BITS OF
GOLD 
Regional Library of the National Library Service
For the Blind and Physically Handicapped
(NLS/BPH)
Volume 105, Number 2 2005
REGIONAL
LIBRARIAN RECEIVES AWARD
Christie Briggs, Regional Librarian for the Montana
Talking Book Library (MTBL), was honored at the Montana Association for the
Blind’s (MAB) annual convention. She
received the Dorothy C. Bridgman Award.
This award is given to those individuals who have rendered outstanding
service to the blind of
Christie’s leadership of the MTBL, statewide
presentations to various groups that affect the blind and low vision population
of
TELEPHONE
PIONEERS HONORED
On March 23, the Montana Talking Book Library
honored the MTBL Telephone Pioneers for their time and commitment serving our
patrons and staff. The Pioneers repair
cassette tapes, headphones, and playback equipment. Lee Madison spoke about their accomplishments
and presented them with certificates from National Library Service. Each Pioneer also received a special thank
you gift from MTBL. The Telephone
Pioneers are greatly appreciated for all the services they give to us. Thank you.
THE LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED ON THESE
HOLIDAYS
July 4 Independence
Day November 11 Veteran’s Day September 5 Labor
Day November 24 Thanksgiving Day
October 10 Columbus Day
LIBRARIAN’S LOG: from the desk
of Christie Briggs, Regional Librarian
PATRON SURVEY
I encourage each of you to fill out and return the
enclosed survey. The information you
provide to us is very important for planning, budgeting, improving and offering
new or different types of services to you.
PLEASE take the time now to complete this survey. If you need to fill it out over the phone or
by e-mail, please contact us
at 1-800-332-3400 or e-mail your Readers’ Advisor
to get an electronic copy of the survey.
Readers’ Advisors are: Cheryl Christopher cchristopher@mt.gov, Janet Hunter jahunter@mt.gov, and Lee Madison lmadison@mt.gov. THANK YOU for taking the time to assist us.
ANNUAL KEYSTONE CONFERENCE
Janet Hunter and Carolyn Meier attended this
conference March 14-18, 2005. They
learned about upgrading our KLAS computer database. The upgrade will offer features to assist our
staff in being more efficient with patron reading services. New patron features such as a “Patron Book
Club” option will be added to assist Book Club patrons across the state. We have not yet scheduled a specific time to
implement the upgrade. When scheduled,
you will be notified when the library will be closed for the upgrade.
The Bozeman Chapter of MAB (Montana Association for
the Blind) held a Senior Fair on April 13th at the
2005 MAB CONVENTION
The Helena MAB Capital City Chapter hosted the
statewide MAB Convention
May 13-15, 2005.
A free public Symposium on May 13th was a new feature added this year to
bring resources and information to the public about blind and low vision
resources and services. The theme “True
Vision Goes Beyond Sight” set the stage for a very successful event. The cooperative efforts of the MAB Capital
City Chapter members, the Missoula MAB members, the state MAB officers, the
Academy of Ophthalmologists, the Montana Lion’s Club, the Montana Vocational
Rehabilitation and Blind and Low Vision Services, the Montana Talking Book
Library, Montana School for the Deaf and Blind, Montana Independent Living
Project, Montana Business Enterprise, many vendors, volunteers and others who
were essential to its success! I wish to
personally thank MTBL staff for their work on and support of this event, which
benefited all Montanans.
Thank
you for helping us to better serve you.
Please answer all questions and return this survey to:
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1. Please check all that apply to you: |
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___Totally Blind or Legally Blind |
___Low
Vision |
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___Physically Disabled |
___Reading
Disabled |
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2. How did you learn about our library? |
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___Friend or Relative |
___Health
Professional |
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___Public Library or School |
___Rehabilitation
Agency |
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___TV, Radio, or Newspaper |
___Other_______________________ |
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3. What is your age group? |
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___under
18 |
___19-40 |
___41-60 |
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___61-80 |
___81
and over |
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4. How long have you been a patron of our library? |
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___0-1
year |
___2-5
years |
___6-10
years |
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___11-15
years |
___16-20
years |
___21
years or more |
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5. How many people have you told about our library? |
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___None |
___1-5 |
___6-10 |
___11
or more |
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6. Which method do you use most often to contact us? |
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___E-mail |
___In
person |
___Mail |
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___Telephone |
___WEBOPAC |
___Other
_____________ |
SURVEY continued
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7. Are you familiar with the following services we provide? Please Mark a “Y” |
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for Yes or an “N” for No on
each service listed below: |
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___Braille |
___Cassettes |
___Descriptive Videos |
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___Lobe Library Project (Otis) |
___Magazines |
___Newsline |
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___WebBraille |
___WebOpac |
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If
you wish to know more about any of these services, please contact your
Readers’ |
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Advisor
at 1-800-332-3400 in |
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8. How often do you use a personal computer? |
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___Daily |
___Weekly |
___Monthly |
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___Occasionally |
___I
do not have a computer |
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___Correspond
with your Reader Advisor by e-mail |
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___Download
WebBRAILLE materials |
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___Order
books from WebOPAC |
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___Read
“Bits of Gold” newsletter on-line |
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___Search
for books in the on-line catalog from the NLS link on MTBL’s website |
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___Visit
the Montana Talking Book Library website |
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10. Please list all library equipment that you have:
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_____________________________________________________________ |
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_____________________________________________________________ |
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_____________________________________________________________ |
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_____________________________________________________________ |
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_____________________________________________________________ |
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_____________________________________________________________ |
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11. In 2008, NLS will start issuing a limited number of digital books
and |
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players. Veterans will be given first priority. Please mark your preference: |
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___I
wish to receive the digital books and equipment |
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___I
do not wish to switch to the digital format until later |
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___I
wish to continue to use the cassette books and equipment |
SURVEY continued
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12. MTBL’S newsletter, “Bits of Gold”, comes in the following
formats; which one do you receive? |
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___Cassette |
___E-mail |
___Large
Print |
___Website |
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If
you wish to change the current format you receive, please contact your Reader
Advisor
at 1-800-332-3400 in |
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13. Do you find the “Bit’s of Gold” informative? ___Yes
___No |
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14. Our |
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issues or interests that
you would like to see added to this collection. |
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_______________________________________________________________ |
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_______________________________________________________________ |
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_______________________________________________________________ |
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15. How often do you experience any of the following situations: |
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Receive
incomplete materials…………___Never___Occasionally___Frequently |
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Receive
defective materials……………___Never___Occasionally___Frequently |
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Receive
fewer books than requested…___Never___Occasionally___Frequently |
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Returning
materials is difficult… … …..___Never___Occasionally___Frequently |
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Equipment
breaks down within 6 months of receipt………___Yes___No |
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Other___________________________________________________________ |
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16. Overall, how do you rate the customer service given to you by the
Talking Book Library? |
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___Excellent |
___Very
Good |
___Satisfactory |
___Poor |
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17. Are there any services we do not provide that you think we
should? |
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_____________________________________________________________ |
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_____________________________________________________________ |
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_____________________________________________________________ |
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18. Any additional comments, suggestions or questions? |
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______________________________________________________________ |
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______________________________________________________________ |
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______________________________________________________________ THANK YOU
FOR COMPLETING AND RETURNING THIS SURVEY |
If you receive the newsletter in large print, please complete and
return the survey using this page as the mailer. Fold it in thirds, tape the edges, and mail
it back to us “Free Matter”. Our address
should show on the outside. If you
receive the newsletter on cassette or the website, please call us
(1-800-332-3400 in
LOW
VISION
A new resource for the
visually impaired is developing in
In order to create these
services, Low Vision
RECENT TITLES FROM THE
MCB 762
How much do you know about
what, when, where, and how of
the great state of
with interesting facts, which
focus on the history, culture, people, and
places of our fascinating
MCB 789 Movies Stars &
Rattlesnakes: The Heyday of
Television
by Norma Beatty Ashby; Reader—Norma Beatty Ashby
Over 30 years of informative,
interesting, heart warming, and
historical TV interviews by
Norma Beatty Ashby while working on
the TV show “Today in
MCB 792 Legacy, A Novel
by Leonard Schonberg; Reader—Leonard Schonberg
This novel spans three
generations of the Schneider family focusing on
Isaac Schneider’s daughter,
Hannah; her daughter,
daughter, Sarah. Isaac and
Hannah immigrate to
in 1913 then onto
Address Service Requested
This newsletter is available on cassette, e-mail and large print upon
request or visit our website: http://www.msl.state.mt.us/tbl
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LIBRARY HOURS: Mon-Fri 8am-5pm |
PHONE HOURS: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm |
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PHONE NUMBERS: 1-800-332-3400 |
(in
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MTBL WEBSITE: |
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WEBOPAC SITE: |
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REGIONAL LIBRARIAN: |
Christie
Briggs, cbriggs@mt.gov |
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COORDINATOR VOL SVC: |
Diane
Gunderson, dgunderson@mt.gov |
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COLLECTION MANAGER: |
Carolyn
Meier, cameier@mt.gov |
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MACHINE LENDING AGENT: |
Lee
Madison, lmadison@mt.gov |
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READERS’ ADVISORS: |
Patrons
with last names A-G contact: |
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Janet
Hunter, jahunter@mt.gov |
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Patrons
with last names H-O contact: |
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Cheryl
Christopher, cchristopher@mt.gov |
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Patrons
with last names P-Z contact: |
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Lee
Madison, lmadison@mt.gov |
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For patron requests or if you’re not sure who to contact, e-mail us
at: |