The NYS Talking Book and Braille Library newsletter is delivered to your email three times a year. Upstate Update is attached as a Word document and available in HTML format on our website. If you are having trouble accessing the newsletter, please contact our library. To learn more about Upstate Update and read past newsletters, please visit our TBBL Newsletter page.
The Upstate Update is your source for New York State Talking Book and Braille Library news. We will provide information about new and exciting initiatives at our library, best practices to enhance your library experience, and popular reads. If you wish to unsubscribe from Upstate Update, please contact our library.
The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, NLS, welcomes Jason Broughton as its new director. Before joining NLS, Broughton served as the Vermont State Librarian from 2019-2021. Prior to becoming Vermont's State Librarian, Broughton held several library roles involving outreach and community engagement in South Carolina and Georgia. As NLS director, Broughton will work to further online and digital delivery methods for talking book and braille library materials, as well as pursue NLS initiatives to modernize services. We look forward to working with Jason Broughton into the future.
Shipping delays through the US mail are common, even after the busy holiday season. If your audio books are taking longer to arrive, TBBL staff have suggestions that could help.
BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download, is a free service through NLS that provides access to downloadable books and magazines in audio and ebraille formats. TBBL's entire collection is available through BARD with no waitlists. Patrons can access BARD though the free BARD Mobile app on an iOS or Android device, or download using a computer and then listen using a talking book player or commercial player. BARD offers added flexibility. Once registered, you can download anytime anywhere you have an internet connection.
Individuals must be a TBBL patron before applying to BARD. Once registered with TBBL, access to BARD requires the completion of a short online form. When the form is submitted, you will receive information by email about how to get started. Please remember the email you use to apply will become your username.
TBBL staff members are here to help. If you have questions about getting started or need help downloading, please do not hesitate to reach out. We can provide written directions or go through the steps over the phone.
Yes! With your permission, a family member, friend, health aid, or librarian, for example, can help you download your books.
Of course. Even if you download, you can still receive books and magazines through the mail.
If you do not download a book or magazine for a period of 6 months, your BARD account will become inactive for security reasons. Please contact our library if your account becomes inactive and our staff will be happy to reactivate it.
If you decide downloading isn't for you, you can simply stop using your account and solely receive books through the mail. Please be sure to contact our library if we can help you place book requests.
If you prefer to download books and magazines and would like to stop your mail delivery service, please contact our library. We can edit your patron account to reflect your preferences.
Unused talking book players can be returned to our library for free. Our reader advisors can provide a shipping label for the player's return. Use of the shipping label guarantees Free Matter shipping. Returned players are updated and loaned to new library patrons.
The BARD Mobile App for Android now supports refreshable braille displays. Patrons reading braille can use an Android device to read ebraille books and magazines from BARD. Patrons using the BARD Mobile version 1.4 and operating system 7-11 can connect to a refreshable braille display using the BrailleBack app. To learn more about this change, please review the BARD Mobile User Manual for Android v1.4
or contact our library for help.
NFB-NEWSLINE is a free audio news service through the National Federation of the Blind that provides access to over 500 publications, breaking news, emergency alerts, job listings, and much more.
Individuals who cannot read standard print due to vision loss, dyslexia, or a physical disability are eligible to receive NFB-NEWSLINE. Learn more about NFB-NEWSLINE by visiting the National Federation of the Blind's NFB-NEWSLINE home page.
To get started, TBBL patrons are welcome to contact our library or reach out to NFB-NEWSLINE directly. Once you register for NFB-NEWSLINE, you will have access to state and national newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, and Associated Press. In addition to newspapers, you may access a variety of magazines such as Consumer Reports, ESPN Magazine, the New Yorker, and Wired. For a listing of publications and breaking news outlets, please visit the NFB-NEWSLINE Publications page.
Subscribers can enjoy NFB-NEWSLINE's resources through several methods:
In addition to books in audio and braille formats, TBBL patrons have access to over 80 free magazines through NLS. You can choose to receive magazines delivered through the US mail to your home address, or you may download issues in ebraille or audio format from BARD.
Popular magazines include AARP, Consumer Reports, Discover, Reader's Digest, and Wired. NLS also offers several magazines related to specific interests and hobbies such as history, music, gardening, health, and literature. A few examples are listed below.
American History Magazine - Popular history magazine, includes stories and essays about the American experience. Bimonthly subscription, available on audio cartridge and audio through BARD.
Cricket - Stories, crafts, poems, and articles that will spark a child's creativity. For ages nine through fourteen. Nine issues per year, available on audio cartridge, press braille, and audio or ebraille through BARD.
Diabetes Forecast - Published by the American Diabetes Association. Articles on health care, nutrition, and research findings related to diabetes. Bimonthly subscription, available on audio cartridge and audio through BARD.
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine -Stories and book reviews by well-known mystery authors and new, previously unpublished writers. Bimonthly subscription, available on audio cartridge and audio through BARD.
Horticulture: The Art and Science of Smart Gardening - Offers gardening trends, products, and projects for plant lovers. Bimonthly subscription, available on audio cartridge and audio through BARD.
Musical Mainstream -Magazine produced by the NLS Music Section.Issues contain information from popular national magazines about classical music, music research, and teaching. This magazine also announces new additions to the NLS music collection. Quarterly subscription, available on audio cartridge, press braille, large print, and audio or ebraille through BARD.
Parents - Information and advice about children's health, safety, behavior, discipline, and education. Articles also cover caregiver's heath, information for parents-to-be, and resources for every stage of parenting. Monthly subscription, available in press braille or ebraille through BARD.
For a full listing of magazines available through NLS and other agencies, please visit, NLS' Magazines. Please note that magazine subscriptions produced by other agencies, not NLS, could require a fee.
The TBBL collection includes an array of biographies and autobiographies on fascinating people. TBBL staff members have selected a few to share with you. Titles are available on BARD or delivered through the US mail.
'Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist' by Judith Heumann and Kristen Joiner, DB 100399 Summary: Disability rights activist recounts her lifelong battle to achieve acceptance and inclusion after being paralyzed from polio as a child. She describes the difficulties she faced seeking education and work, as well as her many efforts to seek protections that helped lead to the creation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2020.
'A Bookshop in Berlin: The Rediscovered Memoir of One Woman's Harrowing Escape From the Nazis' by Francoise Frenkel, DB 98975 Summary: The memoir of a Jewish woman from Poland who opened a French bookshop in Berlin in the 1920s. She describes the rise of Nazi ideology in Berlin, the terror of Kristallnacht, and her own subsequent flight to Paris and then across southern France. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.
'Broken Place & Outer Spaces: Finding Creativity in the Unexpected' by Nnedi Okorafor, DB 96603 Summary: The author recounts how a simple operation took her from track star to paralyzed. Confined in a hospital bed for months, she began to imagine fantastical things and turn those experiences into writing. Also discusses her childhood and other authors who have used hardship to fuel their work. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.
'The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race' by Walter Isaacson, DB 102772 Summary: Author of Leonardo da Vinci (DB 89588) and Steve Jobs (DB 73682) profiles the life and work of biochemist Jennifer Doudna, a co-recipient of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her work on developing CRISPR technology which allows for editing of genes. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2021.
'Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories From the Twenty-First Century' edited by Alice Wong Summary: A collection of first-person writings on the joys and challenges of life in the twenty-first century with a disability. Includes pieces from activists, authors, lawyers, politicians, artists, and others to glimpse the complexity of the disabled experience in America. Some strong language. 2020.
'Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope' by Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly; with Jeffrey Zaslow, BR 19455, DB 74049, Spanish, DBC11243 Summary: Arizona congresswoman Giffords and her husband, astronaut Kelly, describe their lives before and after the near-fatal shooting of Giffords in January 2011. They discuss their anguish over the other victims, Kelly's support during Giffords' recovery, and Giffords' determination to return to work. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller. 2011.
, courtesy of the Florida Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks' by Rebecca Skloot, DB 70661 Summary: Science journalist chronicles the life of African American Henrietta Lacks, who in 1951 had cervical tissue removed and grown in culture--without her permission--producing the first continuously replicating human-cell samples for research. Discusses subsequent medical breakthroughs, including the polio vaccine and AIDS treatment. Explores bioethical concerns involving tissue ownership. Bestseller. 2010.
'Invisible: The Forgotten Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America's Most Powerful Mobster' by Stephen L. Carter, DB 93258 Summary: An account of the life and career of the author's grandmother, a black female prosecutor in the early twentieth century. Recounts her pivotal role in the conviction of Mafia boss Lucky Luciano. Discusses the difficulties she faced due to prejudice and personal tragedy. Some violence and some strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2018.
'No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality' by Michael J. Fox, DB 101333 Summary: Memoir of the actor and author of Lucky Man (DB 54265) who has lived with Parkinson's Disease for thirty years. He shares personal stories and observations about illness and health, aging, the strength of family and friends, and how our perceptions about time affect the way we approach mortality. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2020.
'The Sword and the Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcom X and Martin Luther King Jr.' by Peniel E. Joseph, DB 99933 Summary: In this dual biography of iconic African American leaders Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., the author discusses the contrasts in their ideals--self-defense vs. nonviolence and black power vs. civil rights. He examines how these differences translated to the larger social movement. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2020.
'Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer' by Traci Sorell, DB 104066 Summary: An award-winning author profiles Mary Golda Ross, the first female engineer at Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, who designed classified and nonclassified projects. Ross's passion for math and Cherokee values shaped her life and work. For grades K-3. 2021.
'I Am Not a Label' by Cerrie Burnell , BR 23493, DB 101823 Summary: A collection of short biographies highlighting the achievements of artists, thinkers, scientists, athletes, and activists with disabilities. For example, when astronomer Wanda Díaz-Merced lost her sight, she developed a technique to listen to the sounds of starlight. For grades 3-6 and older readers. 2020.
'The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh' by Candace Fleming, DB 98982 Summary: Portrait of Charles Lindbergh (1902-1974), one of America's most complex and celebrated heroes. As the first human to cross the Atlantic via airplane, Lindbergh's accomplishments were also plagued with tragedy and flaws. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2020.
'Saving American Beach: The Biography of African American Environmentalist MaVynee Betsch' by Heidi Tyline King, DB 104058 Summary: A biography of MaVynee Betsch, an African American opera singer turned environmentalist, who tirelessly worked to preserve American Beach, Florida, as a historical landmark. For grades K-3. 2021.
'Sharice's Big Voice: a Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman' by Sharice Davids with Nancy K. Mays ; illustrations by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley Summary: An autobiography introduces US Representative Sharice Davids, one of the first Native American women elected to Congress and the first lesbian congressperson to represent Kansas. Davids, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, shares her love of talking, listening, and martial arts. For grades K-3. 2021.
The NYS Library offers a variety of free virtual public programs throughout the year that focus on history, culture, and current events. All programs are available through Zoom. For registration information and a complete listing of this year's events, please visit the New York State Library Events calendar.
Upcoming virtual programs include:
Monday, February 21,
Washington's Birthday observed
Monday, May 30, Memorial Day
Monday, June 20, Juneteenth observed
Monday, July 4, Independence Day
Monday, September 5, Labor Day
Monday, October 10, Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day
Thursday, November 11, Veterans' Day
Thursday, November 24, Thanksgiving
Monday, December 26, Christmas Day observed
Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Reader advisors are available between 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Toll-free: 1-800-342-3688
Fax: (518) 474-7041
tbbl@nysed.gov
Talking Book and Braille Library
Cultural Education Center
222 Madison Avenue
Albany, NY 12230-0001