Update
October-December 1997, Vol. 20, No. 4
ISSN 0160-9203

National Library Service 
for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
The Library of Congress

Assessment group calls for revision of NLS Nemeth code
materials

A needs assessment group has called for the revision of the
current course and examination used to certify transcribers
in the Nemeth (mathematics) braille code.
     The group, which met at NLS in September 1997, was
convened to review the course and the test for the purpose
of increasing the number of competent certified Nemeth
transcribers. Although the Library of Congress has been
certifying transcribers in the braille mathematics code
since 1981, there are fewer than two hundred certified
Nemeth transcribers in the country. Participants agreed that
revising the course will make a difference.
     Participating in the meeting were Von Eulert, Braille
Authority of North America (BANA) Nemeth Technical Committee
Chair; Joanne Baldwin, National Braille Association (NBA);
Elinor Savage, California Transcribers and Educators of the
Visually Handicapped (CTEVH); Marcia Leibowitz, NLS Nemeth
braille advisor; and Mary Lou Stark, acting head, NLS
Braille Development Section.
     Some changes will be effective immediately:
      Students will no longer have to use unpunched paper
for the lessons and certification test, nor will they have
to make maximum use of each braille line.
      Transcribers may divide words and present material
according to ease of use by the reader.
      A standard line length of forty cells will be
required, regardless of the means of production (slate,
brailler, or computer).
      Students will be permitted to use all computer
programs for this course--direct input and translation--with
the continued requirement that the final product be of high
quality.
      While the majority of lessons and all certification
tests must be submitted in hardcopy braille, an occasional
lesson may be submitted in ASCII or simulated braille
(simbraille).
     Of special interest to local instructors of the Nemeth
course, the group recommended dropping the requirement for
students who take the course locally to submit the last four
lessons to NLS prior to taking the certification test.
Instead, transcribers who request to take the certification
test must include a letter from their instructor verifying
the students' successful completion of the course.

New Materials
The revision process will begin with developing new
certification tests. Once completed, four comparable tests
will be composed to ensure overall effectiveness.
     Supplemental materials will then be developed to be
used with the current instruction manual to (1) clarify
confusing information; (2) provide basic instruction in
textbook format to prepare materials in Nemeth code; (3)
introduce material covered in code changes; (4) provide unit
reviews for every three or four lessons; and (5) provide a
self-test consisting of approximately fifteen pages of
Nemeth braille. Materials will also include simbraille
answers for the unit reviews and self-test in the back of
the supplement. Local instructors may receive copies of the
supplemental materials as they are developed by contacting
NLS. They may also be obtained from Marcia Leibowitz, 10960
Beach Boulevard, #269, Jacksonville, FL 32246; telephone
(904) 645-0440.
     For a long-term solution, the group recommends that NLS
write a new instruction manual incorporating many of the
elements of the supplementary materials.


Cox tells TPA coordinators "We need each other"

The Telephone Pioneers of America (TPA) talking-book
coordinators held their annual meeting in Washington, D.C.,
August 21-22, 1997.
     Betty Cox, chairperson of the TPA regional
coordinators, convened the meeting by reminding volunteers
"Why We Need Each Other." She pointed out, "Every finished
product that we come in contact with every day is admired
and enjoyed for its beauty or service. But for that product
to arrive on the scene, it takes myriad parts, pieces, and
people."
     The goal of the Telephone Pioneers repair project, Ms.
Cox reminded, is to assist the talking-book program to place
properly functioning machines in the hands of blind,
visually impaired, and physically handicapped people.
Recounting the history and development of NLS, Ms. Cox noted
that "each vital step is just one of the many parts it takes
to achieve the final goal, and each step represents a very
involved group of individuals.
     "Allocations of space, repair tools, repair parts,
record-keeping, volunteers, training, regional coordinators,
communication, and coordination are necessary prerequisites
to arrive at our goal, and each project is dependent on
people."
     She encouraged repair coordinators to participate in
the Train the Trainer program, to recruit other volunteers,
and to keep abreast of the needs of the libraries they
serve.
     The group was joined by the Telephone Pioneers of
America chief executive officer, Jack Sawka, and manager of
existing products, Bob Toye, both of whom traveled from TPA
headquarters in Denver, Colorado. In his remarks, Mr. Sawka
stressed the importance of continuing a strong relationship
between the Pioneers and the talking-book program.
     Brad Kormann, chief of the NLS Materials Development
Division, commended the Pioneers for the success of NLS's
Volunteer Repair Project. He said the achievement was a
direct result of strong support from the national TPA
headquarters and regional coordinators. He noted that the
Pioneers repaired nearly 130,000 talking-book and cassette
book machines during fiscal year 1997 valued at more than
$4.2 million.
     Mr. Kormann announced that two-thirds of the network
libraries have held Pioneer recognition activities as part
of an NLS effort. Accentuating NLS's commitment to the
project, he described staff involvement during events held
in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Montgomery, Alabama; Baltimore,
Maryland; Jackson, Mississippi; and Watertown,
Massachusetts. He also cited other recognition events held
during the past two years.
     Michael Moodie, the NLS research and development
officer, discussed the standards development process for a
digital talking book and presented a tentative proposal for
accomplishing the switch from "old" to "new" technology.
     Kevin Watson, acting equipment materials and
maintenance coordinator, and Tom McLaughlin, Quality
Assurance Section senior engineer, emphasized the importance
of accurate test tapes. They also explained the proper use
of a frequency counter and announced that the new
demagnetizers are available from NLS.
     On the second day of the conference, the participants
toured NLS. They were given overviews on the operation of
sections important in the work of the Pioneers.
     J. Walt Alfred of Region 16 was elected to succeed Ms.
Cox as chairperson of the talking-book coordinators for the
next two years. And the group decided to hold its 1998
meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, in order to tour the NLS
Multistate Center West facility.
     After two labor-intensive days, the conference ended
with a "bon voyage" tour of Washington on the Potomac River
aboard the cruise ship Dandy, thanks to funding from the
Denver TPA headquarters. During the tour, Mr. Toye and Mr.
Kormann presented Ms. Cox with a plaque and a corsage for
her two-year service as chairperson. They lauded her for her
tireless work and her skill in conducting a highly effective
talking-book coordinator's conference.
(photo caption: Betty Cox.)
(photo caption: Telephone Pioneers regional coordinators and
NLS staff chat during a break between sessions.)


Sixty-six honored at RSVH

Recording Service for Visually Handicapped (RSVH), during
its annual meeting in September, recognized sixty-six
volunteers for contributing forty-six hundred hours of
service.
     "The Sunday afternoon meeting was very enjoyable," said
Jane Gailey, RSVH chairperson. "We had a short business
meeting and elected new directors, then the exciting part
came--honoring our volunteers. And we all enjoyed catered
refreshments and socialized. It was a time for volunteers to
exchange ideas and to share news about family and friends."
     The volunteers recorded 207 books, 106 issues of
periodicals, and 67 miscellaneous items within a one-year
period.
     The Falls Church, Virginia, organization awarded
certificates of appreciation to volunteers who reached
various milestones since becoming RSVH volunteers. Five
volunteers received certificates for completing fifteen or
more assignments; one for completing twenty-five or more
assignments; one for completing fifty or more assignments;
and two recipients completed one hundred or more
assignments.
     Although awards were given on the basis of completed
assignments, volunteers were also commended for their
donated time. Fourteen narrators read more than one hundred
hours, and two read more than two hundred hours. The group
recorded material for sixty-six individuals, including
students at fifteen colleges and universities. 


Network libraries help out at NLS exhibits

Each year, NLS visits more than thirty national conferences
throughout the country as part of its public awareness
program. These meetings present an opportunity for the
agency to reach large numbers of potential patrons or people
who come into contact with those who may be eligible for
service.
     Exhibiting at these conferences involves greeting
visitors, answering questions, displaying materials, and
distributing literature about free library service. This is
no small fiscal feat in that the effort requires the
resources of finances and manpower. Every year, NLS has
found allies in its network affiliates who volunteer to
staff exhibits held in their geographic areas.
     Fiscal year 1998 boasts the largest number of regional
libraries contributing assistance to the program. Eleven
libraries will be sending personnel to thirteen exhibit
sites to set up displays, provide information, distribute
handouts, and pack up materials for return shipping to
Washington, D.C. They are regional libraries in Chicago, -
Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; Atlanta, Georgia;
Cincinnati, Ohio; Boston, Massachusetts; New York, New York;
Baltimore, Maryland; Jefferson City, Missouri; Minneapolis,
Minnesota; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Daytona Beach,
Florida. Some of these libraries are staffing more than one
exhibit.
     Other libraries provide staff on an informal basis to
assist the NLS representative coordinating an exhibit in
their area.
     The effort of all network people who help NLS to meet
the people it serves is greatly appreciated. Some of these
libraries are especially notable because they have
consistently provided assistance each time aid is requested.
These include Daytona Beach, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; New
York, New York; Phoenix, Arizona; and Los Angeles,
California. Each has handled three or more conferences since
1990. Don Weber, regional librarian in Daytona Beach,
Florida, has handled seven conferences for NLS since 1991.
He says he helps out because "We are all part of one
network. If we don't help each other, we are doomed." But he
has also found staffing the conferences to be "worthwhile"
because of the number of people who need the information.
     Barbara Perkis, the regional librarian in Chicago,
Illinois, agrees with Weber. She says, "It is so important
to get the word out about this wonderful service. So many
people are surprised to learn that the program exists." She
also enjoys "talking about the service to people who do not
know about it and meeting people who are already patrons."
     Whatever their reasons for contributing to the program,
network libraries make a difference in NLS's public
awareness campaign.


He's aiming to read

Little dragonslayers and damsels gathered at Barnes and
Noble Booksellers, Ridgeland, Mississippi, when Talking Book
and Braille Services (TBBS) brought the summer library theme
"Fantasy Quest" to the children's section of the bookstore.
     Costumed Mississippi Library Commission workers
portrayed a dragon, a damsel, and a squire and read
children's stories about monsters, princesses, and other
theme-related subjects. A display booth showcased items such
as a talking-book cassette player, children's print-braille
picture books, and NLS brochures, which were handed out to
guests. 
     Barnes and Noble has invited TBBS to bring the summer
library program to the store on an annual basis.
(photo caption: A young cowboy aims his six-shooter at the
TBBS dragon, John Whitlock.)


National Literary Braille Competency Test moves closer to
validation

The Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO) of
Alexandria, Virginia, commissioned by NLS to conduct a
validation study and, later, a test reliability study of the
National Literary Braille Competency Test (NLBCT), has
completed the job analysis portion of the validation study.
The validation study analyses the content and scope of the
test, and the reliability study verifies that the final four
versions of the test provide comparable results.
     HumRRO conducted a number of workshops and surveys to
look at the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to do
an effective job of teaching braille to children and adults.
The analysis revealed no braille-related abilities that are
required by braille teachers; therefore, knowledge and
skills only were considered in the most recent part of the
study.
     HumRRO identified thirty-four knowledge factors and ten
skills required to do an effective job of teaching braille
to children and adults. The analysts rated the knowledge
factors as critical or noncritical (seventeen of each) and
grouped them into five knowledge clusters and two skill
clusters. Listed in order of importance, the knowledge
clusters were determined to be (1) basic knowledge, (2)
contractions, (3) commonly used composition signs and
punctuation, (4) infrequently used composition signs and
punctuation, and (5) formatting. The skills clusters are (1)
reading and writing braille and (2) using braille equipment.
     Approximately seventy-five people participated in the
workshops and surveys related to the job analysis. Study
participants were selected from teachers who work in
itinerant, residential, and rehabilitation settings and
represented a broad range of educational, geographical, and
socioeconomic environments. They included both blind and
sighted individuals.
     HumRRO was awarded the contract to do the validation
study of a new national braille competency test for teachers
in October 1996. NLS began preparation of the three-part
test of literary braille knowledge in 1989 at the request of
several organizations of and for the blind. Test
administration began in 1994.
     Remaining steps in the first phase of the study include
linking the identified knowledge and skills to tasks
involved in teaching braille, validating the test content,
recommending changes to the content and administration of
the test, evaluating the revised test, and determining
passing scores. Completion of the study is slated for 1999.
     Two hundred persons who have not previously taken the
test are needed for the next phase in the process--
evaluating the reliability of test results based on the
administration of four comparable examinations. Individuals
interested in participating should contact Dr. Deirdre
Knapp, Project Manager, Human Resources Research
Organization, 66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 400, Alexandria,
VA 22314; (703) 549-3611.
     For more information about the competency test or other
programs offered by the Braille Development Section, write
to the Braille Development Section, National Library Service
for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of
Congress, Washington, DC 20542; call toll-free 800-424-8567;
or e-mail msta@loc.gov.


Braille student-instructor dialog

The Braille Development Section (BDS) receives numerous
questions concerning a variety of problems in braille
transcribing. This article will address some of them. The
question-and-answer format is intended to give clarity.
Student: I have reviewed carefully Section 6 of the official
code, English Braille, American Edition, 1994, and I still
have some questions concerning the use of the dash in
braille. Sometimes print does not clearly differentiate
between a hyphen and a dash. For the most part, I am able to
determine from  context which braille symbol to use.
However, there are times when it is not clear to me.
Instructor: You are not alone. It helps to keep in mind that
the function of the hyphen is to join, while the function of
the dash is to separate.
     Example of using a dash:
     He is an unhappy man--or is he?
Student: When writing such things as inclusive dates, sports
scores, and voting results, should a hyphen or a dash be
used?
Instructor: The hyphen, not the dash, should be used when
writing inclusive dates, sports scores, and results of
votes. Examples:
     He led the league in home runs from 1980-1983.
     The score was tied 3-3 when Bob Friend took the mound.
     Sally was elected president of her senior class.
     The final tally was 100-99.
Student: I know that print is not always consistent in terms
of spacing the dash. However, I believe that a space should
never be left before or after a dash in braille.
Instructor: That is correct, but there are two exceptions to
this rule: (1) A dash may appear either at the beginning or
at the end of a braille line. In this case a space would not
be needed. (2) A dash should be followed by a space if it
ends an incomplete sentence.
     Example of a dash used at the end of a braille line:
     Florida produces citrus fruits--
     oranges, lemons, grapefruit, limes, etc.
     Example of a space following a dash at the end of an
incomplete sentence:
     Let's take a swim at-- Oh, no, I left my trunks at
home.
Student: Isn't it also true that a space should precede the
dash when it begins an incomplete thought?
Instructor: Absolutely. Exercise fourteen, sentence 22, in
the Instruction Manual for Braille Transcribing, 1984, is a
perfect example of how a dash is used to begin an incomplete
thought:
     --and now I won't know till morning who won the fight
on TV.
Student: In the book that I am transcribing, a situation
arises in which I have a word, a dash, and a closing
quotation mark. There is room at the end of the line for the
entire word. Is it permissible to begin the next braille
line with the dash and the closing quotation mark?
Instructor: No. Although a dash may begin or end a braille
line, it must never be divided between braille lines, and it
should be in contact with a word. If it falls at the
beginning of a line and is followed by a space or by other
punctuation that is followed by a space, then the last
syllable of the preceding word should also be carried over
to the new braille line.


Volunteers master new skills

During the months of July, August, and September 1997,
certificates in braille transcribing were awarded to
ninety-one persons. Of these, eighty-four were awarded in
literary braille transcribing, three in literary braille
proofreading, and four in mathematics braille transcribing.

LITERARY BRAILLE TRANSCRIBERS

Alabama
Kathey C. Bean, Talladega

Arizona
J. Michael Irvin, Tucson
Dale Richard Miller, Douglas
Jeffrey M. Van Wagoner, Douglas

Arkansas
Eric A. Hamel, Wrightsville
Leon Smith, Wrightsville

California
Claudia J. Bergman, Truckee
Jeanine S. Castillo, Spring Valley
Lila G. Chick, Claremont
William W. Cloud, Folsom
Stephanie L. Demchak, Santa Maria
Audrey Franzini, San Rafael
Sydelle Gale, Oceanside
Alice P. Geary, Hemet
Wendy L. Harper, Sacramento
Margaret E. Ketner, Fresno
Muriel J. Quenzer, Fresno
Fe M. Raquel, Los Angeles
Susan E. Salazar, Anaheim
Marsha S. Sutherland, Concord

Colorado
Sharon L. Benn, Englewood

Connecticut
William J. Milardo, Cheshire
Benny Silva, Cheshire

Delaware
Harold Stephen Alston, Smyrna
Michael J. Delle Donne, Smyrna

Florida
Lynda Barnum, Orange Park
Joy Carol Mains, Starke
Susan C. Tesker, Stuart

Illinois
Harriet M. Ford, Godfrey

Indiana
Rick D. Killman, Carlisle

Iowa
Tim Whitfield, Anamosa

Maryland
Arlene Maksymicz, Gaithersburg

Michigan
Lillian Mouw, Holland
Efren Paredes Jr., Jackson

Minnesota
Theresa M. Irmen-Dunn, Prior Lake
Darci Michelle Iverson, Minneapolis
Laurel L. Kelzenberg, St. Cloud
April Lott, Minneapolis
Melinda H. Nordloef, Minneapolis
Kathleen R. Rieck, Lonsdale
Marlene W. Schink, Crystal
Patricia A. Sequeira, St. Louis Park
Diane Lynn Wheeldon, Minneapolis

Nebraska
Vasile Hurbenca, Lincoln
Tamera S. Lenhoff, Lincoln
Shane J. Stender, Lincoln

Nevada
Mark Stephen Lewis, Indian Springs
Chris McGrath, Indian Springs
Don Savage, Indian Springs

New Jersey
Nana Chan, Montville
Elizabeth Fudge, West Orange
Elizabeth A. Heaton, Bloomfield
Audrey L. Holt, Shamong
Gerda G. Langendorff, West Orange
Jessie E. Martin, Wenonah
Kristi A. McCann, Lincoln Park
Joni Montaina, Hewitt
Margaret E. Port, Bergenfield
Margaret Rotondo, Little Falls
Rose Rush, Bergenfield
Devora Sessler, Bergenfield
Harriet Weiner Sklar, Livingston
Sharon L. Van Hook, Wallington
Grace Walls, Montclair
Nanette E. Walsh, Toms River
Cathy A. Zimmerman, Westwood

New York
Virginia A. Caramadre, Utica
Deborah A. Dassero, Rochester
Ruth DeGraw, Canandaigua
Dolores A. Ketchum, Rochester
Jean Moore, Canandaigua
Sandra Jean Van Hooydonk, Rochester

Ohio
Edith R. Conzett, Mentor
Donna L. Soroky, Lyndhurst

Oregon
Denise Diane Gosar, Eugene
Michele K. Randolph, Hillsboro

Pennsylvania
Kenneth E. Miller, Oreland
Christine B. Roberts, Cambridge Springs

South Dakota
Larry R. Miller, Yankton
John S. Wryn, Yankton

Texas
Michelle De La Garza, San Antonio

Wisconsin
Susan D. Jenson, Madison
Cynthia L. Ritter, Stoughton

West Virginia
Terry L. Buxton, Huttonsville

LITERARY BRAILLE PROOFREADERS

Linda L. Jacobson, Orange Park, Florida
Maria Consuelo Tabije, Waban, Massachusetts
Laurel J. Walden, Shelbyville, Illinois

MATHEMATICS BRAILLE TRANSCRIBERS

Chanin A. Clark, Indian Springs, Nevada
C.J. Cornelius, Arlington, Virginia
Joyce H. Hull, Geneva, Florida
Catherine L. Yocom, Voorhees, New Jersey


Meetings

National Braille Association (NBA)
     Spring Regional Meeting and Workshops, Holiday Inn
Downtown, Louisville, Kentucky; Friday, May 8-Saturday, May
9, 1998
     Fall Regional Meeting and Workshops, Holiday Inn City
Line, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Friday, October 30-
Saturday, October 31, 1998
     For more information about 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)
     CTEVH XXXIX Annual Conference, Los Angeles Airport
Hilton, Los Angeles, California; Thursday, March 26-
Saturday, March 28, 1998
     CTEVH XL Annual Conference, Hyatt Regency Hotel,
Sacramento, California; Thursday, March 25-Saturday, March
27, 1999
     For more information about these meetings, contact
CTEVH, 741 North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90029-3594,
(213) 666-2211; website:
http://edtech.sdcs.k12.ca.us/epd/ctevhhome.html.

Visual Aid Volunteers of Florida (VAVF)
     Annual Meeting and Conference, Treasure Island Inn,
Daytona Beach Shores, Florida; Thursday, April 30-Saturday,
May 2, 1998
     For more information about this meeting, contact
Florence Mathiesen, 6097 Blueberry Lane, Crestview, FL
32536-7142, (850) 682-7750.


Audio Art
Marks of terror

Narrators are a hardy breed. We aren't fazed by the
fandangoes of Faulkner, the caprices of Capote, the
obstacles of Oates, or the gripes of Roth. But we can be
made to cower in abject obeisance before the looming species
of one indomitable force: punctuation! Terrorized by commas,
capitals, and quotation marks, we fill sentences with enough
dead air to turn a five-side book into a seven-side snoozer.
     It's the "automatic pauses" syndrome. Consider the
following sentence: "Billy Wilder next directed Double
Indemnity, starring Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, and
Edward G. Robinson." A simple enough statement of fact--
easily polished off in five seconds. But the overzealous,
easily intimidated narrator will render it thusly: "Billy
Wilder next directed (pause) Double Indemnity (pause)
starring (pause) Barbara Stanwyck (pause) Fred MacMurray
(pause) and (pause) Edward G. Robinson." A similar reference
to an all-star MGM musical could take up a good half-hour of
tape.
     Punctuation marks are a convention of the written word.
Let me repeat that: Punctuation marks are a convention of
the written word. They guide the reader through the
intricacies of printed language as our eyes scan the page,
separating thought from speech, scene from scene, text from
subtext. I couldn't have written that last sentence without
them. But that's where their usefulness ends, because
punctuation marks are not a convention of the spoken word.  
When we speak, we don't use them. Ever! (Except for Victor
Borge, but he's on a different pay scale.)
     We use a different convention--phrasing. That's how we
translate the written into the spoken word. Punctuation
marks, paragraphs, italics, skipped lines, indentations,
different typefaces, parentheses--all these print
conventions can be translated artfully (and naturally) by
the whole range of vocal phrasing available to us and that
we always use when we're away from a microphone without
giving a thought to comma placement.
     Is it really necessary to let the listener know where
every bit of printed punctuation occurs?
     Does taking "automatic pauses" improve the flow of the
narrative?
     Let's try an experiment. Tape yourself reading the
following passage, pausing at every mark:
     "Get out of here," he said.
     "No way, Jose," she countered. "I've leased this house
for June, July, and August."
     "I don't care," he replied, gathering up her red,
green, blue, yellow, and grey dresses.
     "Take these with you," he shouted, "and be out of here,
lock, stock, and barrel before I get back from the screening
of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!"
     Now listen to the tape. Have I made my point? Keep in
mind that the people who listen to recorded books are no
strangers to colloquial, conversational speech. They hear it
every day. They use it every day.
     We all know how human speech sounds. Writers use
punctuation as clues that enable us to hear, in our minds,
the flow of their thoughts as we read the page. And when
translating print to speech, that's exactly how we should
use them--as clues. Not orders.
     Yaknowwhatimean?
(photo caption: This article was written by Ray Hagen, NLS
studio narrator. Photo by Jim Higgins.)


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: Jane Caulton
Braille student-instructor dialog: John Wilkinson