BITS OF
GOLD 
Montana Talking
Book Library
Regional Library of the National Library Service
For the Blind and Physically Handicapped
(NLS/BPH)
Volume 102, Number 1 2002
TALKING
BOOK REPAIR PROGRAM 40TH ANNIVERSARY
The Library of Congress NLS/BPH and MTBL are honoring the
Telephone Pioneers for 40 years of repairing our four-track cassette and record
player machines. A special video was
filmed to document their wonderful service.
Its title is “A Salute to the Telephone Pioneers of America: Celebrating 40 Years of Service,
1960-2000.” In one year, the Telephone
Pioneers nationwide repaired over 135,000 machines. Their assistance is valued
at over 4 million annually.
Our local Pioneers meet weekly in Helena to clean, rebuild
and repair these machines. Tom Basinger
helped organize the local group. He
works with Cookie Basinger, Gladys and Howard Bloom, Jack Buckley, John Doig,
Frank Flynn, Tommy Tompkins and Chuck Wirth in the Repair Shop at 701 N Main
Street. At MTBL, Herb Blunn, Elaine
LaCroix, Gloria Purcell and Glen Rasmussen also assist in this work.
A luncheon was held to honor the Montana Telephone Pioneers
on Wednesday, February 6th. Christie
Briggs presented a Certificate of Award to Tom Basinger on behalf of the
Montana Telephone Pioneers in Helena.
The special video NLS made was shown.
MTBL appreciates their dedication and extraordinary skill that they
willingly volunteer so that “All May Read”.
No act of kindness, no matter how
small, is ever wasted--Aesop
DO YOU
KNOW WHERE TO FIND OUR PHONE NUMBER?
If you have misplaced our
telephone number, call your Directory Assistance Operator. Have them look in the Helena telephone
directory in the blue, government pages.
Then ask them to look under the “Montana State Government” listings;
then under “Helena”; then “Library State”, then “Talking Book Library”. It will be the third line down. They will find our local Helena telephone
number and the toll-free 800 number for in-state Montana. Once you have the number, give us a call and
request a large-print listing of the MTBL’s telephone number(s), which you can
stick on or near your telephone. Each
issue of “Bit’s of Gold” also has MTBL’s telephone number(s) in it. Our numbers
are 1-800-332-3400 in-state and 444-2064 in Helena.
LIBRARIAN’S LOG
Donations and Memorial Gifts
Each
year we dedicate this issue of our newsletter to acknowledge the generosity of
our donors for the previous year.
Please accept our appreciation for the donations and memorials you have
sent us.
This gives us an opportunity to highlight what those wonderful
donations provide for our patrons.
These donations are essential to the further development of our local
Montana Cassette Books (MCB’s), and Descriptive Video (DV) collections. In addition, these enable us to upgrade
adaptive technology equipment and prepare for the digital future of talking
books for our patrons. This would be
very difficult to accomplish if it weren’t for your thoughtfulness and
generosity. Thank You.
Volunteer Honored
Lea
Blunn, who has been a volunteer at MTBL for nearly 18-1/2 years, was chosen to
receive the first KLAS (Keystone Library Automated System) Volunteer Award
because of her outstanding service to our library. Lea will receive an all-expense paid trip for herself and a
companion to the annual KLAS User Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, held
March 12-17, 2002.
Keystone, Inc. provides MTBL with
excellent service for our patrons through the KLAS database. There were several volunteers nominated from
various talking book libraries who contract with Keystone. Keystone wanted to recognize the support
volunteers provide to libraries.
Congratulations, Lea! (Continued
Pg 3)
_________________________________________________
LIBRARY HOURS: Mon-Fri 8am-5pm PHONE HOURS: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
PHONE NUMBERS: 1-800-332-3400 or 406-444-2064
For patron requests or if you’re not sure who to contact, e-mail us at:
MTBL WEBSITE: http://www.msl.mt.gov/tbl
WEBOPAC WEBSITE: http://www.klasweb.msl.mt.gov
REGIONAL LIBRARIAN: Christie Briggs, cbriggs@mt.gov
COORDINATOR VOL SVC: Susan Merrin, smerrin@mt.gov
CIRCULATION CLERK: Carolyn Meier, cameier@mt.gov
READER ADVISORS: Cheryl Christopher, cchristopher@mt.gov
Moriah Haley, mhaley@mt.gov
Lee Madison, lmadison@mt.gov
BITS OF GOLD EDITOR:
Cheryl
Christopher
LIBRARIAN’S LOG (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2)
Improving Library Service
On a daily basis, the library staff
provides direct patron service. In
addition, there are a multitude of other special projects each employee
performs that contributes to improving patron library service. These projects require volunteer assistance
to complete. I would like to share some
of these with you:
Working with Cheryl Christopher, Susie
Merrin and Carolyn Meier is Phyllis Herbert, Assistant Recording Director, who
also assists on special projects including replacing containers, making new
book labels and duplicating replacement copies of books. Phyllis is also accomplished in counted
cross-stitch and has allowed us to display several of her angel and fairy
pieces. Elizabeth Semple works with
Phyllis on the MCB collection. In
addition, Edith Tanna assists with repairing and duplicating books and sorting
new books.
Dorothy Carpenter, with support from
Gil Gilbertson, assists Moriah Haley in duplicating and processing patron
magazines. Dorothy also duplicates the
Bits of Gold newsletter and processes it for mailing. Lee Madison’s assistants are Herb Blunn, Glen Rasmussen and
Judith Cooper. They clean, replace
batteries, and test the cassette machines.
Judith also assisted in a recent internal machine inventory.
William Bell supports all staff with KLAS database entries, while Gwen
Williams enters series codes for books written in a series. Billie Cooper performs daily reception and
various projects for all staff. Helen
Williard processes new books. Lorraine
Cattermole sends out MCB’s to the recording program review committee to review
the quality of our recording teams.
Dana Covert and Britney Eldredge work as a team to produce Braille
labels for the MCB collection. Betty
Lou Berg produces Braille labels for the DV collection. Jim Meier repairs DV’s.
These volunteers work in the library between one or two days per month
to three days per week. Stay tuned for
the next newsletter where I’ll highlight the accomplishments of our circulation
volunteers, recording teams and review committee member volunteers as they
assist the staff to bring you better service at Montana Talking Book Library.
Best
Regards,
Christie
************
Lorraine Cattermole passed away recently while undergoing
heart surgery. She was an inspiration
to all of us, a very dynamic person to know. We have lost a dear friend, patron
and volunteer.
2001 DONATIONS AND MEMORIAL GIFTS
Thank you to all who contributed
to the Montana Talking Book Library in 2001.
The staff extends their appreciation.
Our patrons benefit from these tax-deductible donations. We purchase equipment, add to our Montana
Cassette Book and Descriptive Video collections, provide Braille services and
other materials. All donation amounts
are confidential. Each donor receives a
letter of appreciation. Each family is
notified for all memorials. For all
memorials please include the names and addresses of those to be notified of
your gift.
Donations:
Thelma Beausoleil Marybelle
& Fred Miller
Betty & Richard Berg Bette
& Jerry Milligan
Norma & Thomas Bundy Montana
Association
Ann M. Cole for the Blind, Inc.
Buster F. Dickert Elaine
B. Mueller
Miriam L. Eldredge Helen
Meyers
Lavonne E. Eva Lorann
Newhouse
William F. Frazier, Sr. Lillian
Piper
Barbara Fredrickson Nell
Pritchett
Roanne Geray Barbara
& Gordon Richardson
Lloyd E. Hanson David
Rotar
Robert H. Howe Edna
Smith
Muncie E. Kacso Rose
Sylling
Happy S. Knapp D.
L. Triplett
Rita Layman Dorothy
Tupper
Virginia & A.J. Marchello United Presbyterian Women
Artie & Keith Markegard Beverly
& George White
Yvonne & G.E. McGrane Elsie
& Donald Wilcox
Mildred Meredith
Memorials in Honor of:
Jon & Richard Beck by Nancy
Beck and Diane Meyer
William Bruner by Marilyn & Keith Armstrong,
Lisa & Dean Blomquist, Bernadette Brady, Emily Bruner, Laura & Lyle
Burgess, Jean & Eugene Clark,
Marjorie, Frank & Douglas Clark, Sharlett & Lynn Dale, Harriet &
Raymond Drake, Margaret & Theodore Eklund, Clara & Laurence Erikson,
First Security Bank Employees, Jennie & Carl Hanson, Zoe Jansen, Carolyn
& John Jellar, Kermit Kindsfater,
Joan Krause, William B. Lance, Cathryn & Glen Lechner, Ann Luderman, Martha
& Dennis Mercer, Kathleen & Jim Ott, Sharon & Clyde Parker, Irene & Lawrence Restad, Phyllis &
Bill Sargent, Schaff Family Partnership, Helen Schanz, Della Schneider, Vera & Ralph Stenehjem, Allison &
Jay Streeter & Family, Kris & Tim Todd, Louise & Dave Wagner, Barbara & Herbert Williams.
Memorials in Honor of:
Lucille Burns by Susan Henderson
Raymond Campbell by Celotex Corporation
Employees, Marian F. Hardy
Eve Clark by Susan Henderson
John Grauman by Margaret E. Grauman
Eleanor Harmon by Violet Petersen
Grace Hodge by Donald & Paulette Amundson,
Marlene & Francis Berres, Tammy Cline, Marilyn & Donald Derks, Hobson
Teachers, Gloria & Eugene Hodge, Shawn Jacobs, Lynn Knight, Lavina Lubinus,
Dean Mack, Connie & Terry Metcalfe,
Moccasin Neighbors & Friends, Sue Morgan, Wayne Nankivel, Staci Schedel,
Mary May & Lloyd Stout, Jean & Norman Walker, Lowell and Ann Wilmoth,
Myrtle & Lowell Wenberg, Janet & David Wichman
Dora Holmes by Mr. & Mrs. Glen Lechner
Dr. Thomas Ignatius Kelly by Pat
Jaffray
Ben Kimes by De Lane Newgard
LeRoy Kirkendall by Lea & Herb Blunn
Mary C. McFarlane by Madeleine Blankenship,
Lucietta & John Crupper, Marjorie Elerding, Phyllis Johnson, George Knee
Family, Janet Ormond, Terry Pehan Family, Janet & Stanley Tiffany
Gertrude F. Mattson by Teresa & Howard
Puyear
Howard Newgard by De Lane Newgard, Tom &
Kathy Newgard & Family
Raymond O’Donnell by Frances Ainlay, Jay
Atwell, Sandy & Chris Brink, Jeanette Davis, Martha & Roland Fregger,
Delilah & Everett Glenn, Betty & James Goodman, Mr. & Mrs. Louis
Hall, Gary Herren & Sharon Schmidt-Herren, Jackson, Potter & Co.
Employees, Pat Jaffray, Rhonda & Raymond Knapp, Kathy & Kent Loveland,
Malisse Mahlum, Gerry & Herb Mangis, Basil McCann, Catherine & John
Michunovich, Vikki & Aarne Mysse, Mr. & Mrs. Jack Oberweiser &
Mary, Linda Obie, Michael O’Donnell, Sharon & Ronald Olsen,
Raymond O’Donnell
Amy & Steven Petersen, Emily Roscoe, Elaine Rudio, Terry
& Duane Van Atta, Shelley & Lawrence Van Atta, Lorraine & Larry
Walter, Weldtech Services, Inc. Employees, Helen Youst
Betty Parsons by Charles Hopkins
Myrtle Phillips by Here & There Club
(Rocky Mtn Community Homemakers), Hjelmi Body Shop Employees, Roger Krebs, Mr.
& Mrs. Nick Krug, Betty & Lawrence Styren
Lorraine Smith by Lea & Herb Blunn
Violet Smithers by Robin & Jeff
Aaseby, Agnes Gustafson, Flora Mae Isch, NW Chapter of MT Association for the
Blind, Doris Seney, Joyce & Robin Street
Ernest Torgerson by Rose Torgerson
US POET LAUREATE LAUNCHES PROJECT
Billy
Collins, US Poet Laureate, announces the launching of a new website to encourage
appreciation and enjoyment of poetry among high school students in
America. Most of the poems selected
were written by contemporary American poets and selected with a high school
audience in mind. Collins hopes that
hearing a well-written poem read every day will allow students to enjoy poetry
and continue to include it in their lives.
The website is located at: http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180. Here is a list of some poetry available from
our collection:
RC 42824 Falling
Up by Shel Silverstein
RC 50234 Haiku:
This Other World by Richard Wright
RC 40783 Phenomenal
Woman by Maya Angelou
RC 45951 Earth
Always Endures ed. by Neil Philip
RC 50000 Americans
Favorite Poems ed. by Robert Pinsky
RC 48737 Classic
Poetry ed. by Michael Rosen
MONTANA YOUTH APPOINTED TO YOUTH ADVISORY
COUNCIL
Last Fall the US Department of Labor
Secretary, Elaine Chao, appointed 15 youth to the Youth Advisory Council to the
Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities. Michael Beers of Missoula, Montana, was
appointed. This council will advise the
Secretary of Labor on issues that affect young people with disabilities. Issues in the areas of education,
employment, health and rehabilitation, independent living and training will be
especially covered.
BOOKS IN A SERIES
Books in a series are quite popular with many readers. Some series need to be read in chronological
order to follow the characters and events of the story. Other books are a series because a character
or location remains the same in each book.
The KLAS system used by MTBL is set up to send you
books in a series. When you request a
book in a series, your Reader Advisor will request the series by code in your
computer file. The computer will add
you to the list of those patrons reading that particular series. The first book in the series will be sent to
you as soon as it is available. After
you have read and returned the first book in the series, it will be checked
in. The computer will then
automatically send you the second book in the series when it is available. The computer will continue to do this until
you have read the complete series. You
must return each book as soon as you have finished so the computer will know to
send you the next one. If you wish to
receive the series again, call and let us know so we can adjust your file.
THE
OLYMPICS
The ancient Olympics were always held at Olympia. Only free men who spoke Greek could compete
in the Olympic games. The first 13
Olympiads had only one event, the foot race.
There were many myths as to how the Olympics began. It is acknowledged that it was a major
religious festival honoring Zeus, the Greek god. The winners of these early competitions received a crown made
from olive leaves. They could also have
a statue of themselves set up in Olympia.
In his hometown, each winner was treated like our modern day sport
celebrities. Some of the perks received
where free meals and front-row seats at theaters and festivals.
The modern Olympics began in Athens in 1896. They were held every four years. This year the Nineteenth Winter Olympics was
held in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2004,
the Summer Olympics will be held in Athens, Greece. Before qualifying for the ancient Olympics, each competitor had a
dream. Then through rigorous training
they met each challenge and achieved their goal. Today’s Olympic competitors still strive like their ancient
counterparts to reach new levels. As a
result, they often break world records and surpass their dreams. Good luck to our world’s champions.
Here are some books from our collection about the Olympics
and some about former Olympic medallists:
Adult RC 24839 Jesse
Owens: An American Life by William J Baker
Grade 5-8 RC 37971 Jim
Thorpe: Sac and Fox Athlete by Bob Bernotas
Adult RC 36082 The
Olympics: A History of the Modern Games
by Allen Guttman
Grade 3-6 RC 39988 Bonnie
Blair: Golden Streak by Cathy Breitenbucher
Grade 4-7 RC 40916 Fighting
Tackle by Matt Christopher
Grade 5-8 RC 50066 Babe
Didrikson Zaharis by Russell Freedman
Grade 5-8 RC 50298 The
Story of the Olympics by Dave Anderson
The most glorious successes
are but the reflection of an inner fire
--Hildebrand
You are never given a dream
without being given the power to make it
come true
--Richard Bach
PATRON
SURVEY
It’s
patron survey time again. We need you
to tell us how we are doing. Please
answer the questions in the patron survey that’s included in this Bit’s of
Gold. Those who receive the newsletter
on cassette will have a large print version of the survey mailed to them. Fold your answered survey in half inside the
last page, tape it and return it to us.
Our address should be on the outside of the last page. Thank you for your help.
TIPS
FOR BETTER SERVICE
DO Call us at 800-332-3400 to request a new machine if you’ve
returned one for repair or cleaning.
DO Call us or mail us a note with any observations, questions or
requests you may have. (Any notes that you put into a book
container you’re
returning are not seen right away).
DO Write the phrase “Free Matter for the Blind” where you would
normally put the
postage stamp anytime you correspond with
us by mail
DO Leave
your cassette machine unplugged when you listen
to your books on tape
DO Plug in your cassette
machine when you need to recharge
the battery
HELP! CASSETTE TAPES ARE MISSING!
Here at MTBL we are starting to get quite a stack of book
containers with some of their cassette tapes missing. We need your help with this.
When you finish a book, make sure you have put all the tapes back into
its container. The book will then be
complete and ready to return to us.
If you do happen to
find a cassette tape that doesn’t belong to any of the books you currently
have, please send them back to us.
Place a rubber band or string around the loose tape. Put it in another book container that you
are returning. When we receive it, we
will match the loose tape with the correct container to make a complete
book. Thank you, we appreciate your
help.
Internet
and E-mail Safety Tips
Whether you’re surfing the Internet or checking your
e-mail, please take precautions to
protect your privacy and financial security.
Here are some tips:
1) Do not give your name,
social security or credit card numbers online before you
are sure it’s a legitimate company. They should also use SSL (secure socket
layer) encryption shown by a yellow padlock so your information
is secure and
not passed on to anyone else.
2) Chain letters that
involve money are illegal.
3) The IRS does not do
audits by e-mail.
4) Do not open any e-mail
from a sender that is unfamiliar to you; it may be a virus.
5) So you don’t pass on any
virus to someone else, check the following websites to
verify if a virus is real or not: http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html,
http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/
and http://vil.mcafee.com/hoax.asp.
For further information, you
can check out these two websites: http://www.ftc.gov;
click on consumer protection
and http://disney.go.com; click on internet
safety tips.
STRESS RELIEVERS
Stress is a part of life.
It can affect us in positive or negative ways. Extensive research has been done in the area of stress and how it
affects people. On the negative side,
stress can impair your immune system leaving you vulnerable to many
diseases. Your energy levels can be
depleted and your hormones may not function at optimum levels. It can create mental confusion and
depression. On the positive side, stress
can be a spur to action, creativity and inventiveness.
There also has been research into how to relieve
stress. An important finding from this
research is that to understand what happens to you is not as important as how
you respond to what happens. Here are a
few tips on how to relieve stress. Pick
one or more and start enjoying a life with less negative stress:
AVOID NEGATIVE PEOPLE
A true friend knows your
weaknesses but shows you your strengths; feels your fears but fortifies your
faith; sees your anxieties but frees your spirit; recognizes your disabilities
but emphasizes your possibilities.—William Ward
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
Only you can be
yourself. No one else is qualified for
the job.—Anonymous; No one can make you feel inferior without your
consent.—Eleanor Roosevelt
BREATHE
Let the wind blow in your
face; breathe deeply. The wind’s caress
will re-create you.—Michael Joseph
DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE ELSE
What do we live for, if it
is not to make life less difficult for each other?—George Eliot
ESCAPE: CREATE, PLAY, READ, ETC
Adopt a hobby, take up a
sport, pursue your dream—just for the fun of it.—Michael Joseph
EXERCISE/STRETCH
Just put one foot in front
of the other, and don’t stop moving until you have extracted your full measure
of life from the day.—Arnold Zable
Walking on a regular
basis is a wonderful stress-buster.
Long, leisurely strolls are good for your health, your heart, your mind,
and your soul.—Tom McGrath
HUG SOMEONE
Sound health requires human
touch. Get your minimum daily
requirement of hugs, handshakes, and pats on the back.—Tom McGrath
LAUGH
A laugh to be joyous, must
flow from a joyous heart, for without
kindness there can be no
true joy.—Carlyle
STRESS RELIEVERS (CONTINUED)
MEDITATE
You must learn to be still
in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose.—Indira Ghandi
MODERATION IN ALL YOU DO
Be moderate in food, drink,
and exercise. Now by moderation, I mean
that
which will not injure
thee.—Pythagoras
WORRY LESS
Develop an attitude of
gratitude. Making a list of blessings
will put your worries in perspective.
It’s hard to be stressful when your heart is brimming with thanks.—Tom
McGrath
Let a series of happy
thoughts run through your mind. They
will show on your face.—Norman Vincent Peale
Of all the trouble’s
mankind’s got,
some can be solved; and some
cannot.
If there is a cure find it;
if not, never mind it.
--Author Unknown
THINK SPRING!
When the temperatures are below freezing, the winds icy
cold and snow and ice are on the ground, what better time to think spring! Crocuses, daffodils, tulips and warm
sunshine are what come to mind. Grab an
afghan and cup of hot chocolate then settle into your comfortable chair. Now relax and browse through those seed
catalogs and garden books. Dream of the
beautiful garden you can create. For
tips and ideas read these garden books:
RC 12317 Crockett’s Victory Garden by James U. Crockett
RC 19175 A to Z Home Gardener’s Handbook by Mother Earth News
RC 21013 The Impatient Gardener by Jerry Baker
RC 32077 City Gardner’s
Handbook: From Balcony to Backyard
by Linda Yang
RC 37289 Noah’s Garden by Sara Stein
RC 43253 The Enabling Garden:
A guide to Lifelong Gardening
by Gene Rothbert
RC 49080 Accessible Gardening Tips and Techniques
by JoAnn
Woy
RC 52241 Accessible Gardening for People with
Disabilities by Janeen Adil
RECENT TITLES FROM THE MONTANA RECORDING
PROGRAM
MCB 605 Eye of the Great Bear
by Bill Wallace; Narrator—Jean Smith
It is the early 1900’s. Eleven-year-old Bailey Trumbull jumps at the
sound of firecrackers or any
loud noise. Some schoolmates and his
brothers, Luke and Matthew,
call him a coward. When his family
moves
from Texas to Montana,
Bailey is reminded of the old Indian medicine
man who told him that he
would find his courage in the “eye of the great
bear”. For grades 4-6
MCB 608 A Poet Goes to War
by Earl Martin; Narrator—Earl Martin
This poetry is about the Vietnam conflict and is
written by a soldier who
lived it. For Adults
MCB 609 The River and I
by John G Neihardt; Narrator—Colleen Mockler
In 1908, John Neihardt and two other men sailed
from Ft Benton,
Montana, down the Missouri River in an open
boat. This is the story
of their adventures. Part autobiography, part travelogue, the book is
written by a poet and student of the classics, and
reflects his romantic
world-view.
He writes of the river, its implications in history and its
“elemental grandeur”. For Adults
MCB 611 Inherit the Hunt
by Jim Posewitz; Narrator—Jean Smith
This autobiographical essay on hunting combines
the author’s personal
experiences with a short history of hunting to
develop a hunting ethic.
This ethic prizes conservation and a system in
which hunting is not just
for the very rich but an activity available to
all. For Adults
PATRON
PICKS
RC 48593 The Complete Stories of Henry James 1874-1884
RC 49104 A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks
RC 51764 Scarlet Feather by Maeve Binchy
RC 48843 In the Arms of the Sky by
Earl Murray
RC 50262 Demolition Angel by Robert Crais
MCB 407 Bright Star in the Big Sky by
Jeannette Rankin
RC 48132 The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh by
AA Milne
RC 50907 The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
RC 44178 The Black Stallion by Walter Farley
Montana Talking Book Library Free
Matter
1515 East Sixth Avenue for
the Blind
PO Box 201800
Helena, MT 59620-1800
Address Service Requested
This newsletter is available on cassette, e-mail and large print upon
request or visit our website: http://www.msl.mt.gov/tbl
THE LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED
January
21, 2002 Martin Luther King, Jr’s
Birthday
February
18, 2002 President’s Day
May
27, 2002 Memorial Day
OTHER DATES TO REMEMBER
February Black History Month
Library Lover’s
Month
Feb
25-Mar 1 Read to Me Week
February 3 Winter
is half over
February
12 Chinese New Year (Year of the
Horse)
February
17 Random Acts of Kindness Day
March Plant the Seeds of Greatness
Month
March 2 Read
Across America Day
March
20 Vernal Equinox 7:16 PM
(GMT)
Apr
15-21 Young People’s Poetry
Week