Update ISSN 0160-9203 January-June 2002, Vol. 25, No. 1 National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped The Library of Congress New York teacher prepares a new generation of braille transcribers Thirteen students from Islip Terrace, New York, ages fifteen to eighteen, are making history as the first high school students in the state to learn braille transcription. The course, Literary Braille Transcription, is taught by Sheila Amato, who also teaches university courses in literary braille and the Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science. It follows the syllabus for the transcriber certification program outlined by NLS. According to NLS Braille Development Section head, Mary Lou Stark, Amato's course is the only secondary-education-level course in literary braille transcription offered in the United States at this time. When the students complete the course, graduate from high school, and submit their trial manuscripts to NLS, they will be eligible for certification as literary braille transcribers. "They will have many options open for them," Amato remarked of her East Islip High School class. "My students have already been offered salaried jobs upon receipt of NLS certification and their high school diplomas," Amato noted. "They have been offered positions as braille transcribers at the Helen Keller Library and at the Helen Keller National Center (HKNC) in Sands Point, New York." HKNC has even offered to pay for college tuition and books for the students who commit to full-time employment after their first year on the job. Amato continued, "One of my students is interested in becoming a teacher of deaf-blind students. Dominican College has offered to create a five-year program for her, leading to a master's degree in blindness and visual impairment, with a scholarship." A certified braille transcriber herself, Amato explained that she used the recent interest in teaching American Sign Language as justification for approaching the local school board. "My passion for braille merged with the reality that we are approximately 5,000 teachers short of being able to fulfill presently identified needs," Amato explains. "I thought that by offering a credit-bearing course in braille, it might pique the interest of some of the students and introduce them to the opportunity to pursue several interesting careers." The Program Most of the students are not blind and some had never even seen a braille dot before they signed up for the course in order to satisfy their Careers and Technology high school credit requirement. Amato explained that they have already begun mastering a skill that will offer employment for a lifetime. They learn to read, write, and transcribe braille. She meets with the students for 45 minutes each day. Over the course of the year they will amass 130 hours of classroom instruction. Amato said, "I'm hoping I can turn out some certified transcribers with that gift of time. I am holding them to the same standards that I hold my graduate students to in terms of accuracy and performance. For the most part, they are achieving my expectations for them," she affirmed. The students began learning to transcribe with Perkins braillers, loaned by the Helen Keller Braille Library in Hempstead, New York. Once the code was cemented in their minds, the high schoolers progressed to slates and styli, and then Duxbury braille translation software. Amato was determined that her students would gain a working knowledge of the braille code and some appreciation for its intricacies before they were introduced to automation that systems such as Duxbury make possible. "I want them to see the necessity of learning the braille code first," Amato explained, "and not to develop the attitude that anyone with access to a computer and a couple hundred dollars can produce quality braille. My primary goal is accuracy and knowledge of the code leading to quality transcription. "I hope other schools will be motivated to copy our program," Amato said. "It's not perfect, and I'm making some of the rules up as I go along. But the students are fascinated, and I'm thrilled by their interest, determination, and perseverance." The students The East Islip High School students represent a cross section of interests, motivations, and abilities. Six of the students are girls and seven are boys. Five are in special education programs and the others are in regular education programs. One is a member of the marching band, one is a cheerleader, another is on the varsity wrestling squad, and two are on the varsity football team. Amato said they are also doing a great job of selling the course to others who may want to investigate braille transcription as a possible career option. She recently received permission to develop a second braille transcription course offering for the next academic year. The course, which will boost the number of braille courses offered under the Careers and Technology umbrella to two, will be called Advanced Braille Transcription and will cover topics like advanced computer braille transcription, methods for transcribing teacher materials, and the Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science. The second-year course will be offered exclusively to those students who have completed the first-year braille course successfully. "My students are so proud of themselves for being able to do something that no other high schooler in the U.S.A. can boast," she exclaims. "As early as November (when the course had been offered for only a couple of months), I had students walking up to me in the corridors, asking if they could join class for the second semester, which started in January." Since this pilot course is expected to run for two full semesters, those students will have to wait to register for the 2002 course that starts in September. (photo caption: Student operates a Perkins brailler.) (photo caption: East Islip High School braille transcription class) General Electric (GE) Elfuns have banner year "The GE Elfuns have contributed 33,049 volunteer hours to repairing talking-book machines in support of NLS's blind and physically handicapped patrons. The approximately $1 million worth of effort is a most impressive achievement," stated Brad Kormann, chief, Materials Development Division, honoring the contributions of the national volunteer organization. Kormann highlighted the accomplishments of the Cincinnati Chapter Elfun Society, which repaired 4,107 cassette book machines, 1,372 amplifier boards, 68 motor control boards, and 239 jack boards, and processed 4,107 batteries. He recognized Bernie Burdick and Dick Meyers, coleaders of the GE Cincinnati Elfuns talking-book repair program, for the outstanding effort in 2001, and Robert Smith, representative to the National Audio Equipment Advisory Committee, for reporting Elfun progress. The MDD chief also commended other Elfun chapters. The Fort Wayne, Indiana, Elfuns repaired 1,299 cassette book machines, 400 amplifier boards, and 250 jack boards and processed 700 batteries. The Louisville, Kentucky, chapter restored 415 cassette book machines to working order and repaired 143 braille writers. The Lynn, Massachusetts, Elfuns repaired 768 cassette book machines and processed 226 batteries. Salem, Virginia, Elfuns repaired 437 cassette book machines. Schenectady, New York, volunteers repaired 2,088 cassette book machines, 781 amplifier boards, 88 motor control boards, and 137 jack boards and processed 2,088 batteries. The Elfuns' dedication to repairing machines for the talking-book program helps thousands of blind and physically handicapped patrons to continue their enjoyment of reading, affirmed Kormann. North Carolina volunteers log 6,121 hours More than one hundred volunteers, guests, and dignitaries gathered for the State Library of North Carolina Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NCLBPH) Annual Volunteer Recognition dinner, Wednesday, October 17, 2001. Held at the North Raleigh Hilton Hotel on Wake Forest Road, the event celebrated the contribution of more than 85 volunteers who, in 2001, logged 6,121 hours. Of those, 60 reached certificate levels, meaning they contributed a minimum of 25 volunteer hours. Guests, including representatives from the NCLBPH, the State Library of North Carolina, the Department of Cultural Resources, and the Office of the Governor, were impressed. NCLBPH volunteer Linda Carron Ray remarked, "If the cadre of vigorous volunteers continues to grow, the annual Volunteer Recognition party will have to be held in a stadium." Libba Evans, North Carolina's new secretary of cultural resources (of which NCLBPH is a part) noted, "This number and quality of volunteers at the library are unbelievable. I am very proud to be here and be a part of this recognition. You deserve our deepest appreciation for all you do." Other guests at the Volunteer Recognition banquet were Steve Prine, head of the NLS Network Services Section, and James Benton, a local leader in the blind community, who delivered the keynote address. The highlight of the evening was the recognition of Jack Stein as Volunteer of the Year. The past year was one of struggle and triumph for the retired NCLBPH librarian. Stein never faltered in his commitment to the library and its patrons even while helping his wife, Margie, in her life-threatening bout with cancer and struggling with tremendous anxiety through the experimental treatment that turned her illness around. Stein narrated books and magazines, kept up series coding in the library automation system, and assisted with outreach activities. "He has been amazing," said volunteer director Gary Ray. "We felt that he should clearly be our choice for Volunteer of the Year." Two North Carolina authors were also honored during the evening for recording their own works for the library collection as part of the Authors Read and Record Original Works (ARROW) project. Doris Barksdale was recognized for recording her Book of Poems and Don Matney for recording his autobiography, Miracles. Since its inception in 1994, ARROW has included twenty-one North Carolina authors, including noted national author Ellyn Bache. Susan Potter, president of the Friends of the NCLBPH-- sponsor of the event--brought a little levity to the occasion with a fictitious announcement of door prizes such as a Cadillac, a new SUV, and a cruise to the Bahamas. While some became quite excited at the extravagant extras, those who knew Potter quickly caught on to the jest and were pleased with the show and dinner tickets she did produce. (photo caption: Jack Stein receives the Volunteer of the Year award from Gary Ray, NCLBPH volunteer director.) Braille student-instructor dialog The Braille Development Section 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 give clarity. Student: I am preparing my thirty-five-page trial manuscript for Library of Congress certification. The book that I have selected does not give the publisher's state name on the title page. Section 19.2b(11) of the Instruction Manual for Braille Transcribing, Fourth Edition, 2000, says that the two-letter abbreviation should be used when no state is given for the publisher. Could you please clarify this for me? Instructor: The sentence you are quoting from Section 19.2b(11) gives you instructions on how to write the state name for the transcribing group, if there is no state name given for the publisher. Section 19.2b(6) says that if there is no state name given for the publisher, you don't add a state name on the title page. Student: Sometimes the publisher's entire address (including the street name) is given on the title page. Should this be included on the braille title page? Instructor: No. Section 19.2b(6) of the new 2000 edition of the instruction manual clearly states that only the publisher's city and state should appear on a braille title page. If the street name is included on the trial manuscript, points will be deducted from your score. Student: I have one final question about publisher information on a braille title page. Should I follow print for the publisher's state name whether it is abbreviated or written in full spelling? Instructor: Yes. Follow print for the publisher's state (if given) whether abbreviated or spelled out. Spell out or use the same kind of abbreviation (two-letter or standard dictionary) for the name of the sponsoring agency's state and/or the transcriber. (See Section 19.2b(11) of the 2000 edition of the instruction manual.) Student: The book that I have selected for my trial manuscript contains a contents page with unit and part headings. I have studied Section 19.2f of the new instruction manual. However, I am still not clear about where unit and part headings should be written on the braille contents page. Instructor: Very good question. Regardless of the placement shown in print, unit and part headings must be centered on the braille line and placed above the chapter headings. They must be preceded but not followed by a blank line except in certain instances outlined in Rule 2, Section 7a(3) of Braille Formats, Principles of Print to Braille Transcription, 1997. Therefore, no blank line should be left between a unit or part heading and the chapter headings on the braille contents page. Student: I am preparing Lesson 19 in the braille transcribing course. I have studied the material on how to center a heading given in the instruction manual. However, when a centered heading occupies an uneven number of cells, I am still having trouble deciding in which cell to begin my heading. For example, the title used in Exercise 19, In the Shadow of a Rainbow, contains twenty-nine cells. When I follow the instructions for centering a heading on a braille line, I have an uneven number of cells so that the title cannot be perfectly centered. Instructor: You are not alone. When a heading occupies an uneven number of cells so that it cannot be perfectly centered, move the heading off center by one cell to the left, thus making more room for a long title and the page number. Therefore, the title In the Shadow of a Rainbow should begin in cell 5. Follow the same guidelines for centering lines on the braille title page. Student: It is my understanding that since December 31, 2001, all trial manuscripts for Library of Congress certification must be prepared according to the rules presented in the Instruction Manual for Braille Transcribing, Fourth Edition, 2000. However, I have used the Instruction Manual for Braille Transcribing, Third Edition, 1984, to prepare all of the lessons in the braille transcribing course. May I still submit my thirty-five-page trial manuscript to the Library of Congress even though I have prepared it using the 1984 edition? Instructor: Yes. For a variety of reasons, many students were not able to begin using the new 2000 edition of the instruction manual during 2001. Therefore, the Library of Congress will accept a trial manuscript prepared according to the rules presented in the 1984 edition of the instruction manual through December 31, 2002. Meetings National Braille Association (NBA)  Fall Regional Meeting and Workshops, Marriott Hotel, Overland Park, Kansas; Thursday, October 17-Saturday, October 19, 2002  Twenty-seventh National Conference, Radisson Hotel, Middleburg Heights (Cleveland), Ohio; Thursday, May 1-Saturday, May 3, 2003  Fall Regional Meeting and Workshops, Best Western Hotel, Phoenix, Arizona; Thursday, November 6-Saturday, November 8, 2003 For more information about these meetings, contact National Braille Association, Three Townline Circle, Rochester, NY 14623- 2513; (716) 427-8260; web site: . California Transcribers and Educators of the Visually Handicapped (CTEVH)  CTEVH XLIV Annual Conference, San Francisco Marriott Hotel, San Francisco, California; Friday, March 7-Sunday, March 9, 2003 For more information about this meeting, contact CTEVH, 741 North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90029-3594, (323) 666-2211; web site: . Visual Aid Volunteers of Florida (VAVF) For information about VAVF meetings, contact Peggy Rogaski, VAVF President, 1780 Leyburn Court, Jacksonville, FL 32223-5006; (904) 262-6705; e-mail: ; web site: . Volunteers master new skills During the month of September 2001 certificates in braille transcribing were awarded to thirty persons. Twenty-eight of those were awarded in literary braille transcribing, one in mathematics braille proofreading, and one in mathematics braille transcribing. LITERARY BRAILLE TRANSCRIBERS Alabama Charlotte C. Butterworth, Munford Alaska Thomas M. Wright, Anchorage California Carl Purifoy, Folsom Florida Kendra L. Musselle, Orlando Vernica Reynolds, Jacksonville Indiana Sue A. Wilder, West Lafayette Iowa Laura J. McVay, West Des Moines Marty Pauley, Mason City Torro Tolucka Roberts, Anamosa Kentucky James Lebron Jones, Lexington Michigan Saul Garza, Jackson Robert L. Miller, Jackson Minnesota Sandra J. Sobkowiak, La Crescent Missouri Christopher Ryan Bowers, Jefferson Nebraska Eric McCain, Lincoln Patricia L. Solick, Omaha Ohio Lou Ann Weitzel, Norwalk South Dakota Jamaile Andino, Yankton Richard Allen Housen, Yankton Texas Jolene Dale, Gatesville Patricia Elaine Fitzgerald-Price, Gatesville Irene V. Flores, Gatesville Elsie E. Jerrell, Gatesville Jennifer Suzanne Feazell Loving, Gatesville Vicky Evans McNatt, Gatesville DeAnna L. Roark, Gatesville Lisa B. Vincent, Gatesville Washington Michelle L. Baechler, Richland MATHEMATICS BRAILLE PROOFREADING Abraham N. Feleke, Wilmington, Delaware MATHEMATICS BRAILLE TRANSCRIBING Floyd Graham, Grafton, Ohio (Because of a delay in awarding evaluator contracts, literary braille trial manuscripts and mathematics braille transcribing tests submitted in October and November will be announced next quarter.) Beers lays down his tools William Beers, a life member of the Telephone Pioneers of America, retired after thirty-five years of volunteer service to the NLS talking-book machine-repair program. Beers served as the coordinator for the talking-book repair project for the Jasper N. Keller Chapter 33 that included Telephone Pioneers from areas of Concord and Manchester, New Hampshire. Beers worked out of his basement workshop and made frequent trips to the library to pick up and return equipment. In a personal letter, Brad Kormann, chief of the NLS Materials Development Division, commended Beers for "35 years of New Hampshire Pioneer leadership and for the highly dedicated repair service" provided to the talking-book program. Kormann noted that the New Hampshire shop has saved the talking-book program more than $350,000. Under Beers's direction, the New Hampshire Pioneers have repaired 8,045 cassette book machines and 466 record players since 1988, contributing more than 14,731 volunteer hours. Kormann extended NLS's gratitude and wished Beers "a long, happy, and healthy retirement." Resources for recording studios and narrators The following materials are available on the NLS web site at . Print copies may be requested by e-mailing . Art and Science of Audio Book Production A guide written by Bill West for studios recording books, magazines, and other items for the U.S. network of libraries serving blind and physically handicapped readers. Say How? A pronunciation guide to names of public figures and lesser known individuals compiled by Ray Hagen. The ABC Book A pronunciation guide to acronyms and names of companies, institutions, groups, and commercial products. Digital Talking Books: Progress to Date A revision of Digital Talking Books: Planning for the Future, July 1998, a seminal publication for advancing the NLS/BPH audio book program from analog to digital technology. Available in print, on audiocassette, in braille, and at . In memoriam Joan G. Yehl: National Braille Association board member Joan G. Yehl, 66, chairperson of the National Braille Association Educational Materials Braille Committee, died Wednesday, January 2, 2002, in Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township. A resident of Allentown, Pennsylvania, Yehl was a volunteer braille transcriber. She was certified in literary braille transcription in 1966 and as a proofreader in 1970 from the Library of Congress. Joan Yehl served on the board of the National Braille Association (NBA) from 1989 until her death, having joined the organization in 1968. She served as NBA president from 1997-99. The former chairperson of the Lehigh Valley Braille Guild in Allentown, Pennsylvania, received many awards during her twenty- eight years of volunteer service. Her tributes included the NBA Distinguished Service Award in 1973, its twenty-year Continuing Service certificate in 1993, and its twenty-five-year Continuing Service certificate in 1998. She also received the Service to Mankind award from the Lehigh Valley Sertoma Club in 1998 and a Community Service Award from the Allentown, Pennsylvania, Morning Call in 1997. Yehl was introduced to braille in 1959 when she and her visually impaired son spent two weeks at the Overbrook School for the Blind in Philadelphia. "I took to braille like a duck to water," she recalled, and her friends say "the rest is history." Born in Allentown, Yehl was the daughter of the late Clifford and Marion (Roberts) Harmony. She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Robert W. Yehl; sons, Robert K. and David R., both of Allentown; daughter, Kathleen J. Lutterschmidt of Kutztown; and a brother and a sister. (photo caption: Joan Yehl) Philip Keeling: Fully Charged contributing editor Telephone Pioneer Philip Keeling of Denver, Colorado, passed away December 21, 2001. Keeling, who served with the Telephone Pioneers of America, Inc., for twenty-eight years, was at the Colorado Talking Book Library in Denver almost every day recharging batteries and repairing talking-book equipment. He contributed an average of forty-six hours per month to the talking-book repair program, for which he designed and built two battery chargers. As contributing editor for Fully Charged, a nationwide newsletter dedicated to the Telephone Pioneers repair program, Keeling was well known. "Phil kept the network of Pioneers talking-book machine repair personnel aware of the latest maintenance techniques, equipment and parts changes, workshops, recognition events, repair videos, and other important machine- repair news. His voice was one that enhanced coordination of all Pioneers efforts and was heard throughout the nation. As a result, Fully Charged has been a highly meaningful newsletter for all involved with the talking-book repair program," said Brad Kormann, chief, NLS Materials Development Division. Keeling also assisted with the production of a videotape, Talking-Book Machine Repair and Reconditioning, to promote quality machine repair. This tape was a joint effort of the Telephone Pioneers regional coordinators and the national headquarters. Before poor health forced him to give up these activities several years ago, he represented the western region of Pioneers at the NLS National Audio Equipment Advisory Committee meeting. In a letter to Keeling's family, Kormann praised him for his contributions to the talking-book program, recalling, "Phil was a wonderful supporter of talking books through both the newsletter, Fully Charged, and his repair work at the Colorado regional library. He was a true leader in the Pioneer repair effort." Kormann said, "Phil was a fine repair person. He always had creative ideas for the newsletter and consequently generated great enthusiasm for the program. He will be greatly missed by all of us." Telephone Pioneers officials visit NLS Jennifer Simonson, new program manager for partnerships for the Telephone Pioneers of America, Inc. (TPA), joined James Gadd, TPA executive director and chief operating officer, and Adriana Birx, TPA director of staff and outreach, on a visit to NLS in February. Simonson joined TPA in January 2002, and one of her many duties will be to manage the Pioneers in the talking-book repair project. Her experience includes recruiting and training volunteers to be mentors, networking with nonprofit organizations to help youth find resources and assistance, and helping young people become independent and contributing members of society. She is a graduate of the University of Colorado with a degree in psychology. Her background includes research in language acquisition and neuropsychology. In her spare time, she can usually be found in the mountains, hiking or skiing, depending upon the season. The officials from the Denver, Colorado, TPA headquarters met with NLS director Frank Kurt Cylke and Materials Development Division chief Brad Kormann and toured the NLS facility. Gadd accompanied Birx and Simonson to Washington to help familiarize them with their support organizations: NLS, the Points of Light Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education. (photo caption: Jennifer Simonson, Telephone Pioneers of America, Inc., program manager for partnerships, oversees the talking-book repair project.) 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