Update January-March 1995, Vol. 18, No. 1 ISSN 0160-9203 National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped The Library of Congress Audio Equipment Committee helps NLS test talking-book technology This year the National Audio Equipment Advisory Committee, which usually offers recommendations on talking-book equipment, also helped test a technology currently being studied by NLS engineers. At their fall annual meeting, committee members helped test the effects of data reduction in audio recording. The data reduction consisted of removing some of the sound at certain frequencies while maintaining the quality of the recording. Removing unnoticeable amounts of sound would conserve storage space on the recording. The data reduction process does not affect the content of the recording--the words, pacing, and pauses--but if enough data is removed, the words will have a slightly different sound. Engineers were trying to determine whether committee members could notice a change in sound at four different levels of data reduction. The test was part of ongoing research to develop a new generation of talking books and playback equipment. NLS has proposed moving to digital talking books beginning with digital original mastering and developing a Digital Collection-Access System to store the developing digital collection. Reducing the amount of data to be stored will make this plan more economically feasible. Digital testing The consumers, Telephone Pioneers, and librarians who comprise the committee listened to samples of talking books recorded at the data rate used on music CDs and then at reduced rates with some of the data electronically removed. They marked response sheets to indicate what they heard. Members heard two seventeen-second samples taken from talking books, one with a male narrator and one with a female narrator. Each sample was tested at four different data-rate levels. In each test, the segment was played first at the usual data rate (A), then at the reduced data rate (B), then at a randomly selected repetition of either A or B (X). Committee members marked response forms to indicate whether X was a repetition of A or of B. This test was repeated sixteen times for each of the four levels in order to develop statistical reliability that members were actually distinguishing the segments. The tests were conducted in two one-hour sessions, with only the consumers' subcommittee participating in the second session. In addition to testing the feasibility of data reduction, the experiment enabled NLS engineers to evaluate their study procedures. They will determine the usefulness and efficiency of the braille data sheets they designed for this test with a view to using them as models for future evaluations. The results of the tests will be shared after they are analyzed. Recommendations All three subcommittees supported the move toward digital methods in their recommendations, and the consumers' subcommittee also voiced support for "the concept of acoustic testing as part of the committee's meeting." Other recommendations from the subcommittees addressed more routine concerns, including clarification of instructions and more timely dissemination of informational materials. In addition, the consumers' subcommittee encouraged NLS to include in the C-1 machine a battery management function similar to that of the C-2. NLS responded with the hope that care-free battery packs expected to become commercially available soon may prove a feasible alternative. Consumers also supported the transition of magazines from flexible-disc to cassette format. The Telephone Pioneers' subcommittee addressed the need to provide effective methods for training repair personnel as new quality assurance standards are implemented. NLS cited a plan to implement the standards in a few locations this spring and to provide the necessary training. Along with the librarians, the Pioneers called for redesign of cases and keyboard surfaces to facilitate cleaning and reduce accumulation of dirt. The librarians' subcommittee, in addition to recommendations mentioned above, called for a "nontechnical summary of the Technology Assessment and Research Program reports," for the production of more E-1s, and for the Elfuns to be represented on the National Audio Equipment Advisory Committee, all of which NLS promised to consider. They commended the Pioneers and Elfuns for their efforts in initiating and supporting the development of the new volunteer repair standards. A complete list of recommendations and NLS responses and a report on the analysis of the data-reduction testing will be mailed to network libraries and to members of the committee. Members of the 1994 National Audio Equipment Advisory Committee Consumer representatives: Ruth Ann Acosta, American Council of the Blind; C.E. Ed McDonald, National Federation of the Blind; Gerard McDonnell, Blinded Veterans Association; Douglass Hall, Southern Region; Ron Whaley, Midlands Region Telephone Pioneers representatives: Jerry Adamson, Midlands Region; J. Walter Alfred, Southern Region; Carl Gingrich, Northern Region; Richard Iverson, Western Region Network library representatives: Alberta Blanton, Western Region; Judy Bow, Midlands Region; Patricia Kirk, Northern Region; Rebecca Sherrill, Southern Region (photo caption: Telephone Pioneers prepare their recommendations at the annual NLS Audio Equipment Advisory Committee meeting. From the left: Kevin Watson, acting NLS equipment and materials maintenance coordinator; J. Walter Alfred, Southern Region; Jerry Adamson,Midlands Region; Carl Gingrich, Northern Region; and Richard Iverson, Western Region.) (photo caption: NLS engineer John Cookson, center, explains the use of the braille data sheets designed for the technology test. Participants are Douglass Hall, left, NLS Southern Region, and Gerard McDonnell, Blinded Veterans Association.) ### Volunteer activities Florida The Florida Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services honored Frances Stephenson for seventeen years of volunteer service to the library at a holiday retirement luncheon. Mrs. Stephenson began her volunteer service at the library in 1977 after retiring from a career in business. She worked in the Reader Advisory Unit where she performed the clerical and computer work required for preparing close-out files for patrons terminating their service. "Frances Stephenson's hard work, loyalty, and faithfulness will be missed," said Dorothy Minor, head, Reader Services Section. Approximately fifty library staff and volunteers attended the December 22 luncheon. In her remarks during the luncheon Mrs. Stephenson said "It's one thing to work for a living, but my work here has been different.... I have really been treated as one of you." The staff presented Mrs. Stephenson with a gift certificate from a local mall. In addition to her volunteer work at the library, Mrs. Stephenson has served as a regional director for District Thirty-five Lioness Clubs and, on the national level, she is a member of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary. (photo caption: Frances Stephenson had completed seventeen years of volunteer service at the Florida library when she retired in December.) ### Volunteer specialist describes her work by Freddie L. Peaco During the past year several network volunteer program coordinators asked me to clarify my role in working with volunteer programs. As the NLS volunteer specialist, I am responsible for identifying current trends and legislation affecting volunteer activities and for assisting network library volunteer programs to work within these influences. I also guide volunteer coordinators in developing and administering volunteer programs, usually in response to telephone, written, or in-person inquiries. When requested I conduct workshops on planning, recruiting, training, record keeping, and other areas of volunteer administration. I am also responsible for keeping current on the skills, technical capabilities, policies, and procedures of other organizations involved in the production of reading materials for blind and physically handicapped individuals. This information helps me assist federal agencies and network volunteer programs in making appropriate assignments or deciding when to seek outside assistance. In addition, I am responsible for the contents of two volunteer publications: _Update,_ this newsletter; and _Volunteers Who Produce Books,_ a biennial directory of volunteer groups that prepare reading material in special formats for blind and physically handicapped persons. When necessary, I issue network bulletins,factsheets, or other documents on volunteer information pertinent to our service. ### TV courses teach transcribing Classes in literary braille transcribing, leading to certification by the Library of Congress, were offered nationwide last summer through distance learning via satellite television. Region IV Education Service Center (ESC) in Houston, Texas, broadcast a two-hour class weekly for twenty weeks from April through September. William Dickerman, a certified braille transcriber, presented the course material for each class, using the Library of Congress _Instruction Manual for Braille Transcribing._ Each broadcast included review exercises from the previous lesson, introduction of new material, and practice using the drills for each lesson. Live telephone call-in was available during class time for questions about the lessons. Participants were expected to braille the assigned exercises weekly, but were not required to mail exercises to the instructor or the Library of Congress for correction. Library of Congress certification was granted to those transcribers who submitted to the Library a manuscript that met all guidelines and received a passing grade. Eighty-five participants from Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia registered for the course. Locations with five or more participants were required to have a site facilitator present at each class to assist with technical setup, basic braille questions,and dissemination of materials. Facilitator training was conducted and then broadcast over satellite to registered receive-sites one week prior to the beginning of class. The project was funded by a grant from the Texas Education Agency to provide teachers, paraprofessionals, parents, and other interested persons with the skills and knowledge they would need to become braille transcribers for visually impaired people. The course was advertised widely to state special education departments, universities, school districts in the Region IV service area, and other Texas Regional Education Service Centers. There was no fee for the course, but participants were required to register through Region IV ESC and to order materials from NLS. The course is available for purchase as a set of twenty-one videotapes. One videotape contains site facilitator training material. To purchase a set, contact Debby Mlcak, Region IV Education Service Center, 7145 West Tidwell, Houston, TX 77092-2096; (713) 744-6368. ### New "Green Krebs" available As was announced in the July-September 1994 issue of _Update,_ the California Transcribers and Educators of the Visually Handicapped (CTEVH) have completed the 1993 revision of _Transcriber's Guide to English Braille,_ by Bernard M. Krebs. This new edition of "The Green Krebs," as it is commonly referred to by transcribers, incorporates BANA changes to date, an expanded index, and a list of typical and problem words. The _Transcriber's Guide to English Braille_ may be ordered from Braille Institute of America, Student Store, 741 North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90029. Persons who already have the 1983 edition need not purchase the complete new version but may order only the update set. Prices for non-California residents are complete 1993 edition (looseleaf): $17; update set only (looseleaf): $10. For each order, add $1.40 for shipping. Prices for California residents (including sales taxes) are complete 1993 edition (looseleaf): $18.40; update set only (looseleaf): $10.83. For each order, add $1.40 for shipping. ### NBA marks fiftieth anniversary Following World War I, a large number of veterans blinded in military service returned home to face the challenge of resuming their interrupted lives--without sight. People interested in rehabilitating these young men and women looked for ways to help. Volunteers throughout the country laboriously transcribed reading materials for daily living-- inspirational books, poetry, hymns, etc.--from print into braille. As the number of transcribers grew, so did the need to establish methods and standards for braille transcription. Although NLS had been involved in training braille transcribers since 1918 and began issuing certificates of proficiency to braille transcribers and proofreaders in 1943, rules and sources for help were still scarce. When problems in transcription occurred, they were often solved among the transcribers themselves. The National Braille Club was established in 1945 to bring together these volunteer transcribers and proofreaders so that they might share their experiences and learn from one another. For fifty years, this organization--now known as the National Braille Association--has sponsored educational forums where volunteers,professionals, educators, and students can exchange ideas, learn what is needed, standardize transcriptions, and clarify braille codes. As the membership became more practiced in special skills, the scope of the club was expanded, and in 1964 the Board of Directors defined the purpose of the club: to provide the means for improving skills and techniques to meet the needs of individuals who are print handicapped. They also renamed the club the National Braille Association (NBA). NBA has grown from the original six members in New York City to 2,000 members worldwide, including braille transcribers, tape narrators, large-print and translation typists,tactile artists, proofreaders, production workers, computer programmers, and others. NBA assists these volunteers through its workshops and network of specialists and by publishing manuals and guidelines for preparing textbooks, music scores, storybooks,tactile graphics, and other materials. Chairs and members of structured committees present workshops at conferences and meetings and provide guidance to groups and individuals. They also write articles in their skills areas for the Bulletin, a newsletter started in 1946 and still serving as a communications link for members. NBA was the third sponsor of the Braille Authority of the United States, forerunner of the Braille Authority of North America (BANA), which was established in 1957, shortly after the United States officially adopted English Braille, American Edition. By its advocacy, NBA helps to implement BANA standards. NBA members serve on the board and technical committees of BANA and act as consultants to national, state, and local organizations of and for blind individuals. NLS and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) have purchased supplies of NBA-produced manuals and make them available free on request. NBA and NLS have interacted in other ways as well. NLS personnel have served on the NBA board of directors and committees and have assisted in conducting workshops at regional meetings and national conferences. As it provides continuing education to transcribers, the Association promotes the advantages of new technology. Just as the Perkins brailler replaced the slate and stylus, the computer has emerged as the state-of-the-art tool for many who prepare braille. Over the past five decades, NBA has provided: --- Seminars and workshops at regional meetings and national conferences --- Training manuals, guidelines, and instructional materials describing transcription procedures, formatting, and uniform standards --- The _Bulletin,_ a professional journal --- A network of volunteer specialists with knowledge of all advanced braille codes --- A national clearinghouse for the exchange of ideas and suggestions for the improvement of braille and tape transcription techniques --- A resource center for transcribers, agencies, and visually impaired persons --- Disk output of braille materials prepared on personal computers --- Duplication of braille reading matter housed in the Braille Book Bank collection of textbooks, music, and general-interest materials --- Access to the Braille Technical Tables Bank of nearly 500 mathematical and scientific tables commonly found in textbooks --- Braille transcription of educational, vocational, and recreational materials. The National Braille Association will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary at its national headquarters in Rochester, New York. NBA members from around the world will gather to commemorate this milestone at the twenty-third national conference, May 5-7, 1995. (See Meetings, below.) (This article was submitted by Angela Coffaro, executive director of the National Braille Association.) ### Braille student-instructor dialog Student: I am working on Exercise Sixteen in the _Instruction Manual for Braille Transcribing_, 1984. I am still confused about the 1991 code changes concerning abbreviations that appear as part of source references. Do the rules presented in Section 23 of the official code, _English Braille, American Edition,_ 1959, still apply? Instructor: Yes. The rules concerning source references have not changed. Therefore, vol. 1, ch. 3, p. 41, should be written in braille as v1, ch3, p41. Student: I now understand that when a word such as _self-induced_ is divided between lines, the in contraction should be used. However, in a word such as _self-control,_ should the _con_ contraction be used when the word is divided between lines? Instructor: No. Section 43 of the official code says that the contractions for _be,_ _con,_ and _dis_ should not be used when in contact with a hyphen in a divided or in a syllabicated word. For example, the word _self-contained_ should be divided self-con- tained. Student: I was told that in literary braille, it is permissible to place a dot 4 before the oblique stroke for clarity. Is this true? Instructor: Although some transcribing groups place a dot 4 before the oblique stroke to avoid confusion, the official code, _English Braille, American Edition,_ 1959, does not allow the use of the dot 4 before the oblique stroke. Student: I realize that the complete book title must appear on the title page and on page one of the text. If a book contains a subtitle, should this also appear on page 1 of the text? Instructor: No. The subtitle should be written only on the title page. Student: Should the subtitle also be written in double capitals? Instructor: No. Only the title and the author should be fully capitalized on the title page. Student: If the book I am transcribing for my thirty-five-page trial manuscript is part of a series, should the name of the series appear on the title page? Instructor: No. The name of the series is not given on the title page of a trial manuscript. However, many local transcribing groups require the name of the series on the title page. Therefore, after certification, if you are instructed by your local transcribing group to include the name of the series on the title page or if you are brailling a book for general circulation, you should write the series name on the line immediately below the title. (The Braille Development Section (BDS) receives numerous questions concerning a variety of problems in braille transcribing. BDS has selected some of them to address in this article. The question-and-answer format is intended to help present the questions clearly.) ### Volunteers Master New Skills During the months of October, November, and December 1994, certificates in braille transcribing were awarded to forty-two persons. Of these, thirty-nine were awarded in literary braille transcribing, one in braille proofreading, and two in mathematics braille transcribing. LITERARY BRAILLE TRANSCRIBERS Arizona Robert M. Anderson, Douglas Gary H. Austin, Douglas Karen Y. Bowers, Chandler Arkansas James A. Richardson, Wrightsville California Nancy J. Dempsey, Azusa Barbara M. Leach, Cottonwood Shahin Nasserara Morshedie, Los Angeles Colorado Susan L. Lane, Colorado Springs Maryellen Manuszak, Colorado Springs Florida Deanna Lynn Eddleman, Orlando Jan L. Sluga, Sarasota Georgia Padma Sastry, Stone Mountain Kansas John F. Clements, El Dorado Leslie N. Walker, El Dorado Maryland Betsy S. Burnham, Baltimore Michigan Virgil D. Greene, Jackson Mark A. Lee, Jackson James D. Young, Jackson Minnesota Donna J. Renier, Shakopee Nevada Floyd F. Cooper, Jr., Indian Springs Lloyd R. Garcia, Indian Springs John W. Gay, Indian Springs William J. Hutchison, Indian Springs New Jersey Lillery Fripp, Summit New York Sally G. Miller, Whitesboro North Carolina Billyann C. Brown, Brevard Ohio Milton Reese, Grafton Robert McKay Wilhelm, London Oregon Sherry K. W. Hockenbrock, Beaverton Pennsylvania Penney Annette Blair, Philadelphia Doris H. Diehl, Hellertown Penny Feinberg, Merion Mary Franzo, Emmaus South Dakota Jory Heller, Yankton Gregory Toal, Yankton Texas Laure A. Embry, Houston Thomas G. Poulk, Universal City Utah Vicki L. Flake, Centerville Wisconsin Deborah Lynn Disch, Madison LITERARY BRAILLE PROOFREADER David Faucheux, Lafayette, Louisiana MATHEMATICS BRAILLE TRANSCRIBERS William J. Mussler, Indian Springs, Nevada Sandra J. Spellicy, Marlton, New Jersey ### Meetings National Braille Association (NBA) Friday, May 5-Sunday, May 7, 1995, twenty-third national conference and fiftieth anniversary celebration, Holiday Inn-Genesee Plaza, Rochester, New York. Friday, October 20-Sunday, October 22, 1995, fall regional meetings and workshops, Sands Regency Hotel Casino, Reno, Nevada. For information on these meetings, contact National Braille Association, Three Townline Circle, Rochester, NY 14623-2513; (716) 427-8260. California Transcribers and Educators of the Visually Handicapped (CTEVH) Thursday, March 23-Saturday, March 25, 1995, CTEVH XXXVI annual conference, Santa Clara Marriott Hotel, Santa Clara, California. For information about this meeting contact CTEVH Office, 741 North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90029; (213) 666-2211. ### When the voice goes... One of the most difficult jobs for the director of a recording studio is to tell a narrator that his or her voice is no longer adequate to record print material. It is unsettling to be told that your voice is not what it used to be, that your pronunciations are not as clear as they once were, or that the pace has slowed down so much as to be irritating to the listener. I have found that thinking of the voice as a "tool" makes the discussion more neutral. If you record books onto audio tape for people who are visually or physically impaired, your voice becomes a tool--a tool to assist others with their education, careers, or leisure pursuits by bringing life to the written word. And thinking of the voice as a tool may make the decision to lay it aside (stop narrating) much easier. When I need to speak to a narrator about his or her failing voice, I always begin with casual conversation, asking, "How are you doing, feeling, or sleeping?" As a studio director, you need to know if the voice problem is a temporary condition or if it will be long lasting. I sometimes mention that I think the tape seems to be fading in and out or the sound of the tape is not as sharp as it could be. It is essential to give the narrator the opportunity to admit that he or she, too, has noticed disturbing problems with the voice. The narrator needs a chance to consider the problem and an opening for expressing his or her own reservations and doubts about the voice quality. Still, determining that a narrator's voice is no longer acceptable can be an uncomfortable decision for the director to make. Giving up a job that brings such great satisfaction can be devastating for the narrator. Therefore, it is vital that the director and the narrator share their concerns and realize that there are other tasks the narrator can do that are equally important and that bring knowledge, joy, and inspiration to others. A former narrator may make an excellent monitor or reviewer, or he or she may choose other tasks around the library or studio. When the voice fails, a narrator may need to stop narrating, but there is no need to give up the desire to serve. (This article was submitted by Marianna H. Vahlkamp, executive director, Talking Tapes for the Blind.) ### Update is published quarterly by: National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Library of Congress Washington, DC 20542 Correspondence should be addressed to Publications and Media Section. Coordinating editor: Freddie Peaco Publication editor: Ruth Nieland Braille student-instructor dialog: John Wilkinson ***(4/11/95) gft***