NYPL Blogs: Barrier-Free Library

Dyslexic Librarian: Library Resources for the Learning Disabled

Debra Behr, Todt Hill-Westerleigh Library — Fri, 25 May 2012 03:58:51 -0400

I have been a librarian for about twelve years and have worked in many libraries for much longer. I am also dyslexic which I have been since I have known the meaning of that word's existence. Weird you say but it's the truth.

Dyslexia is a learning disability, which, for me effects my writing and reading abilities. I don't write letters backwards but I spell words with the letters switched around. I would refer to it as abstract spelling or surrealist writing. Actually it effects my writing skills much more than my reading skills. If it wasn't for Microsoft Word and spell-check, I'd be lost, extremely frustrated. You know the old advice that if you can't figure out how to spell a word that you should look it up in the dictionary. In my case, I couldn't even figure out how the word even looked in order to locate it in the dictionary.

As a teenager and before the age of computers, I have thrown many dictionaries across my bedroom and sometimes cracking windows and denting walls. The typewriter was and is still my sworn enemy. If it wasn't for my Mom who was more than happy to type up my homework assignments, I might not have graduated high school on time. As for college, I did not start college until I was 21 years old because I was so afraid of how my learning disability would affect my academic performance. Actually, I was too afraid and thoughts I was too stupid too remotely get through college. If it wasn't for my older sister emotionally blackmailing me to apply to the College of Staten Island, I might have never gone. I remember crying the night before my first day of college because I was that terrified.

The first week was terrifying, but after that first week, I began to feel more and more confident. The college had an office called Special Students Office where they provided tutoring and just support. In fact, I meet so many other college students with so many physical and learning disabilities who were these academic soldiers. I still admire them. I also learned how to use the computer, which completely turned everything around for me. I was getting awesome grades in almost every class. I graduated with honors and oh my God; I could believe the journey I went through from fear to achievement.

Somewhere along the recent line, I decided to become a librarian. I loved to read, help people and I always had a thing for putting things in order. I remember as a baby that I use to classify my stuffed animals in my crib. Does my learning disability affect my job as a librarian? Yes it does. It's hard to look up certain words in a database if you can't spell them. However, that fact as never stopped me at all. There are many databases that the New York Library offers that check spelling that I know how to cut and paste from and into other not so helpful databases. In other words, being a dyslexic librarian does not mean I cannot do my job. I just adapted different ways to get it done. I love being a librarian and I am not going to allow dyslexia stop me from doing it. Plus, I've also taken advantage of the library's books on CD where I can keep up with the collection along with my colleagues.

NYPL Resources for persons with disabilities.

dys·lex·ia – NOUN: A learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written words.

li·brar·i·an – NOUN: 1. A person who is a specialist in library work. 2. A person who is responsible for a collection of specialized or technical information or materials, such as musical scores or computer documentation.

con·tra·dic·tion –

1 : act or an instance of contradicting

2 a : a proposition, statement, or phrase that asserts or implies both the truth and falsity of something b : a statement or phrase whose parts contradict each other <a round square is a contradiction in terms>

3 a : logical incongruity b : a situation in which inherent factors, actions, or propositions are inconsistent or contrary to one another

Browse books and materials about dyslexia in the catalog. Some of my favorite titles:

Everything You Need To Know About Dyslexia by Meish Goldish
Adam Zigzag by Barbara Barrie
The Worst Speller In Jr. High by Caroline Janover; edited by Rosemary Wallner
Freak The Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
Matthew Pinkowski's Special Summer written and illustrated by Patrick Quinn

ReelAbilities Rules! The Disabilities Film Festival in New York City

Brigid Cahalan, Teaching & Learning, Literacy and Outreach — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:29:15 -0500

If you haven't experienced, or perhaps even heard about, ReelAbilities, this may be the year to discover this unique festival, which is a film festival, but also so much more.

Anita Altman of the UJA-Federation, who founded the festival in New York City in 2007, states its goal is to raise consciousness "about our common humanity and the value of each person, without regard to his or her ability or disability." This is the fourth New York festival, and an annual, national traveling ReelAbilities Festival has been launched in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Cincinnati, and Boston, with Chicago, Richmond, and Philadelphia scheduled later in the year. The films all relate to some aspect of disability, but they are chosen with care. They are decidedly not about the heroic overcoming of a disability, but rather are cutting-edge depictions of the lives and stories of people with varying abilities, told in ways that may be shocking, touching, disturbing, or poignant, but are always thought-provoking. Each film is someone's story — whether real or imagined.

Dozens of venues in New York City's five boroughs, Long Island, and Westchester, will host films and related events during the week of February 9 through 14, 2012. The schedule lists the 11 films and a selection of shorts, and the art, dance, music, and speakers that fill out the program. And something new has been added this year: Reading ReelAbilities. Ten locations of The New York Public Library will be participating by including disability-themed books in their regular read-aloud session for children.

NYPL first participated in ReelAbilities in 2011, and the partnership has expanded this year. Festival selections include: Ocean Heaven (with Jet Li) and Defining Beauty: Ms. Wheelchair America at the Bronx Library Center on opening day, February 9; Aphasia at St. Agnes Library; Ocean Heaven at Chatham Square Library; Reel Encounters (short films) at Countee Cullen Library; and Girlfriend at Jefferson Market Library. An exhibition of patient/resident artwork from Coler-Goldwater Specialty Hospital and Nursing Hospital on Roosevelt Island will be on display at Andrew Heiskell Braille & Talking Book Library. The 115th Street Library will also be exhibiting the artwork from Coler-Goldwater patients/residents, as well as featuring a show by Heidi Latsky Dance, who will perform excerpts from Latsky's new piece, Somewhere, as part of the Gimp Project.

Mid-Manhattan Library is happily hosting several events. During festival week, Defining Beauty: Ms. Wheelchair America will be screened (February 12), and Elaine Hall and Diane Isaacs will speak about Seven Keys to Unlock Autism: Making Miracles in the Classroom (February 13). As part of its regular Sunday afternoon film showings, Mid-Manhattan Library will show films from ReelAbilities Traveling Program on the remaining Sundays in February: War Eagle, Arkansas; The Straight Line (La Ligne droite); and Warrior Champions.

Winter Storms Can Be Hazardous to Your Federal Benefit Check!

Brigid Cahalan, Teaching & Learning, Literacy and Outreach — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:58:37 -0500

I'd like to share an important message on behalf of Go Direct®, a campaign of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Bank from guest blogger Michelle Kloempken, campaign manager for Go Direct®.

With electronic payments, you can count on your money despite severe weather.

If you get federal benefit payments by paper checks, you should know that you are required by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to switch to an electronic payment method. By getting your money electronically, you will help save taxpayers millions of dollars each year. You must make the switch by March 1, 2013, but you don’t have to wait for the deadline. The winter months are the perfect time to switch and take advantage of the reliability and ease of electronic payments.

Ice, snow, and subzero temperatures can leave you trapped in your home and temporarily interrupt important services like mail delivery. If you rely on paper checks for your federal benefit payments, a winter storm can leave you without access to your money at a time when you need it most.

With electronic payments, your money won’t be slowed down by winter weather and you won’t need to leave your home to cash or deposit a check. To switch to direct deposit or the Direct Express® card, contact your federal benefit agency office, visit the Treasury Department’s Go Direct® campaign website, or call the U.S. Treasury Electronic Payment Solution Center at (800) 333-1795. For direct deposit to a checking or savings account, you can also make the switch at your local bank or credit union.

Also, see this blog post on the topic from Rosie Rios, Treasurer of the United States.

Andrew Heiskell Library's Best of Fall Links

Rachelle Stein, Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:27:34 -0500

The year has flown past and the brink of a new year is a good time to look back. We hope everyone has a great holiday, whatever you celebrate, and a wonderful new year. Here are the things that caught our attention this fall:

Stuck on the holds list for one of our digital bibles? Audio Bibles for the Blind is now offering a free digital version of the Bible for your digital talking book machine. It works like this: you send them a blank digital cartridge, they load it up with the Bible and mail it back to you. More details are available on the Audio Bibles for the Blind website >>

Seido Karate Program for the Blind and Visually Impaired >>

Google's Self-Driving Car, from IEEE Spectrum.

American Museum of Natural History Science Sense Tours >>

BARD Overview, by the BARD Support Team.

"Brailling Signs is Cool to Do" is a song with a message on the Hadley School for the Blind website.

A Ballet School for Blind Students in São Paulo, Brazil, trains visually impaired and blind dancers, some of whom have become professionals.

AccessText Network is a national membership exchange for alternative electronic higher-education textbooks. Check the website for eligibility and to see if a specific school participates.

Deafblind Artists Give Unique Vision of the World >>

Accessible Multiplication/Division Table Kit, in large print and braille, from APH. The guide book is not sold in braille, but it can be downloaded.

Announcements Library Ebook Accessibility Program

NYPL is pleased to offer the Library Ebook Accessibility Program (LEAP) to readers with print disabilities. Patrons with visual impairments, physical disabilities that affect their ability to read print, and reading disabilities with a physical basis are eligible for LEAP.

LEAP is made possible through the partnership of Overdrive and Bookshare, a nonprofit agency which provides ebook access to individuals with print disabilities. Participation in LEAP provides one year of access to Bookshare’s 70,000 digital books, textbooks, newspapers and magazines. While Bookshare’s collection is not identical to the ebook collection that Overdrive supplies to the Library, visually impaired readers will have full access to Bookshare’s extensive catalog on a variety of subjects. Other LEAP benefits include:

On demand access to 20 downloads per month for 12 months, with no holds list or wait time
Books in DAISY and Braille Ready Formats compatible with computers, assistive reading devices, braille printers and MP3 players
Two free computer software applications that convert text to speech: Victor Reader Soft Bookshare Edition (PC Only) R Read: OutLoud Version 6 Bookshare Edition (PC and Mac)

To register, eligible patrons can follow the links on the ebooks.nypl.org page to create a Bookshare account. Patrons are provided information on how to enter their library card number and enroll in the program. Note: All eligible students (K-12, college, and graduate) are entitled to free Bookshare memberships and can register directly at Bookshare.org

Upgrade Available for National Library Service Digital Players

The National Library Service has issued a software upgrade for the NLS digital players. Version 2.1.7 includes the following enhancements:

A new user guide and key describer message discusses the use of the “bookshelf feature.”
USB flash drives connected to the side AT port are no longer suspended between uses by default. This will mean that all conventional USB flash drives can be used to play books, albeit with a 30 percent reduction in available battery play time.
Books on a multi-book cartridge are now ordered by alpha-numeric folder and filename.

You may upgrade your player by going to the NLS Firmware site.

BARD with Internet Explorer 9

If you're having trouble using BARD with IE 9, here's advice from the National Library Service:

When you download a book with Internet Explorer 9, the prompt to download or save appears in the Information bar. You have two options for handling this. One is to press Alt-N, which leads you to the Information bar, where you can choose whether to open or save the file. The other is to press Alt-S, which bypasses the Information bar and saves the file.

CART, or Real-Time Captioning, at the NYPL

Brigid Cahalan, Teaching & Learning, Literacy and Outreach — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:16:09 -0500

Perhaps you have heard of real-time captioning, or CART (Communication Access Realtime Transcription), as it is often called. This is the provision of captions to accompany a presentation or performance in real time. The captions are generally projected onto a screen, where some or all of the audience can read them. CART can potentially enhance experience for several groups of people:

those who became deaf after becoming proficient in English (or another language), i.e., the post-lingually deaf;
those with mild to moderate hearing loss, who want to follow along with what they can hear, using the captions to fill in anything they might miss;
those for whom English is not a native language;
those who comprehend better via the written word
the culturally Deaf who also know written English (in the absence of A.S.L. interpretation).

I had never heard of CART captioning until early 2010 when I got to know an NYPL colleague who is also a board member of the local chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America. She told me that the chapter holds its monthly meetings at Muhlenberg Library and provides several methods of accommodation for attendees, almost all of whom have hearing loss, ranging from mild to severe. The room where they meet has an induction loop that the chapter itself had installed for NYPL — and assistive headphones that work with the loop for those without a t-coil. In addition, they hire a real-time captioner for each meeting.

I attended the next group meeting and was fascinated by what I observed: the focus on doing whatever was necessary to enable each person to participate; the rapt attention paid by every audience member to either the speaker at the microphone or their words as projected on the screen; and the high level of technical expertise and lightning speed at which the captionist was recording the words. I became a believer in the value of CART that night.

Shortly afterward, in April 2010, LIVE from the NYPL presented a program on Tactile Sound & the Pursuit of Silence in a Noisy World. Some of the evening’s panelists and expected audience members were Deaf, and the production staff was eager for the event to be as accessible as possible. A CART provider was hired, and the captions were pleasingly visible on giant screens, side-by-side with projections of the ASL interpreters.

In July 2010, NYPL hosted several events to tie in with the 20th anniversary of the 1990 signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and CART captioning was provided for all of them. Other events have had CART-captioning, either upon request or due to the nature of the topic.

So, who are these amazing CART captionists? They are people who have trained as court reporters, and who — using court reporting equipment — type upwards of 225 words per minute with an average accuracy of 98 percent or higher. As they type, the lines roll up so there are always a few lines to read present on the screen. They may be certified through the state board that oversees court reporters, and/or through the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA). An extensive list of CART providers by state is on the NCRA website. Some captionists in other countries and remote CART providers are included as well.

How does a library or organization pay for CART captioning? In NYPL’s case, it has used government funding provided for outreach services. However this service is funded, it is incumbent on public libraries to provide access whenever possible. The ADA requires it and the moral imperative compels it. If real-time captioning can be offered for every program and class, that is top-notch service. If not, offering it upon request is a welcoming gesture sure to be appreciated. Here is the open-captioning symbol that can be used to indicate that captioning will be present at an event — though this symbol could also indicate that captions prepared in advance will be used.

In October 2010, NYPL’s Library for the Performing Arts hosted a concert by the Association of Adult Musicians with Hearing Loss (AAMHL) organization. I found it unique and unforgettable, and a New York magazine reviewer shared a similar response. One of the performers that day, composer and AAMHL member Jay Alan Zimmerman, approached me shortly afterwards. He had been a regular participant in the Annual Holiday Songbook, a hugely popular two-day event held at the Library for the Performing Arts each December. Due to a progressive hearing loss, and relying mostly on written communication and the American Sign Language he learned as an adult, Zimmerman missed out on most of the lyrics, dialogue, and banter of the other participants. He broached the subject of our offering CART captioning for the upcoming program; but as the Songbook is an event with a LOT going on on the stage it seemed that the projected captions would be too intrusive. Zimmerman persisted: "How about wireless captions?" Another new concept for me. I approached one of our regular CART providers with this possibility and she jumped at the chance — no problem! And so it went: the captionist sat in the control room, with headphones so she could hear everything through the sound system — and transmitted the captions to those with tablets or smartphones in the audience who wanted to read them. An insert in the program alerted them to this option, along with the website to view them.

That was an experiment, and it worked! Zimmerman expressed that it was the first time he caught all the words at one of these events. As he is again performing in the Holiday Songbook this year, he asked for wireless captions again and it will happen. NYPL offers the Annual Holiday Songbook on Sunday, December 11 and Monday, December 12, both performances with captions, presented in real-time!

World Sight Day at NYPL

Brigid Cahalan, Teaching & Learning, Literacy and Outreach — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 06:47:07 -0400

Lions International, working with other organizations that fight blindness, commemorated the first World Sight Day in 1998. Since then, it has been observed throughout the world on the second Thursday of each year; the World Health Organization and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness are the chief coordinating agencies at present. Communities and organizations have initiated activities to support the main goal: to focus global attention on blindness, visual impairment and rehabilitation of those with visual impairments. This year, the New York Public Library is working with partner agencies to join in this important work of raising awareness of blindness and the conditions that can lead to it.

The Friends of the Congressional Glaucoma Caucus will offer free vision screenings on Thursday, October 13 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in their mobile van which will be parked in front of the Columbus Library. No charge, no reservation—just come and be screened.

Glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness, is an eye disorder that damages the optic nerve, the nerve that carries messages from the eye to the brain. It has no noticeable symptoms or early warning signs and cannot be cured. If left untreated, glaucoma can lead to blindness. Glaucoma affects about 3,000,000 Americans, many of whom are not aware that they have the disease.

Who is at risk for Glaucoma?

African-Americans over the age of 40
Individuals of Hispanic origin
Anyone over the age of 60
People with a family history of glaucoma
People with diabetes

If you come for the screening, stop into the Columbus Library for a visit. It's a great library with a lot going on. And, tell them thanks for arranging the vision screening!

At 5:30 p.m. that same day, the Muhlenberg Library hosts the program, Vision for a Lifetime: The Latest Advances to Enhance, Preserve and Restore your Vision. Dr. Donald J. D'Amico will present the latest information on the diagnosis and treatment of several common eye disorders. He will provide practical information, as well as some exciting glimpses of future improvements in therapy. Dr. D'Amico, professor and chairman of ophthalmology at Weill-Cornell Medical College and New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Ophthalmologist-in-Chief at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, is an internationally recognized vitreo-retinal specialist.The organization Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) has arranged for this presentation.

RPB, the leading voluntary health organization supporting eye research directed at the prevention, treatment or eradication of all diseases that threaten vision, has committed hundreds of millions of dollars in grant support to provide scientific manpower, technological equipment and eye research laboratory facilities. As a result, RPB researchers have been associated with nearly every major breakthrough in the understanding and treatment of the loss of vision across the past 50 years.

Aided by organizations such as Research to Prevent Blindness, there has been remarkable progress in vision research with the exploration of new drugs, technologies, and procedures to enhance our ability to enhance, preserve, and restore vision for an ever greater number of individuals. The ongoing revolution in treatments for age-related macular degeneration and the increasing sophistication of cataract surgery are but two of the examples of this rapid progress.

The Muhlenberg Library has a copper loop installed in the Community Room, which allows for enhanced amplification for those attendees with T-switch-equipped hearing aids. Some FM assistive listening devices will also be available.

Andrew Heiskell Library's Links We Loved in September

Rachelle Stein, Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 07:04:01 -0400

The following links caught our attention this past month. Plus, we've got a couple of announcements about new services.

Haptic Device Gives Blind a Helping Hand. Promising new technology to help people without sight to navigate.

Improved Accessibility for Google Calendars.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library at APH.

High-Tech Tools Help Millions With Low Vision Stay Active.

The Economist is now on BARD

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) has announced the addition of The Economist magazine to its BARD service. Patrons registered with an NLS library may download this and other magazines through the BARD service. If you are a National Library Service patron and not registered for BARD, you may do so at the BARD homepage (http://nlsbard.loc.gov/). You'll need high speed internet access and an email address to use this service.

From NLS: An audio edition of The Economist is now available for download through the Braille and Audio Reading Download system (BARD).

The Economist is made available to NLS patrons by the kind permission of The Economist Newspaper Limited, and contains the full contents of the print edition, recorded by professional broadcasters in London, England. Except for the addition of standard NLS opening announcements, the publication is presented unaltered.

The Economist is part of a pilot project to increase the availability of magazines to patrons. Subscriptions to The Economist will not be offered on cassette, but the magazine will be available on physical media when the magazine program has transitioned to cartridge.

Digital Bibles Available

Digital Bibles available through Aurora Ministries: Audio versions of the New King James Bible in English that play on NLS standard and advanced digital talking-book machines are available from the nonprofit organization Aurora Ministries, also known as Audio Bibles for the Blind. Bibles produced for use on the advanced player are bookmarked by testament, book, and chapter. Send the cartridge through the U.S. mail—via Free Matter for the Blind or Handicapped—to Allen Decker at Aurora Ministries, PO Box 621, Bradenton, FL 34206. Aurora Ministries cannot supply readers with cartridges at this time. The organization also has audio Bibles on cassette, available in more than seventy languages. For more details, call or e-mail Allen Decker at (941) 748-3031 or adecker@auroraministries.org. Information on acquiring blank cartridges is available at www.loc.gov/nls/cartridges/.

My Library: Sharon

Brigid Cahalan, Teaching & Learning, Literacy and Outreach — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 07:26:31 -0400

I had heard a bit about Sharon Anyimi; but I didn't know much. I knew she visited Baychester Library in Co-Op City — a lot — and was always reading books with the help of the Closed-Captioned Television system (CCTV), also known as the video magnifier, located in the Library. I knew she was a "people person" with a friendly word for all. I decided to wend my way to the northeast Bronx and meet this intriguing library user for myself.

Sharon agreed to meet me and was there at the appointed time. She has lived in Co-Op City for 14 years, but didn't have time to use the Library much until she graduated from college a few years ago and had more free time. But, no slouch she! After receiving her B.A. degree in Media & Communications from SUNY/Old Westbury, she finished a certificate in Paralegal Studies from Long Island University.

What kind of books do you like, and what are you reading now?

I mostly like urban fiction and celebrity biographies. Right now I'm reading Faith Evans's autobiography, Keep the Faith: A Memoir, and Platinum by Aliya S. King.

Could you speak a bit about your vision loss?

I'm the only one in my family born with a visual impairment. Sometimes I'm O.K. with it; sometimes I'm not. People tend to treat you differently when they know you're visually impaired. It can be annoying and frustrating.

What would make the Library better for you?

A new CCTV. The one here at Baychester Library is older and sometimes the print on the screen shakes while I'm reading. I love the staff here; they are so friendly. But sometimes I make a trip to the Bronx Library Center to read because they have a much newer CCTV — and longer hours.

Do you use the Andrew Heiskell Braille & Talking Book Library?

I'm enrolled there but usually prefer to come here and read. I live right across the street from Baychester Library.

What else would you like to tell me about yourself?

I love music! I'm a singer-songwriter and have auditioned for both American Idol and America's Got Talent.

She clearly loves music, but that's not all. Sharon continues: "I love reading! I think reading is great; it expands your mind. In high school I didn't like it much. I was this girl who was always into music. After college I had the time and freedom to read what I liked."

Andrew Heiskell Library's Best of Summer Links

Rachelle Stein, Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 07:55:05 -0400

We can't believe the summer is nearly over. Aside from the distractions of a minor earthquake and a hurricane (though Irene had been downgraded to a tropical storm by the time she hit New York City), we served up a number of links on our Facebook and Twitter pages that you might find interesting.

The New York City Mayor's Office is hosting a free exhibition Beep Baseball game between the L.I. Bombers and WFAN 660 sports radio on Saturday, September 24 at 3:30 p.m. at the Central Park North Meadow. A low vision vendor fair will be held before the game, from 1 to 3 p.m. Read more about the National Beep Baseball Association, "the adaptive version of America's favorite pastime for the blind and visually impaired."

Visionary Media supports blind and visually impaired talent in the music, media, and advertising professions.

Google wants you! At least those of you who are blind or visually impaired who use the Internet. It's conducting a survey on accessibility in coordination with the American Council of the Blind. You have until mid-September to complete the survey.

"Finding the Right IT Tools for Persons with Disabilities" at MIT.

The National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU) has a toll-free hotline to use if you need information or assistance regarding your legal rights. Call the NAGDU Education and Advocacy Hotline toll-free at 1-888-NAGDU41 (1-888-624-3841). Or call 1-813-658-5749.

From the NY Daily News: "Jewish Guild for the Blind's Six-week Class Helps Visually Impaired Students Prepare for College."

From Forbes: "New Touch Screens Allow Blind to Read Braille."

From BuzzFeed: "Bono & U2 Bring A Blind Fan Onstage To Play Guitar."

From Science Daily: "New Device Helps the Blind to Move Independently" — ‎"EYE 21 is an electronic tool that allows blind people to move autonomously in any environment." It uses special sunglasses equipped with cameras and headphones.

Fotis Flevotomos displays Drawings and Watercolors for Mid-Manhattan Library's Low Vision and Blindness Resource Day

Hyacinth Persad, Mid-Manhattan, Popular Library — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:12:20 -0400

Shortly after landing in New York City from Greece, Fotis Flevotomos walked into Mid-Manhattan Library on June 11, 2011. As Brigid Cahalan, The New York Public Library's Outreach Coordinator, was showing him the space in the Corner Room where his art would adorn the shelves from June 11 through June 23, I was staffing the Popular Library Desk and thought that he must have been jet-lagged — if he was, that didn't stop him from installing all of his pieces that day. Flevotomos's art was on display as part of the Low Vision and Blindness Resource Day. The New York Public Library, in collaboration with Lighthouse International, the Xavier Society for the Blind, and VISIONS Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, held the all-day event on Saturday, June 18 at Mid-Manhattan Library. Flevotomos's website contains links to selected images, as well as information on his latest artistic and theroetical works.

During the week leading up to the all-day event, Mr. Flevotomos made a few trips to the Library, repositioning the pieces, making sure they were properly captioned, etc. I was lucky enough to be working that Saturday, and was in the room for the half-hour question and answer session. Along with Fotis Flevotomos, two other local artists, Sandra Padernacht and Dana Simon, also displayed their works and answered questions from the audience. Lighthouse staff member Jessica Hughson-Andrade moderated. All of the artists' pieces in the room were inspiring and amazing to me. Each artist was asked about his/her particular form of low vision. Mr. Flevotomos explained that his form of low vision made him improperly able to distinguish contours. This prompted me to ask whether he fully sees his finished pieces. His response was, that if he holds finished pieces close enough, he has no trouble seeing them.

A few days after the event, Flevotomos returned to Mid-Manhattan Library to pack up his artwork; he was scheduled on a flight back to Greece the same day. One of his larger pieces, a watercolor, was in the Fifth Avenue window. Before he dismounted it, I took the opportunity to capture it on my camera phone. Mr. Flevotomos was not permitted to sell his artwork while in the United States because of Customs Regulations, but he could sell them upon his return to Greece. I emailed Mr. Flevotomos to say that I enjoyed the half hour Q&A and that I was also happy to have taken a couple photos of the watercolor in the Fifth Avenue window as keepsakes.

Mr. Flevotomos sent me the link to his website, where I could view selected watercolors and paintings. His website also included his theoretical and artistic works. I was especially moved by his autobiographical essay, The Mystery of Images, and how he grappled in his early youth with the consequences of being diagnosed with a form of low vision and being a painter. Mr. Flevotomos tells me that he will return to New York, and I hope The New York Public Library will display his artwork again.

The story doesn't end there, however. Because I showed an interest in his artwork, Mr. Flevotomos created a digital card for me. Enjoy!

For selected online resources on low vision, see What is Low Vision, and If You Are Blind or Have Low Vision, How We Can Help. Selected books include Art Beyond Sight: A Resource Guide to Art, Creativity, and Visual Impairment, and The Art of Seeing, A Novel. The New York Public Library's Visual Disabilities and Blindness page also provides links to freely available web resources.

Interesting Lives: The Latest Biographies and Memoirs at Andrew Heiskell Library

Rachelle Stein, Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:19:19 -0400

A good biography is like a good novel. It can transport you to a different place and a different time, and inspire the imagination. But what has always appealed to me about biographies is that they could put me into someone else's head, letting me vicariously live a life more interesting than my own. Growing up, I read mostly fiction, especially science fiction and mysteries, which took me to exotic places both real and imaginary. But when teachers insisted we students be well-rounded readers, the non-fiction books I turned to were on the biography shelves in my local library.

Biographies are probably the most popular non-fiction books with our Library users, and we've got plenty of intriguing new titles to inspire, entertain, and educate. "DB" indicates special format digital books, and "NYPL" refers to either a large print or standard print edition.

The music industry is well represented with a couple of biographies, including memoirs by Keith Richards, Queen Latifah, and Pat Benatar:

Between a Heart and a Rock Place: A Memoir by Pat Benatar. Benetar's autobiography covers her blue-collar upbringing on Long Island through her rise to stardom, and the struggles along the way. 2010. (DB 71480) [NYPL]
Put on Your Crown: Life-Changing Moments on the Path to Queendom by Queen Latifah. The Grammy Award-winning singer shares her experiences overcoming challenges and achieving positive self-esteem. For senior high and older readers. 2010. (DB 72186) [NYPL]
Life by Keith Richards. The Rolling Stones guitarist recalls his childhood in wartime London, his education, and the beginnings of the group in 1962. 2010. (DB 72049) [NYPL]
Thelonious Monk:The Life and Times of an American Original by Robin D. G. Kelley. Kelley, a historian, chronicles the life of the jazz pianist and composer. 2009. (DB 71039) [NYPL]
Hand Me My Travelin' Shoes: In Search of Blind Willie McTell by Michael Gray. Gray recounts his odyssey through the Deep South to research this biography of the Georgia blues singer and guitarist, who was born blind in 1903. 2009. (DB 71430) [NYPL]

Historical titles also figure prominently in our latest titles:

Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author portrays the last Egyptian pharaoh of the Greek Ptolemy dynasty, highlighting the men in her life and the culture of the time. 2010 (DB 72130) [NYPL]
The Intimate Lives of the Founding Fathers by Thomas Fleming. An exploration of the personal lives of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. 2009. (DB 72044) [NYPL]
Patton, Montgomery, Rommel: Masters of War by Terry Brighton. The author, a British historian, focuses on three World War II generals: America's George S. Patton, Britain's Bernard Montgomery, and Germany's Erwin Rommel. 2008. (DB 71688) [NYPL]
Touch and Go: A Memoir by Studs Terkel. An autobiography of the oral historian who, at the age of 94, looks back at his life and the political events that affected it. 2007. (DB 67509) [NYPL]
Up from History: The Life of Booker T. Washington by Robert J. Norrell. A revisionist portrait of the African-American educator. 2009. (DB 69894) [NYPL]

If none of these lives interest you, contact us or visit the Library for more suggestions. Our shelves are filled with interesting people, places, and things!

Andrew Heiskell Library: Art Exhibition and Timely Links

Rachelle Stein, Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 11:51:27 -0400

Creating visual art is not the first thing most people consider when thinking of people who are blind or who have visual difficulties, but there are many such artists and photographers who challenge that perception every day. The Andrew Heiskell Library was pleased to host an exhibition of artwork by students who have visual impairments, running from June 14 through June 18.

A reception, complete with refreshments, was well attended on opening night, and the exhibition drew a steady stream of visitors through the week. The photograph here shows some of the artists, whose class made a special visit on Thursday, June 16, to experience their work on display.

Here are some highlights of our posts on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter:

Sight for the Blind: The Growing Success of Seeing with Sound
Free Books for Kids Now Available in Braille, from Dolly Parton's Dollywood Foundation's Imagination Library
The Sight Connection, formerly Community Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted
Nuance Gives Voice to Social Networking — The BrainYard — InformationWeek: Using voice recognition software with Facebook and Twitter
Our sister library in North Carolina is making its locally produced digital books available online
Blind Would-Be Law Student Says Test Discriminates
June was Audiobook Month

Andrew Heiskell Library Best of May

Rachelle Stein, Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 05:51:30 -0400

We liked the following links this past month:

The Iowa Department for the Blind's blog, Blind Living, focusing on cooking, crafts, gardening, and more for people who are blind or have visual difficulties.

Books Open for Visually Impaired: Students in Pennsylvania team with the Carnegie Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped to record Talking Books.

Blio.com is a fully accessible eBooks site.

A Blind Film Critic, Tommy Edison, is taking the Internet by storm. He has a YouTube channel, too.

Regal Entertainment Group, the largest theater operator in the United States, announced plans to increase accessiblity for blind, visually impaired, deaf, and hearing impaired moviegoers through digital camera technology.

Reading Braille is a Roll Away with the Snail Wheel: A device rolls over braille and converts it to speech, and then sends the recording to a bluetooth headset.

Improved Mouse Control for Users with Disabilities: The AIM Research Group at the University of Washington has developed software to make using a computer mouse easier for people with motor control problems.

Flying Blind offers an e-mail newsletter about accessibility technology for people with low or no vision. The newletter, distributed weekly, offers roughly 10 easy-to-read points, which can be drilled down by topic for more information. Feel free to check out and join their newsletter.

Dennis Hong: Making a Car for Blind Drivers.

From Book to TV: Television's Literary Inspirations

Rachelle Stein, Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library — Tue, 24 May 2011 13:10:59 -0400

Creators of TV shows get their inspiration from many places, but lately they seem to be turning more and more often to books for their source material. And with quality programs doing justice to the books that inspired them, it's a welcome trend, especially if it leads fans of the shows who have never read the books to seek them out. Here are some to get you started.

In the following booklists, RC indicates Recorded Cassette, DB indicates Digital Book, and BR indicates Braille. NYPL indicates a book or video available in branches of The New York Public Library.

The success of HBO's current fantasy series Game of Thrones is bringing new attention to the book it's based on, the first book in George R.R. Martin's popular Song of Ice and Fire series. The series has already been renewed for a second season, so now's a good time to jump in and read ahead so you can see how closely the filmed adaptations follow the books.

A Game of Thrones - RC 45742 (contact library to request) [NYPL]
A Clash of Kings - RC 49913 (contact library to request) [NYPL]
A Storm of Swords - RC 51406 (contact library to request) [NYPL]
A Feast for Crows - RC 62348, DB 62348 (Download Only) [NYPL]

The highly rated HBO series True Blood has its origins in Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse vampire novels. Start with Dead Until Dark - BR 18384, DB 69645, RC 69645 [NYPL].

Science fiction and fantasy has inspired past series, too, with the recently canceled FlashForward, inspired by Robert J. Sawyer's book of the same name, DB 70029 [NYPL], and Jim Butcher's series about wizard PI Harry Dresden that had a brief tenure on TV in 2007 as The Dresden Files. Meet Harry Dresden in Storm Front - DB 67342, RC 67342 [NYPL].

Mysteries also make for good television. Along with all the original mystery, detective, crime, and cop shows are some based on popular novels. One series that brought new readers to the books that inspired it is Showtime's Dexter, based on the mystery series by Jeff Lindsay that focuses on fictional serial killer Dexter Morgan. After following the first book closely, the TV version started to veer off in its own direction. Dexter debuted in Darkly Dreaming Dexter - DB 66175 (download only), RC 66175 [NYPL].

NBC's recently announced Fall 2011 schedule includes a reimagining of Prime Suspect, a British mystery series based on novels by Lynda La Plante. The original Prime Suspect aired in the United States as part of Masterpiece Theater. RC 39341 (contact the library to request) [NYPL]

Robert Parker's Spenser novels enjoyed life on TV in a series called Spenser: For Hire that starred Robert Urich and Avery Brooks, and his Jesse Stone series has been made into a series of TV movies on CBS starring Tom Selleck. Although Parker died in January 2010, his characters will continue in books by new authors. Parker's first Spenser novel is The Godwulf Manuscript - DB 62678, RC 62678 [NYPL].

Sometimes, books are directly adapted from TV shows, providing further adventures of the main characters, such as the Murder She Wrote series starring Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher turned into a series of books by Donald Bain, beginning with Manhattans and Murder - DB 60587, RC 60587.

And finally, TV studios and book publishers sometimes like to mix things up. The current ABC series Castle, starring Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic, takes the world of publishing and turns it upside down. Richard Castle, as played by Fillion, is a mystery writer who talks himself into ride-alongs with NYPD detective Kate Beckett so he can do onsite research for his new series about a female detective, based on Beckett, named Nikki Heat. Which in turn has inspired a series of books by "Richard Castle," starting with Heat Wave, DB 72081 [NYPL]! As a bonus, the show offers some interesting cameo appearances. Pay attention to the sometimes poker games with Castle and his writing buddies. The buddies are played by real life mystery writers. This past season included Dennis Lehane, author of Shutter Island - DB 56046 (download only), RC 56046, BR 14802 [NYPL], among others. Don't try to think too hard about all of this real life vs fiction; you'll just give yourself a headache. Instead, just enjoy the synergy of the show and the book.

Andrew Heiskell Library April Links We Loved

Rachelle Stein, Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:11:26 -0400

Our links from April.

Free touch tour of the Glenn Ligon: AMERICA exhibit at the Whitney Museum on Friday, May 6 at 11:00AM. Call 212-570-7789 to RSVP.

How Bind People See the Internet is a nice overview.

American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and the National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (NAPVI) announce a social network for members of FamilyConnect.

The Blind Man Who Taught Himself to See (article in Men's Journal). Daniel Kish uses echolocation and teaches the skill through his World Access for the Blind organization.

Fishs Eddy has braille plates. The designer, Roxanne Phillips, submitted the design as part of an annual competition "Words to Live By" with Pratt Institute. The braille says: "The sighted will never know to have words touch you and touch them back."

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic has a new name! They're the Learning Ally now.

Amazon announced it will launch Library Lending for Kindle Books.

Gene Therapy has Potential to Restore Sight to the Blind.

Actress Isabella Rossellini Trains Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Dystopias in Fiction

Rachelle Stein, Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 08:53:08 -0400

"War is Peace." "Freedom is Slavery." "Ignorance is Strength." These tenets of doublethink are from George Orwell's classic dystopian novel 1984. It's Dystopia Week at Tor.com, which provides an excellent incentive to look at one of my favorite genres, or subgenres: Dystopian Fiction!

From failed attempts at perfect societies to aftermaths of natural and unnatural disasters, dystopian fiction has a long tradition of examining human dysfunction, as well as the resilience of individualism. "Dystopia" comes from the Greek for "bad place," and how this is used in literature is not a hard and fast rule. In a blog post, John Joseph Adams describes the genre as: "... an unfavorable society in which to live. 'Dystopia' is not a synonym for 'post-apocalyptic'; it also is not a synonym for a bleak, or darkly imagined future. In a dystopian story, society itself is typically the antagonist; it is society that is actively working against the protagonist’s aims and desires." He argues that the term is subjective, that one person's dystopia might be another's utopia, but for me, if things are bleak in a fictional society, no matter what the cause, the story qualifies as a dystopia.

In compiling this list, I looked at a number of "best dystopian literature" lists. Some books, such as 1984, were on all the lists I reviewed, while there is much disagreement over others. Some books, such as Cormac McCarthy's The Road (BR 17072, DB 63649-download only, RC 63649, NYPL) could be considered dystopias, but they could also be considered post-apocolyptic novels only. There's also disagreement over whether or not they are a subgenre of science fiction, an issue science fiction author Jo Walton discusses in an article on the Tor.com site. Whatever side you take in the debates, you're sure to find something worth reading from the sample titles that follow.

As always, I've limited the list to books available in either braille or special format audio books from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. (BR = braille, DB = digital book, RC = recorded cassette). NYPL indicates links to large print or standard print editions found in New York Public Library branches.

Armageddon's Children by Terry Brooks, DB 63948 (download only), RC 63948 [NYPL]
Anthem by Ayn Rand, RC 18854 (contact the library to request) [NYPL]
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, BR 11922, RC 47108 (contact the library to request) [NYPL]
The Children of Men by P.D. James, DB 35885 (download only), RC 35885 (contact the library to request) [NYPL]
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, BR 18284, DB 15213 (download only), RC 15213 (contact the library to request) [NYPL]
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, BR 15332, DB 34963 (download only), RC 34963 (contact the library to request) [NYPL]
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, BR 11911, RC 24695 (contact the library to request) [NYPL]
Lord of the Flies by William Golding, DB 48388 (download only), RC 48388 (contact the library to request) [NYPL]
Make Room! Make Room! by Harry Harrison, DB 68208, RC 68208 [NYPL]
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, DB 59667 (download only), RC 59667 [NYPL]
1984 by George Orwell, BR 10312, RC 34268 (contact the library to request) [NYPL]

Dystopias are also popular in Young Adult fiction. Although written for teens, many are worth reading even if your teen years are behind you. I've just finished reading the first book in Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy and have started on the second and I think the series can hold its own against any adult novel. With the movie currently being filmed, this is the time to read it.

The Hunger Games, Book 1, BR 18488, DB 68384 [NYPL]
Catching Fire: Hunger Games, Book 2, BR 18554, DB 69689 [NYPL]
Mockingjay: Hunger Games, Book 3, DB 71734 [NYPL]

Andrew Heiskell Library Links We Loved in March 2011

Rachelle Stein, Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:25:33 -0400

From inspiring stories to the latest in assistive technology, we've got it all! Here are the links and announcements we posted on Facebook and Twitter for March.

The New York Times covered our Unseen Dance program, presented by the No-See-Ums.

Online survey for people with disabilities: "Under the new 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) created the "Emergency Access Advisory Committee" (EAAC) to work on 9-1-1 accessibility issues. The EAAC is now conducting this survey to better understand how people like you use 9-1-1 services now and how you want to access these services in the future." Americans over 13 years of age who are seniors or who have disabilities are invited to fill out the survey by April 24, 2011.

Braille with Sign Language Alphabet Blocks. "Making Photos without Seeing: Blind Photographer Pete Eckert": includes a brief video on how he creates his photographic art. Blind Artist Paints a Colorful World. The Whitney Museum of American Art: Access Services and Programs makes its collections and programs accessible to people with disabilities, including verbal imaging and touch tours. Look Tel Money Reader: iPhone app reads aloud US currency denominations. Using a Kinect, Blind People May Better Navigate. Using Infrared Light to Help Deaf People Hear and Blind People See. Mitsubishi Elevator Detects Wheelchair Users, Can Be Voice-Controlled: These voice-activated elevators would allow blind and visually impaired persons to use them without needing to press buttons. The company hopes to get them into hospitals and nursing homes in the coming year. A Blind Long Island High School Student Wins $75K In Science Competition. Find Wheelchair Accessible Places. The site is currently in beta. Award-Winning Books about Kids with Disabilities. We have After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick (BR 18878, DB 70791) [NYPL]
Choice Magazine Listening will be switching to a quarterly format, beginning with the Spring issue in April. February 's top BARD downloads were: John Grisham's The Confession - DB 71850 [NYPL], James Patterson's Private - DB 71593 [NYPL], and Stieg Larsson's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - DB 67759 [NYPL].

Dancing in the Dark: Experiencing Dance Without Sight

Angela Montefinise, Public Relations Office — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:17:10 -0400

I must be out of my mind. What the heck am I doing here, on a Saturday afternoon, blindfolded inside a Staten Island library, grasping the shoulders of a total stranger in front of me? This is truly insane.

That’s all I could think of on March 5, when I attended BARK, a performance by dance troupe Dana Salisbury and the No-See-Ums. They perform what they call “unseen dance” — original dances experienced through senses other than sight. It sounded very quirky and cool, so I decided to attend the first of a series of performances the group is doing at NYPL locations throughout March, this one at the Richmondtown Library.

After a brief introduction outside the performance space (which was shuttered so we couldn’t see inside), Salisbury took our coats, bags, and other belongings (glasses for example). Everyone shuffled uncomfortably for a minute — there’s something disconcerting about having your stuff unceremoniously taken from you and put in an unknown place.

A few minutes later, Salisbury reappeared with a box of foam-padded blindfolds. We were told to put them on and grab the shoulders of the person in front of us. So I did — and immediately regretted coming. This is too weird, I thought, as I felt the hands of the stranger grab my shoulders. There were some mutinous mumblings and uncomfortable giggles. I wasn’t the only one thinking about running for the door.

All of a sudden, I heard the entrance to the performance space open, and a weird recorded cackle came out of the room. Oh boy, I thought. Here we go. Part of me — very aware of how silly I must look — was dying to roll my eyes at someone; dying to validate my insecurities by seeing how insecure everyone else must feel. But, obviously, that wasn’t possible. We were told by someone to start walking forward like one big blindfolded chain, so we did. It was like a Conga line from the Twilight Zone.

As we shuffled forward, I suddenly felt the strong hands of one of the dancers stop me, disconnect my hands from the person ahead of me and lead me to a spot where I was told to just stand there — awkwardly. I tried to imagine how stupid I must have looked, but then realized I had no idea what the performance space looked like so I couldn’t really do it. It was a bizarre feeling.

The recorded cackle continued as, I presume, all the audience members were moved to different spots. Then the noise stopped. All of a sudden I heard and felt a bunch of people start moving all around me, making truly bizarre sounds. I immediately thought of fairies. Again, my inhibitions made me uncomfortable. What the heck is going on, I thought (except “heck” was not the word I used)? I’m seriously standing blindfolded in a room with a bunch of weirdos making bizarro giggling noises all around me? This is crazy! Occasionally, one of the dancers would giggle right in my ear or sideswipe my shoulder. I couldn’t help but smirk.

Then the actors started saying, “Pleased to meet you” in a weird accent. The phrases were coming from all around me, some distant, some close. Suddenly, I heard “Pleased to meet you” right in my ear, and a hand held mind, gently pulling me forward. The person then moved my hand downward so I could feel a chair, and after a few seconds of confusion, I realized I should sit. So I did.

And then the weirdest thing of all happened. I started to relax. I realized I simply couldn’t see anyone, so I stopped worrying about how I looked or how silly I felt. I just sat and waited for the next sound, the next smell, the next ... thing. My inhibitions started to disappear and my senses sharpened. Every little noise seemed louder. I let go and started to concentrate.

Without me even realizing it, my mind shifted to a different place. All of a sudden the fantasy/sci-fi geek in me was imagining various worlds I could be in based on the noises I was hearing. The giggling girls became fairies flying around me. At one point, the performers handed me what felt like a plastic bag filled with cold water. Immediately, my body told me we had moved “outside.” A bunch of wind-like noises came next, and I was convinced I was on a ship, cruising down a canal. Someone else at the show told me later she thought we were on a train speeding through Europe.

Then there was crumpling paper. All of a sudden, the performers were throwing it at me. My brain now told me I was in a forest with leaves whipping into me. When I later took of my blindfold, I have to admit to being disappointed that it was just crumpled up white paper. I really believed they were leaves.

At one point I heard a thud, then a weird gurgling sound, then a dragging noise. The “CSI” fan in me was sure I just heard a murder, which inexplicably I pictured happening deep inside a jungle.

I heard dogs barking and cats meowing at another point and felt like I was in a park on a warm summer’s day.

Each of these noises, each of these sounds is choreographed to perfection by Salisbury and performed to perfection by her team of female dancers. Mark McCluski, head of the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library (which is sponsoring several performances this month in connection with the 80th anniversary of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, a part of the Library of Congress that provides Braille and talking books to citizens across the country and living abroad) described the experience as a “simulator ride without the machinery.”

McCluski also told The New York Times (which attended the March 12 performance and wrote a piece about the experience), “I saw the natural connection between a performance where you don’t actually see what’s going on and the services that we provide for visually-impaired readers.”

After about 45 minutes to an hour of this wild ride (during which you’re moved around, sometimes quite quickly, and once asked to duck under something), the dancers ask you to lie down. They then make quiet, cricket-like sounds as the show winds down. I was almost asleep when it ended and as relaxed as can be — amazing, being that I was blindfolded on the floor of a library amongst 10 strangers.

Then Salisbury asked us to take off our blindfolds and reality smacked into all of us. We weren’t in a forest or on a cruise ship. We were in a bare community room of a library, complete with a piano on the corner. The chairs were plain chairs. The dancers were just dancers. The “leaves” were just paper.

It made it even more amazing.

As I looked around, I saw the looks on everyone’s faces — everyone felt like I did. Everyone was so happy, grinning ear to ear. We all felt like we had been on a journey.

Staten Islander Arlene Boyarsky told WNYC radio (which attended the performance and did a piece on it), “I never thought about how it feels to be blind and now this experience has shown me. It really is a revelation to me what it is not to see by experiencing this.”

The following Saturday, March 12, I attended the second BARK performance at the Heiskell Library (which was full — we had to turn people away). The performance garnered the same reactions from people. Some of the audience members were actually visually impaired, and one said to me as I helped her out of the performance space, “That was awesome! Amazing! Can you believe it?” Again, the smiles were wide and the amazement was widespread.

Salisbury did not create these dances for the blind specifically, but they are the only form of dance that blind and visually impaired people can experience to the fullest.

She told WNYC she came up with idea for unseen dance after reading an article by Dr. Oliver Sacks on non-visual perception. “He talked about a man who had been blind and had been given vision,” she said. “And he was not able to absorb the world visually ... He couldn’t recognize, for example, his beloved dog until he touched him,” she said. “And I thought, this is amazing, what does this mean?”

Come see for yourself — NYPL has two more free performances to go.

BARK will take place at the Webster Library on March 19 at 2 p.m. and at the 115th Street Library on March 26. Just a warning — the nature of the dance requires a small audience, with numbers varying depending on the size of the room. So first come, first served!

So come and not see something amazing. You’ll never forget it.

Photos: Mark McCluski, NYPL

This piece was originally published in The Huffington Post. View more >>

Observing Deaf History Month

Alexandra Gomez, Central Collection Development — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 13:25:05 -0400

Did you know? Deaf History Month is celebrated each year from March 13-April 15. It straddles two months to highlight three of the key milestones in deaf history:

March 13, 1988: The Deaf President Now movement succeeds in having I. King Jordan named the first deaf president of Gallaudet University.
April 8, 1864: President Abraham Lincoln signs the charter for Gallaudet University in Washington, the first school for the advanced education of the Deaf and hard-of-hearing in the world.
April 15, 1817: The first permanent public school for the deaf, the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut, opens.

In observance of Deaf History Month, we have selected some books—fictional and factual—for children, teens and adults focusing on deafness and Deaf culture.

Fiction

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin

By Josh Berk

When Will Halpin transfers from his all-deaf school into a mainstream Pennsylvania high school, he faces discrimination and bullying, but still manages to solve a mystery surrounding the death of a popular football player in his class. For junior and senior high.

The Deaf Musicians

By Pete Seeger and Paul DuBois Jacobs

Jazz pianist Lee is asked to leave his band when he loses his hearing. At sign language class, Lee meets Max who plays the sax. Riding the subway together, they form a new band with a big audience. For kindergarten to grade 3 and older readers. Schneider Family Book Award, 2007.

Deaf Sentence

By David Lodge

A distinguished retired professor suddenly finds himself struggling with intermittent hearing loss while taking care of his dying father who is also going deaf. For adults.

Five Flavors of Dumb

By Antony John

Dumb is not the name Piper, a high school senior who is Deaf, would have chosen for a heavy metal band, yet she volunteers to manage this disparate group of would-be musicians. In her attempt to make Dumb profitable, Piper learns a few things about music and business, striking a chord within herself. For junior and senior high.

Hands of My Father: A Hearing Boy, His Deaf Parents, and the Language of Love

By Myron Uhlberg

Uhlberg, a critically-acclaimed and award-winning author of children of several children's books, writes of growing up in Brooklyn as the child of deaf parents. For adults.

Hurt Go Happy

By Ginny Rorby

Thirteen-year-old Joey Willis, deaf since age seven, has an overprotective mother who refuses to let her daughter learn sign language. When Joey meets neighbor Dr. Mansell and his sign-user chimpanzee Sukari, her world blooms with possibilities. But a crisis involving Sukari brings Joey some heavy responsibilities. For junior and senior high. Schneider Family Book Award, 2008.

Moses Goes to a Concert

By Isaac Millman

Moses and his classmates, all of whom are deaf, go to a concert with their teacher and enjoy experiencing music. They discover that the percussionist in the orchestra is also deaf. Includes information on sign language. For kindergarten to grade 3.

My Sister's Voice

By Mary Carter

Lacey, an accomplished deaf artist, suddenly discovers the existence of Monica, her twin sister, and questions why her parents put her up for adoption while choosing to raise Monica. For adults.

Singing Hands

By Delia Ray

Alabama, 1948. Twelve-year-old Gussie, a minister’s daughter, learns the definition of integrity while helping with a celebration at the school for the deaf—her punishment for impulsive misdeeds against her deaf parents and their boarders. For grades 5 to 8.

Nonfiction

I'll Scream Later

By Marlee Matlin

Memoir of the Academy Award-winning actress, who has been deaf since she was 18 months old. For adults.

Inside Deaf Culture

By Carol Padden and Tom Humphries

A historical look at the issues and challenges faced by the Deaf community in America. For adults.

Kicking Up Dirt: A True Story of Determination, Deafness and Daring

By Ashley Fiolek

Story of Ashley Fiolek, born deaf, who had won the Women's Motocross Championship—twice—by age 20. For adults.

Signing in Puerto Rican: A Hearing Son and His Deaf Family

By Andres Torres

Torres writes affectionately about straddling four worlds while growing up: Puerto Rican; New Yorker; Deaf; and Hearing. For adults.

Through Deaf Eyes

By Lawrence Hott and Diane Garey

This videorecording presents a historical view of the American deaf experience through a spectrum of stories told by great personalities, as well as ordinary people who are hearing impaired. For adults.

The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa

By Josh Swiller.

The author, who lost his hearing as a child, tells of his experience in Zimbabwe with the Peace Corps, which he joined "to find a place past deafness." For adults.

This list was compiled by Brigid Cahalan, Alexandra Gomez and Miriam Tuliao. These and other titles in different formats are available at your local library.

Unseen Dance

Rachelle Stein, Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 07:51:51 -0500

With few exceptions (music, sculpture, tactile canvases), the Arts have typically been inaccessible to people who are blind or who have visual difficulties, but the times, as is often said, are a-changing. Dana Salisbury and the No-See-Ums will be presenting BARK! An Unseen Dance, at four New York Public Libraries this month. Based on non-visual perception, this is the first dance form fully accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired.

Choreographed by Dana Salisbury in collaboration with the dancers, BARK! is performed for blindfolded and visually impaired audiences. Dancers reveal themselves and the space through the other senses: sound, scent, touch, temperature, and the movement of air. The audience members are placed within the action and occasionally moved, which shifts their relationship to the environment, the performers, and to one another.

The dancers include Amy Baumgarten, CJ Holm, Mari Meade Montoya, EmmaGrace Skove-Epes, as well as Dana Salisbury, and guests Ashley Handel, Breanna Gribble, and Ashni Sunder. The actual casts will vary for each date.

The performances will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays in March at the following libraries. For Adults Only. Registration is required.

Read more in the Staten Island Advance: "Dancing in the Dark on Staten Island."

Unseen Dance is made possible in part with public funds from the Fund for Creative Communities, supported by the New York State Council on the Arts and administered by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, and by contributions made by supporters of the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library.