Library Service in the Information Age

Library Service in the Information Age

Braille MonitorMarch 1986
(back)(contents)(next)

Library Service in the Information Age
by Judith M. Dixon
Head,
Consumer Relations Section

National Library Service for the Blind
and Physically Handicapped

Library of Congress

Washington, D.C.
Keeping pace with rapidly changing
information needs has long been a priority
for librarians in any setting.
Add to this the growing emphasis on
immediate access, the advances in
information-related technology, and the
ever changing nature of the information
itself, and it can easily be seen why
the developments of the past few years
have been termed an "information explosion.
Librarians and consumers alike are
already reaping the benefits of this
burgeoning information age. A trip to
your local public library today reveals
a vastly different scene than would have
greeted you a decade ago--librarians are
searching for materials and circulating
books with computers of all sizes, hundreds
of on-line databases are putting
information literally at the public's
fingertips, and some libraries even have
microcomputers and software available
for the use of visitors.
With similar advances, libraries which
serve blind and physically handicapped
individuals with Braille and /or talking
books are also able to provide an ever
widening variety of materials and services
to their patrons.
LOCATING INFORMATION:
Finding out what materials are available
from the library has become easier.
With a quarterly microfiche catalog--a
computer-produced cumulative listing of
all books in the NLS collection as well
as many available elsewhere--librarians
are able to search the holdings of
Recording for the Blind and as far away
as Australia. Library staff can access
this catalog by author, title, subject,
book number, and even narrator to locate
a particular book or to create a comprehensive
listing of desired materials.
If the request is more complicated, a
computerized database can be searched.
Catalogs of recently produced titles
are compiled on an annual basis for
cassette books and on a biennial basis
for disc, Braille, and children's books.
All are produced in large print and in
the appropriate format as books in the
collection. Catalogs of Braille books
are produced in Braille for mass distribution,
and plans for this year include
providing catalogs of recorded titles to
patrons on flexible discs.
To provide listings of books of popular
interest, subject bibliographies are
produced each year. Recent additions to
this series are Short Novels, which
includes novels of one cassette, no more
than two discs, or no more than two
Braille volumes; and Romances, which
includes Harlequins, regencies, gothies,
classics, and other titles of this
genre. The large print editions of
these bibliographies contain listings of
material in all three media, the disc
editions contain listings of the
recorded books, and the Braille editions
contain listings of the Braille books.
Plans for this year are for four shorter
bibliographies listing children's books
at several age/grade levels.
To assist patrons in obtaining
materials not available, a biennial
publication entitled Volunteers Who
Produce Books is compiled. This
comprehensive directory lists volunteer
groups and individuals who are able to
transcribe and record books and other
materials. The listing is alphabetical
by state and represents such services
as: Braille transcription, large type
transcription, tape recording, duplication,
and binding. Specialties listed
include music, mathematics, computer
Braille, and a variety of foreign
languages. The 1984 edition of this
directory is available through network
libraries in large print and Braille.
BOOKS AND MAGAZINES:
Recent collection development efforts
have responded to requests for more
information and reference works.
Computer books, travel books, and how-to
books of all kinds are being added on a regular basis along with a wide variety
of serious and light fiction. In the
past few years, foreign language materials
have been added to library holdings
in increasing numbers. A 1984 catalog
entitled Foreign Language Books, available
in large print and on flexible
disc, provides a cumulative listing of
the foreign language titles that can be
borrowed directly from network
libraries. In addition to the national
collection of Braille and recorded
titles in a variety of languages, network
libraries now have access to over
thirty foreign language bibliographies
that list other sources of foreign
language materials in special format,
both within the United States and overseas.
The
number of magazines in special
format continues to change to respond to
current interests. Recent additions
available through the national program
include Poetry in Braille, Popular
Computing in Braille, and Journal
Francais d'Amerique (French language) on
flexible disc. For a listing of the
magazines available through network
libraries as well as magazines produced
by other organizations, consult the
reference circular entitled Magazines
in Special Media: Subscription Sources, which is available in regular print,
flexible disc, and Braille.
Magazine of the Month on flexible disc
and Magazine of the Quarter in Braille
both continue to be popular items.
Intended to provide subscribers with an
opportunity to browse a variety of magazines
not normally available, these
subscriptions also give consumers an
opportunity to rate selections annually.
These ratings are considered carefully
when future additions to the programs
are possible. Recent issues of Magazine
of the Month have been Family Computing
Congressional Digest, Popular Communications,
and High Technology. Recent
issues of Magazine of the Quarter have
been Bon Apetit, Ham Radio, Cosmopolitan,
and Gentlemen's Quarterly.
EQUIPMENT AND ACCESSORIES:
The newest piece of NLS-produced playback
equipment is the Easy Cassette Book
Machine. This machine was developed in
response to requests for a more automatic,
simpler to operate, cassette
machine. This machine was designed to
serve the needs of patrons who, because
of age or disability, may not be able to
use the standard cassette machine, or
who are confused by the operation of the
standard machine.
The Easy Machine frees the user from
many of the routine tasks associated
with cassette operation. Once inserted,
a cassette need never be removed until
the entire recording has been played.
The machine will switch tracks automatically
and, if undisturbed when the
end of the last recorded side is
reached, will automatically rewind the
cassette to the beginning of the first
track. When the next cassette is placed
in the machine, the machine will rewind
it automatically to the beginning of the
first track and begin playing without
further ado.
Currently, the Easy Cassette Book
Machine is in the process of being evaluated
by network libraries and consumers.
After approved recommendations
have been incorporated into the final
design, units will be available for
those desiring this specialized piece of
equipment.
Lightweight headphones will soon be
available from network libraries.
Weighing just three ounces, this redesigned
accessory has a six-foot cord
with a quarter-inch plug on the end
enabling it to be used with a cassette
machine or disc player. The new headphones
are of the open-air type, allowing
the wearer to hear ambient noise
while listening with headphones.
Requests for the lightweight headphones
can be sent to network libraries in early 1986.
OTHER MATERIALS:
To satisfy information needs about
materials and services available from
many sources, reference publications on
topics of broad interest are produced on
a regular basis. A recently published
reference circular is Parent's Guide to
the Development of Preschool Handicapped
Children: Resources and Services. Soon to be available are From School To
Working Life: Resources and Services and Sources of Braille Reading Materials. A
complete list of reference circulars and
reference bibliographies can be obtained
from the NLS Reference Section. Most of
these materials are produced in regular
print, but some of particular interest
to patrons are also produced in limited
quantities in Braille and recorded formats.
Another
area that is currently being
developed is that of tactile maps. A
special collection of these maps is
being established at NLS. Maps are
being acquired from sources throughout
the world and once a sufficient supply
has been obtained, a comprehensive catalog
will be produced and made available
to libraries and patrons. Tactile maps
will be available for borrowing either
through network libraries or directly
from NLS.
Many of the materials newly available
are being produced because of expressed
needs of consumers. It is hoped that
blind and physically handicapped individuals
will continue to make their
needs and interests known. Questions,
comments, complaints, or suggestions are
welcomed by network libraries as well as
NLS. You may contact the Consumer Relations
Section at NLS by writing to Consumer
Relations Section, National
Library Service for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped, Library of
Congress, Washington, D.C. 20542; or by
calling (202) 287-6397.
(back)(contents)(next)