Montana Talking Book Library
1515 East Sixth Ave, Helena, MT 59620
(406) 444-2064 or Toll-free 1-800-332-3400
Home page: http://msl.mt.gov/tbl
Alberta Blanton Retiring
On February 17th, Alberta announced she will retire from the Montana Talking Book Library, effective April 30, 1999. We are very happy for Alberta. At the same time, we are also saddened to realize our loss after April 30th. We will miss not having the good fortune of her personality, great skills and wonderful relationships with patrons, volunteers, and co-workers. Alberta will not be replaceable. Yes, there will be another Reader Advisor, but none like Alberta.
Descriptive Video Catalog
As many of you noticed, we have not yet sent out the new Descriptive Video (DV) catalog. As we were preparing to take the catalog to the printer, we received an order form for new DVs. Instead of having an outdated catalog, we ordered 24 new videos and will wait until they arrive before sending the new catalog to the printers. We are looking forward to the arrival of these videos:
DV 167 African Queen
DV 168 B-29 Frozen in Time, Nova
DV 169 Babe
DV 170 Broadcast News
DV 171 Casablanca
DV 172 A Christmas Carol
DV 173 Dirty Dancing
DV 174 Driving Miss Daisy
DV 175 The English Patient
DV 176 The Fugitive
DV 177 The Full Monty
DV 178 Hurricane, Nova
DV 179 Independence Day
DV 180 The Piano
DV 181 Killer Quake, Nova
DV 182 Lightening!, Nova
DV 183 The Miracle Worker
DV 184 The Problem of Thor Bridge
DV 185 Scream
DV 186 Singin' in the Rain
DV 187 Sophie's Choice
DV 188 Stand and Deliver
DV 189 Unforgiven
DV 190 Good Morning, Vietnam
Book Inspection
When you return a book to us, it is currently being put on the shelf and checked in. The books are inspected before they are mailed out to you. Starting April 1, 1999, the books will be inspected as they come back to us. We hope this will allow us to better serve you. As we make this transition, we may be a day behind in getting books checked in. Please keep this in mind as you return books and please rewind and return each book as soon as you finish it.
Librarian's Corner
I have completed one year of supervising the Talking Book Library. I look back over this year with a grateful heart to be able:
Long range plans include new ideas and adaptive equipment for our patrons. But for now, we count our blessings, and thank you for your patronage and honesty in letting us know how best to serve you.
Christie Briggs Regional Librarian
Campbell's Soup Labels
The Talking Book Library has recently been accepted into the Campbell's Soup Labels for Education program. Library staff will be saving labels to work towards the goal of getting an in-house patron computer. If you have questions about this program please contact Lee or Susie at 1-800-332-3400.
RD/FD Collection
We will no longer have FD (flexible disk) or RD (rigid disk) collections housed at the Montana Talking Book Library. All FD books were issued on cassette with the same RC number as the FD number. The RD collection requests have decreased significantly in the recent past to one or two a month, which does not justify our housing this collection. Many of the RD's have been re-recorded on cassette tape. We can interlibrary loan any RD title not available on cassette.
Recently Recorded Montana Books
MCB 436 Sometime This Summer by Kenneth Marler - Narrated by JoAnn Mayala. Lila Sherman, with her two young children, moves to a booming Montana 1870's railroad town in search of the truth about her husband's murder. Adult Fiction.
MCB 480 Montana Campfire Tales by Dave Walter - Narrated by Ray Venske. Fourteen essays covering "local" Montana history from 1850's to the 1990's. Adult Non-fiction. Montana Author.
MCB 489 River of Our Return by Gladys Smith - Narrated by Joan Bishop. In 1901, recent widow, Hattie Clark, living on her Salmon River homestead meets eight year old, run-away Toby and his gold-mining uncle, Afton McCabe. Fiction All Ages. Montana Author.
MCB 490 Mark of the Grizzly by Scott McMillian - Narrated by Jean Smith. True stories about grizzly bear attacks and how to avoid dangerous encounters with them. Adult Non-fiction. Montana Author.
MCB 491 Scottish Highlanders, Indian Peoples by James Hunter - Narrated by Wyman McDonald. A biography covering thirty generations of a family with its roots in the chiefs of the Nez Perce tribe and in the chiefs of Scottish clans. Adult Non-fiction.
MCB 497 Walking Down the Wild by Gary Ferguson - Narrated by Kris Hans. A long essay about the author's hikes into the Yellowstone Rockies, his experiences and opinions on land use. Adult Non-fiction.
MCB 499 The Long Riders by Dan Cushman - Narrated by Lathie Poole. In 1880's Wyoming, cowboy Leo Glass with a financial interest in a Montana cattle drive, is shot and left for dead. Adult Fiction. Western. Montana Author.
MCB 500 Uncle Bill: A Tale of Two Kids and a Cowboy by Will James - Narrated by Jeff Sanderson. During the 1920's, two city kids spend a summer on a real western ranch with their Uncle Bill. Juvenile Fiction. Western. Montana Author.
MCB 501 The Bodacious Kid by Stan Lynde - Narrated by Stan Lynde. Novel about a young cowboy, Merlin Fanshaw, in 1882 Montana Territory and his adventures with a charismatic outlaw, Original George Starkweather. Adult Fiction. Western.
Ski For Light
We have been asked to encourage patrons who are interested in participating next year in the Ski For Light annual event to contact Myrle Tompkins in Helena or the state MAB office. This event takes place in January and is great fun! Volunteer guides donate their time and energy to assist blind and low vision folks to cross country ski. Call Myrle at 406-443-4352 or Betty Lou Berg , secretary of the MAB state office at 406-723-3383.
Please speak clearly, spell your last name and include your city and phone number in all messages left on phone voice mail. Thank you.
Summer Reading Program
The theme for this year's summer reading program is "Dig for Montana Treasure -Read for Pleasure!". Roberta will be sending out the information packets in May. Please plan to participate. This year we are asking the participants to challenge themselves with how many books they think they can read. If they reach this goal they will be given a special certificate! Participants will also be responsible for more of their own book selection. The goal this summer is to have fun reading! This program will be open to patrons from preschool through eighth grade. If you have questions or comments, please call Roberta at 1-800-332-3400 or 444-2064.
Library Holidays
Memorial Day - May 31
4th of July Holiday - July 5
Library Hours
Monday - Friday 8am-5pm
Phone Hours
Monday - Friday 9am-5pm
Library Staff
Regional Librarian:
Christie Briggs 444-5399 christieb@mt.gov
Reader Advisors:
Lee Madison 444-2064 lmadison@mt.gov
Roberta Gebhardt 444-2064 rgebhardt@mt.gov
Circulation Clerk:
Carolyn Meier 444-2064 cameier@mt.gov
Coordinator of Volunteers:
Susan Merrin 444-5398 smerrin@mt.gov
This newsletter is available on cassette, upon request.
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