Update
October-December 1998, Vol. 21, No. 4

ISSN 0160-9203

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

Transcriber leaves volunteer service after thirty-four years

Longtime braille transcriber Maggi Mueller was the guest of honor
at a recent surprise party given by her peers from Volunteer
Services for the Visually Handicapped (VSVH) in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin.
     Mrs. Mueller, who was regaled for serving thirty-four years
as a braille transcriber, is leaving VSVH as a result of failing
eyesight. The group gathered at a restaurant in her hometown of
Burlington and enjoyed an afternoon of good food, fellowship, and
reminiscing. The volunteers presented her with a cookie
arrangement in a mug, inscribed in print and braille with the
phrase "I've been working on the brailleroad." The cookies also
bore messages of farewell, and one wore a tearful face.
     Mrs. Mueller, eighty-four, was one of the founders of
Volunteer Services for the Visually Handicapped in 1965, and she
later served as braille chairman. In 1977 Mrs. Mueller was
selected as one of ten national winners of the National Volunteer
Action Award. During the 1977 ceremony, held at the Kennedy
Center in Washington, D.C., Mrs. Mueller received a silver tray
presented by Joan Mondale, wife of the then-U.S. vice president,
Walter F. Mondale.
     Mrs. Mueller is known among the VSVH transcribers as someone
who was able to juggle three or four braille assignments at once.
In an article in the Burlington newspaper, the Standard Press,
she says, "I have transcribed everything from Dr. Seuss to the
Iliad, with Dr. Seuss being the harder of the two because of its
unique vocabulary." Her husband, William, often helped with her
work by creating tactile drawings.
     Although her vision loss has caused her to stop brailling,
Mrs. Mueller says she will volunteer at a local rehabilitation
center and continue to lead an ecumenical Bible-study class. "If
you sit and do nothing, what do you have to talk about?" she
queries.
     She has a number of children, grandchildren, and
great-grandchildren who live near her, and she looks forward to
spending more time with them.
(photo caption: Mrs. Maggi Mueller.)


McReynolds logs in twenty-five years

In February 1999, Norma McReynolds will celebrate a quarter
century of service as a volunteer narrator with the Florida
Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services.
     "Ms. McReynolds is a great `find,' and it is our pleasure to
share her milestone with the network and volunteers everywhere!"
says Dorothy Minor, archivist, Braille and Talking Book Library.
     When she moved to Daytona Beach from North Carolina
twenty-five years ago, Ms. McReynolds learned from the newspaper
that the Florida Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library
Services needed volunteers. She answered the ad and, after her
interview, knew she had found a place at the library. She says
she left knowing that it was where she wanted to serve the
community.
     Ms. McReynolds, now seventy-one, began her volunteer duties
as a monitor in the Recording Section. Over the years, she has
become certified as a monitor, narrator, and reviewer. All three
of these positions are needed for high-quality recording. Ms.
McReynolds has been the voice of Cyber Skip Digest, the magazine
for Florida Ham Radio Operators, for many years. Cyber Skip
Digest is available on cassette through regional braille and
talking book libraries to people unable to use standard printed
materials.
     The former schoolteacher recently celebrated her fiftieth
wedding anniversary with her husband Gerald II, whom she married
August 15, 1948. Ms. McReynolds is also the proud mother of two
sons, Roger and Gerald III. She has three grandchildren and one
great-grandson. Still, Ms. McReynolds, a licensed pilot, has time
to fly her own plane and keep up with her ham radio buddies.
     Ms. McReynolds also dedicates one day a week to inspecting
cassette books. Her specialty is inspecting the multicontainer
cassette books in mail pouches and oversized plastic cases. "Over
the years we have noticed that Norma McReynolds is always ready
to take on new tasks or new skills, whatever it takes to
contribute to the lives of others," says Dorothy Minor.
(photo caption: Norma McReynolds in the recording studio where
she narrates Cyber Skip Digest. Photo by Dorothy Minor.)


Book stores host braille demonstrations

Customers dropping in at two Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on a recent Saturday got a first-hand
glimpse of how print is transcribed into braille.
     Sandy Rowley and Edna Proeber, braille transcribers from the
Volunteer Services for the Visually Handicapped (VSVH), visited
the Downer Street and Oakland Street stores where they
demonstrated three methods of producing braille: using a slate
and stylus, using a Perkins Braillewriter, and using a computer.
They showed examples of braille materials, including a Golden
storybook, print-braille books, textbooks, tactile graphics,
business cards, menus, and cookbooks.
     "We thank the stores for hosting the demonstrations and for
giving us the opportunity to let people know more about the work
we do," says Carol Chew, executive director of Volunteer Services
for the Visually Handicapped in Milwaukee. VSVH plans to repeat
these demonstrations in other locations in the future.


Local author observes recording session
by Renee Horowitz

In July I was privileged to enjoy a unique experience listening
while volunteer narrator Imogene Hoelzen recorded my first
mystery novel, Rx for Murder, at the Arizona State Braille and
Talking Book Library.
     My husband, Arthur, and I watched as Ms. Hoelzen and Bob
Nichols, who was the monitor, worked. We appreciated the careful
way they went about marking each passage to make sure that
nothing was skipped and to be able to make corrections later, if
needed. Because Arthur already had been consulted about
pronunciations of various medications mentioned in the book, we
were not surprised to note the many reference books available for
quality control.
     That same morning, Jeanie Pawlowski, volunteer coordinator,
was kind enough to take us on a fascinating tour of the library.
We watched volunteers quality check tapes, repair recorders, and
fill requests for cassette books. Arthur and I were amazed at the
huge number of available cassettes and at the quantity (as many
as two thousand recorded books) mailed out each day.
     My books feature a woman pharmacist who uses her
professional knowledge to solve some intriguing murders. The
background gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at what happens
in a pharmacy. Although I'm not a pharmacist, my husband (like my
amateur sleuth) manages a supermarket pharmacy.
     The publication last year of Rx for Murder and the second
book in the series, Deadly Rx (which Ms. Hoelzen has just begun
to record), were a dream come true. I had always wanted to write
mystery novels. Instead, I spent many years writing scholarly
articles to feed the "publish or perish" syndrome at Arizona
State University where I was a professor, teaching technical
communication. Like Ms. Hoelzen, I'm also a volunteer braille
transcriber and just completed brailling Rx for Murder.
(From Volunteer Monitor, newsletter of the Arizona Braille and
Talking Book Library.)


New edition of How to Read Braille Music

Opus Technologies has announced the publication of a new edition
of Bettye Krolick's How to Read Braille Music.
     First published in 1975, How to Read Braille Music has
become the text used most by music teachers to instruct blind
students and their parents in music braille. Written at a
fifth-grade reading level, the book is designed to be both a
learning tool and a continuing resource for the reader of braille
music. It contains the music symbols most frequently encountered
in elementary to intermediate level music, with concise
explanations of their use. An index serves as a handy tool for
identifying new symbols as they are found in the actual use of
braille music.
     In the new edition, the self-help teaching materials have
been expanded to include a section for guitar chords. All of the
vocal examples have been updated to reflect the latest changes in
the braille music code. The material on Resources is completely
new, and Tips for Sighted Music Teachers has been added.
     How to Read Braille Music, Second Edition, is being
published by Opus Technologies in print, in braille, and in an
interactive multimedia CD-ROM edition. The CD-ROM lets the reader
use a personal computer (PC) to access the complete text of the
book, including all the examples in music and braille notation.
Audio playback is available for each example, along with detailed
listings that explain the meaning of every braille sign used in
the example. Clicking a music notation symbol displays its
corresponding braille sign, and clicking a braille sign displays
its meaning. Hyperlinks make it easy to navigate through the
text. You can access index entries by braille sign, quickly
search the entire manual for specific words or braille signs, and
print or emboss any topic. The CD-ROM requires a multimedia PC
with a CD-ROM drive and sound card, Windows 95 or later, and for
blind users, appropriate screen access hardware and software.
     Prices are $12.95 for the print edition (ISBN
1-892195-05-4), $19.95 for the braille edition (ISBN
1-892195-06-2), and $79 for the CD-ROM edition (ISBN
1-892195-02-X), plus $5 shipping and handling per U.S. order ($10
for Canada and Mexico, $15 for other international orders).
     Based in San Diego, California, Opus Technologies has
pioneered the development of multimedia CD-ROM resources for
braille music and also distributes the New International Manual
of Braille Music Notation in print, in braille, and on CD-ROM.
For additional information, contact Opus Technologies at 1333
Thunderhead Street, San Diego, CA 92129, phone/fax (619)
538-9401; e-mail: opus@opustec.com; website: www.opustec.com.


North Carolina Library celebrates fortieth birthday, recognizes
volunteers

The Friends of the North Carolina Library for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped (NCLBPH) sponsored a two-day celebration
honoring the library's volunteers and its fortieth birthday!
     The event kicked off at the Velvet Cloak Inn long known in
Raleigh for its superior quality with the annual volunteer
recognition dinner on Thursday evening, September 17. Jack Stein,
NCLBPH volunteer, kept the mood festive by "tickling the ivories"
as the seventy-five attendees filed through the buffet line. Gary
Ray, director of Volunteer Services, handled duties as master of
ceremonies, with some assistance from Dr. Paul Rowland of the
Friends.
     The highlight of the evening was the presentation of awards.
In the past year, one hundred NCLBPH volunteers donated five
thousand hours of service to the library. Thirty-two volunteers
received special recognition in the form of awards and
photographs. Denise Sigmon, Library Services Section chief, and
Francine Martin, regional librarian, bestowed
þ the A.R.R.O.W. Author Award on two volunteers,
þ the NCLBPH Award for twenty-five, fifty, and seventy-five
hours of service on seven volunteers,
þ the NCLBPH Award for one hundred hours of service on three
volunteers,
þ the Cultural Resources Award for two hundred and three hundred
fifty hours of service on two volunteers,
þ the Governor's Award for five hundred, seven hundred fifty,
one thousand, and twelve hundred fifty hours of service on eleven
volunteers, and
þ the Library of Congress Award for fifteen hundred, twenty-five
hundred, and three thousand hours on five volunteers.
     In addition, Mr. Ray presented Ben Eason, who has served the
library for forty years, with the President's Award and named
Lorene Hagwood as the Volunteer of the Year for twenty years of
service to the library.
     Lila Friday, chairperson of the State Library Commission and
guest speaker for the evening, brought a stimulating and
encouraging message. Special guests included Sandy Cooper, state
librarian; Michael Moodie, NLS research and development officer;
Linda Povlich, director of Citizen and Community Services of the
Governor's Office; and Betsy Buford, deputy secretary of the N.C.
Department of Cultural Resources. They also attended the library
open house the following day where the volunteers joined Friends
of NCLBPH, dignitaries, patrons, families, and friends to
celebrate the library's fortieth birthday.
     As they arrived at the twenty-one-thousand-square-foot
library building, visitors were greeted by Francine Martin,
regional librarian; Ruth Bame, assistant regional librarian; Bill
Waters, president of the Friends of NCLBPH; Mr. Moodie; and John
Welch, assistant state librarian.
     "Without the continuing support of our volunteers, friends
group, and patrons each year, the library wouldn't run as
smoothly as it does," says Ms. Martin. "We're proud to open our
doors and show off what has come to be known as one of the best
libraries in the country."
     The thirty-three-member LBPH staff were all on hand to show
off the library, answer questions, and assist with demonstrations
of library services and equipment. Mr. Ray conducted tours of the
library, providing information on the history and growth of the
library to the 250 visitors. Exhibits from the Triangle Radio
Reading Service, the Raleigh Blind Bowlers League, the Friends of
the LBPH, the Lions Club "Eye Will" program, and the Aids and
Appliances unit of Services for the Blind (which also displayed
items for sale) were staged throughout the library. Refreshments
were also plentiful during the event.
     "The library staff and volunteers have done a great job
getting the building ready to receive guests. We put our best
foot forward to show just how proud we are of our facility and
service. Everything came together for a day of celebration and
fun," says Ms. Martin.


Volunteers Who Produce Books to be revised

The next edition of Volunteers Who Produce Books (VWPB) is
scheduled for publication in 1999. This directory lists
information about active volunteer groups and individuals
throughout the United States who produce braille, recorded, and
large-print reading materials. Services such as duplicating and
binding will also be listed.
     Volunteer groups and individuals listed in the current issue
will receive a copy of their entry as it appeared in the previous
issue or with any changes submitted to NLS. When the copy is
received, please
1. review the information for accuracy and completeness.
2. return the information to NLS as soon as possible. This will
help to speed publication.
     In addition, please inform NLS of other agencies that fit
the VWPB profile but have not been included.
     Questions regarding this publication should be directed to
Freddie Peaco, Reference Section, National Library Service for
the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress,
Washington, DC 20542; telephone: 1-800-424-8567, ext. #3; e-mail:
fpea@loc.gov.


New NLS video helps machine-repair volunteers

A new machine-repair video that shows how to recondition a C-1
cassette book machine (CBM) has been mailed to machine-repair
groups in the NLS network.
     The eighty-minute video, NLS Reconditioning Procedures for
Cassette Book Machines, emphasizes the importance of having a
quality-control system within repair groups. Tom McLaughlin,
quality assurance specialist, and Kevin Watson, assistant
equipment and materials maintenance coordinator (EMMC), "walk"
viewers through the process of checking a reconditioned C-1 CBM
against the NLS standards.
     The video reviews common problems a volunteer repairperson
might encounter. In addition, it demonstrates replacing a
playback head, conducting frequency response testing (including
checking head alignment), removing and replacing torque-producing
components, and setting the machine's playback speed. The video
provides good close-up shots of small components such as playback
heads. The viewer can clearly see the details of proper machine
reconditioning.
     NLS Reconditioning Procedures for Cassette Book Machines
should provide valuable aid to trainers who have participated in
a Volunteer Repair Project course and to others in the repair
groups. Test equipment will also be available for issue to repair
groups.
     The video was produced by Mr. McLaughlin and Mr. Watson with
the assistance of George Thuronyi, writer-editor in the NLS
Publications and Media Section.


Rossi commended for promoting access

Gerard Rossi, a longtime Braille Institute Library (BIA) user and
volunteer, was presented the Seventh Annual Access Award by the
Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities and the Los Angeles
County Board of Supervisors on October 28, 1998.
     The former teacher of history, English, and ESL (English for
speakers of other languages) was honored for his outstanding
contributions on behalf of the disability community. He also
received a certificate of special congressional recognition,
granted by Congressman Howard L. Berman.
     Mr. Rossi received commendations for his tireless efforts to
provide braille magazines and textbooks to countries where
braille materials are scarce. Since March, Mr. Rossi has served
as the cochair of the Long-Range Planning Com-mittee at the
Braille Institute Library. In ad-dition to these
responsibilities, he is active in Braille Institute's Community
Outreach Program and its Speaker's Bureau.
     Mr. Rossi is a volunteer teacher at the Institute and
teaches braille privately to those unable to attend classes. In
1976, the award recipient created the Library Advisory Committee,
which serves as a conduit of information between BIA patrons and
NLS.
(photo caption: Gerard Rossi (center), winner of the Access
Award, with Braille Institute Library director Henry Chang (left)
and Support Services manager Tina Herbison.)


Braille Institute event celebrates diversity

Braille Institute Library in Los Angeles hosted its annual open
house on October 24. The theme of the event was Celebrating
Cultural Diversity through Art, Reading, and Technology. More
than five hundred library patrons and guests attended the affair.
Award-winning narrator Chuck Benson served as guest speaker and
received a certificate of appreciation from Braille Institute
president Leslie Stocker.
     Library director Henry Chang, master of ceremonies,
underscored the theme by asking various staff members to recite
the program's official welcome in a variety of languages,
including Philippino, Norwegian, Japanese, and American English.
The cultural diversity of both the library staff and its many
patrons was also reflected by the colorful student art projects
decorating the library.
     In addition to many informational display booths featuring
the latest in visual aids technology, the event sponsored tours
of the extensive facilities and services available to Braille
Institute Library patrons. Representatives from such service
agencies as Guide Dogs of America, Access Services, and the Los
Angeles Department of Rehabilitation answered questions and
distributed materials from their informational booths. A
well-attended Internet demonstration instructed visually impaired
computer users on how to navigate the information superhighway.
     The winners of a library-sponsored poetry contest were
treated to a moving recitation of their work by guest speaker and
masterful talking-book narrator Chuck Benson. Finally, the
Braille Break Time Dancers a group of spirited,
professional-caliber tap dancers who also happen to be Braille
Institute employees wowed the audience with their quick-footed
agility. Their performance rounded out an informative and
fun-filled program.
(photo caption: Braille Institute president Leslie Stocker (left)
with narrator Chuck Benson (center) and Library Advisory
Committee chair Joy Smith.)


Tennessee Pioneers honored in Gatlinburg

The Library of Congress honored the contributions of the
Telephone Pioneers of America during the Seventy-Second Annual
Tennessee Pioneer Volunteer Assembly held June 26 28, 1998, in
Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Representing NLS, Robert Fistick, head,
Publications and Media Section, presented the Telephone Pioneers
with a plaque from the Library of Congress for their efforts in
the Volunteer Machine Repair Project. He lauded the group for
their success, speaking before a gathering of more than five
hundred Pioneers and their families at the Park Vista Hotel
banquet. Mary Lou Brooks, life member and president of the
Telephone Pioneers, accepted the tribute.
(photo caption: (Left to right) Robert Fistick, NLS; Bill McCord,
president of the Tennessee chapter of the Pioneers; Mary Lou
Brooks, Telephone Pioneers; Mary Lou Markham, Tennessee regional
librarian; and Fred Hicks, regional coordinator of the Pioneers.)


In memoriam
"Flo" McGill established braille program

Florence Ann "Flo" McGill, a braille transcriber and braille
instructor, died Sunday, October 11. Flo, as she was known, was
born February 20, 1933, in Belvedere, Illinois. After her
marriage to Arthur McGill on October 15, 1955, she accompanied
him to various installations during his military career, finally
settling in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1968.
     Flo was employed by the Clark County School District as a
teacher's aid to blind students. She was certified in literary
braille transcribing in 1989 and for the past ten years served as
the Clark County braillist. She was instrumental in establishing
the Spring Mountain Braille program at the Southern Desert
Correctional Center.
     "Flo started the program with five braillers and her hard
work," says Jane Hollowood, current director of the program.
"Over the past ten years, under her supervision, more than one
hundred transcribers have been certified in literary braille and
fifteen certified in math. One of her students is working on his
music certification. Flo took the program from braillewriters to
computers. We have a room of fifteen computers. The group
transcribes books into braille for the schools in Clark and
Douglas Counties, about one hundred books a year. She built a
wonderful program." The Spring Mountain Braille program has been
so successful that it is being used as a model for setting up
similar braille programs in California prisons.
     Flo enjoyed traveling across country in a motor home with
her family and friends. Her fondest memories were of touring
through Canada and visiting relatives and friends in Illinois.
She especially cherished the time spent with her grandchildren on
the road and at home. She is survived by her husband of
thirty-three years, Arthur, four children, and seven
grandchildren.


Update on mathematics braille test

After almost a year of planning, NLS is administering a new
Nemeth certification test. The test, which resembles a
mini-textbook, is standardized and generated from a sole source
to provide consistency of text throughout the print copy. It is
based on the Nemeth Code Book and the Lesson Manual. There are
two versions of the test so that people in the same area will
receive different tests. Two additional versions are being
planned.
     In the month of June, approximately twenty-one tests were
requested. By the end of September, ten people had returned the
tests. Of these, seven people passed, three of them on the first
attempt.
     Nemeth code braillists interested in testing may review a
list of problems before requesting the test. The problems were
selected from the Lesson Manual to help people who have been away
from the course for a period of time and would like to prepare
for the test. This is an optional step; transcribers may answer
questions at their discretion. Once completed, the list may be
submitted to NLS for evaluation and explanation.
     Two new proofreading Nemeth tests will be available soon.
Watch for more information.


Volunteer day at West Virginia subregional

September 18 was Volunteers Day at the subregional library in
Parkersburg, West Virginia. The day began with a volunteer
workshop attended by fifteen volunteers along with Michael
Hickman, subregional librarian; Donna Calvert, regional
librarian; and her assistant, Terry Matheny.
     Presented by Freddie Peaco, NLS government
information/volunteer specialist, the workshop included extensive
coverage of volunteer-program evaluation issues and a discussion
on program expansion. After analyzing the library's current
volunteer activities, the session focused on expanding outreach
and home visitation services. Ms. Peaco reminded the group that
these services would require careful planning and recruitment
efforts.
     At the conclusion of the workshop, the group moved to a
nearby restaurant where the library sponsored a volunteer
recognition luncheon. Paul Messenger, a talking-book patron,
explained to the volunteers what talking books have meant to him
over the years. He said that he gained an education by using
talking books. In addition, each volunteer received a letter of
appreciation signed by Ann Lorentz, head of the Parkersburg and
Wood County Public Library System, who also attended the
luncheon. Ms. Peaco presented a certificate of appreciation from
NLS to volunteer Mae Payne for dedicated service to the library
since 1980.
     Following the luncheon, Ms. Peaco facilitated a second
session for Mr. Hickman, Ms. Calvert, and Ms. Matheny. It covered
recruiting techniques, volunteer job descriptions, and other
administrative issues.
     "The workshops were very beneficial," says Ms. Calvert. "And
the material was clear, concise, and informative."


Braille student-instructor dialog

The Braille Development Section (BDS) receives numerous questions
concerning a variety of problems in braille transcribing. This
article addresses some of them. The question-and-answer format is
intended to provide clarity.

Student: I am about to transcribe Exercise Eleven from the
Instruction Manual for Braille Transcribing. Before I begin, I
have a few questions. In the print copy, the salutation is
followed by a blank line. Also, the first paragraph is started at
the margin, and the first two words are written in double
capitals. Should I follow the print copy?
Instructor: No. Where print ignores paragraph indentation and
uses all capital letters in the first few words at the beginning
of a chapter or other division, this practice should be
disregarded in braille. (See Section 18.a of English Braille
American Edition, 1994.)
Student: The initials T.C.U. and M.P. are spaced in print. Should
they also be spaced in braille?
Instructor: No. Section 27 of the official code says that
abbreviations consisting of letters should be written unspaced on
one line.
Student: The designation for 45 degrees Fahrenheit is written
using the print symbol for degrees. Should a dot 4 be used in
braille preceding the abbreviation for degrees?
Instructor: No. The print symbol indicator (dot 4) is placed only
before the print symbols listed in Section 31.b of the official
code, English Braille American Edition, 1994.
Student: I know that Section 31 of the official code deals with
symbols and abbreviations for coinage, weight, measure, and other
special signs. Therefore, I assume that the abbreviations 2 hr.,
20 min., and 50 sec. are spaced and punctuated as they appear in
print. Is this correct?
Instructor: Absolutely. Section 31 of the official code says that
when, in print, a letter or a number is preceded or followed by a
symbol or abbreviation for coinage, weight, measure, or other
special sign, follow the print order, spelling, capitalization,
punctuation, and spacing for the abbreviation or corresponding
braille symbol.
Student: Toward the end of Exercise Eleven, an oblique stroke is
used in the sterling coinage to separate pounds, shillings, and
pence. Should the oblique stroke be retained in braille?
Instructor: Yes. Sterling coinage should be transcribed in
braille exactly as it appears in print.
Student: I have one question about my thirty-five-page trial
manuscript. Since it is no longer necessary to include the
copyright information on the title page for most braille books,
should the suggested disclaimer presented in an earlier issue of
Update be substituted on the title page in a trial manuscript?
Instructor: The 1994 edition of the Instruction Manual for
Braille Transcribing does not give specific instructions on how
to format the new disclaimer that is to be written on the title
page. Therefore, for trial manuscripts submitted for
certification, follow the instructions for preparing the title
page presented in Section 18.10 of the instruction manual.


Volunteers master new skills

During the months of July, August, and September certificates in
braille transcribing were awarded to sixty-eight persons. Sixty
of those were awarded in literary braille transcribing, one in
literary braille proofreading, and seven in mathematics braille
transcribing.

LITERARY BRAILLE TRANSCRIBERS

Alabama
Janie Allums Wright, Pell City

Arizona
Jack Robert Olson, Winslow
James Franklin Woodruff, Douglas

California
Patricia C. Burch, Woodland
Sandra Cathcart, Ceres
Shonda S. Maynard, Hemet
Randy C. Mendoza, Folsom
Katherine Moreau, Orange
Joan Sommerville, Sacramento
Jacqueline Elise Wise, Reseda
Kumi Yoshida, Rancho Palos Verdes

Colorado
Wanda L. Gwinn, Longmont

Illinois
Kathryn A. Seibert, Naperville

Iowa
Lila J. Fisher, Ottumwa
Timothy C. Wilcoxson, Anamosa

Maryland
Eldre P. Boggs, Annapolis
Teresa M. Nocar, Baltimore

Minnesota
Penny J. Carpenter, Sauk Centre
Susan E. Cencich, Chisholm
Trish Jaeb, Plymouth
Steve Oglesbee, Minneapolis
Barbara Jean Werrbach, Crystal

Missouri
Florence H. Maltby, Springfield

Nebraska
Charles V. Talley, Lincoln

Nevada
Brian Hoye, Las Vegas
Jason M. Ward, Las Vegas

New Jersey
Judith M. Kramer, Wharton
Elena Miele Marvel, Short Hills
Nancy L. Romankiewicz, Short Hills
Cheryl D. Woolford, Summit

New Mexico
Patricia Stevenson, Alamogordo

New York
Janet M. Burt, Cold Brook
Marie S. Eichner, Rochester
Barbara Robinson, Spencerport

Ohio
Michael Anthony Corn, Grafton
Reginald L. Darden, Grafton
Raymond C. Miller, Grafton

Oregon
Jamie Dyanne McDuna, Portland
A. Trumbull Ogilby, Eugene
Norris D. Randolph, Hillsboro

Pennsylvania
Patricia S. Bateup, Macungie
Sharon E. Heffelfinger, Bath
Helen B. Klitsch, Easton
Mary A. Lewullis, Allentown
Karen L. Wolfgang, Germansville

South Dakota
Toby W. Ferguson, Sioux Falls
Mark A. Lohman, Yankton
Beau G. Reynolds, Sioux Falls
David R. Rhoden, Yankton
David A. Shoff, Yankton

Texas
Marie McClane, San Antonio

Utah
Carol Braegger, Ogden
Stephanie D. Collins, Ogden

Washington
Alta McLaughlin, Vancouver
Linda M. White, Seattle

West Virginia
Phillip A. Boone, Huttonsville
Brian L. Gentry, Huttonsville
Dennis Z. Hatfield, Huttonsville

Wisconsin
Denise A. Thompson, Fond du Lac
Marlene J. Wood, Menomonee Falls

LITERARY BRAILLE PROOFREADER
Phillip C. Arnett, Raleigh, North Carolina

MATHEMATICS BRAILLE TRANSCRIBERS
Arturo Benitez, Las Vegas, Nevada
Jeryl Lynn Brenner, Bremerton, Washington
Dona L. Champlain, St. Paul, Minnesota
Abraham Feleke, Wilmington, Delaware
Joanne Jaindl, Allentown, Pennsylvania
S. Jeanette Kirby, Gulfport, Florida
M. Jean Simpson, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania


Meetings

National Braille Association (NBA)
Twenty-fifth National Conference, Antlers Doubletree 
Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Thursday, April 29-Saturday,
May 1, 1999.
     Fall Regional Meeting and Workshops, Radisson Plaza Hotel,
Orlando, Florida; Thursday, October 14-Saturday, October 16,
1999.
     Spring Regional Meeting and Workshops, Holiday Inn
University Park, Des Moines, Iowa; Thursday, April 27-Saturday,
April 29, 2000.
     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 XL Annual Conference, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Sacramento, 
California; Thursday, March 25-Saturday, March 27, 1999.
     For more information about this meeting, 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)
VAVF 1999 Conference of Volunteers, Radisson Resort North
Hutchinson Island, Fort Pierce, Florida, Wednesday, May 12-
Friday, May 14, 1999.
     For more information about this meeting, contact Florence
Mathiesen, VAVF president, 6097 Blueberry Lane, Crestview, FL
32536, (850) 682-7750, e-mail: fjmat@juno.com.


American Printing House for the Blind assists in revising
National Literary Braille Competency Test

The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) of Louisville,
Kentucky, and the National Library Service for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped (NLS), the Library of Congress, have
entered into a cooperative agreement to work on the revision and
ongoing maintenance of the National Literary Braille Competency
Test (NLBCT), Frank Kurt Cylke, NLS director, recently announced.
     NLS has been administering the test for teachers of braille
to children and adults since May 1994. Currently, the test is
being revised as part of a validation study conducted by Human
Research Resources Organization (HumRRO), Alexandria, Virginia.
     Mr. Cylke said, "We look forward to working with the
Research and Development staff at APH on this project. APH has
long been a leader in the development of materials for the
education of blind children and adults. Its staff has expertise
in testing and test production that will complement the NLS
expertise in the literary braille code and in the certification
process."
     During the next two years, APH will participate with NLS in
organizing two committees to facilitate the revision process and
to manage and maintain the testing program over time. The
Administrative Issues Committee (AIC) will oversee administration
of the test and recommend policies and procedures associated with
the testing program. The Test Development Committee (TDC) will
develop and maintain the test (e.g., introduce new test forms as
needed). The Administrative Issues Committee will have members
from the American Council of the Blind (ACB), the Association for
Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired
(AER), and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). The TDC
will include a representative group of teachers.
     The American Printing House will further assist the effort
by producing the print and braille test materials.
     For additional information, contact Mary Lou Stark, Head,
Braille Development Section, National Library Service for the
Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress,
Washington, DC 20542; telephone: (202) 707-9302; fax: (202)
707-0712; toll free 800-424-8567; or e-mail msta@loc.gov. Las
Vegas, Nevada
Jeryl Lynn Brenner, Bremerton, Washington
Dona L. Champlain, St. Paul, Minnesota
Abraham Feleke, Wilmington, Delaware
Joanne Jaindl, Allentown, Pennsylvania
S. Jeanette Kirby, Gulfport, Florida
M. Jean Simpson, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania


Meetings

National Braille Association (NBA)
Twenty-fifth National Conference, Antlers Doubletree 
Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Thursday, April 29-Saturday,
May 1, 1999.
     Fall Regional Meeting and Workshops, Radisson Plaza Hotel,
Orlando, Florida; Thursday, October 14-Saturday, October 16,
1999.
     Spring Regional Meeting and Workshops, Holiday Inn
University Park, Des Moines, Iowa; Thursday, April 27-Saturday,
April 29, 2000.
     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 XL Annual Conference, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Sacramento, 
California; Thursday, March