up a new episode you'll be the first to know. Thanks for listening