From the Director’s Desk
NovemBARD has come and gone, and fall is fading fast.
As we prepare for the bitter chill of winter, it’s a wonderful time to reflect on the connections that warm our hearts. Through our Roadshow events we’ve been able to meet many of you in person and hear personally how you found talking books and the role our services play in your life. Through these connections we are reminded of the power of stories - not just in the books we read, but in the ones we create together as a community.
One way we’re celebrating this is through The Community Table, a national recipe and memory collection project. We’re gathering recipes and stories from patrons and staff to capture the flavors and feelings that make life rich. I encourage you to share your favorite memories and recipes with us—you never know how your story might touch someone else.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to continue expanding our services and resources in 2025. From increasing our audiobook production to providing faster, easier access to reading materials, our mission remains clear: to make reading accessible, meaningful, and enjoyable for all.
I welcome any questions, comments, or concerns you may have about the service. You can email me or call me directly 620-341-6287.
Thank you for being part of our community. Stay warm, and happy reading!
–Michael Lang, Director
KTB Updates
Welcoming New Staff
We’re excited to welcome Rei to the Kansas Talking Books team!
Rei will be working closely with our amazing volunteers to record audio and produce high-quality audiobooks for our patrons. In addition, Rei will provide friendly support to library patrons over the phone, ensuring they have the resources they need.
Rei brings enthusiasm and a dedication to creating accessible materials for all. We’re excited to have Rei on board and can’t wait for you to get to know her!
The Community Table
The holiday season often brings warm memories and comforting traditions, but for some, it can be bittersweet. No matter our experiences, food often provides solace and connection. Whether it’s a dad and daughter sharing cocoa and cookies on a Christmas Eve drive, a favorite homemade snack, or baking holiday cookies with grandma, these small moments of joy are worth cherishing.
Kansas Talking Books invites you to share your recipes and the memories tied to them for The Community Table, a special collection featuring contributions from patrons and staff across the nation. This project, spearheaded by Maureen Dorosinski from the Florida Braille and Talking Book Library and Jennifer Falvey from South Carolina’s Talking Books Services, will be recorded, brailled, and made into large print. Once completed, the collection will be available on BARD for all talking book patrons. Recipes and stories shared by our Kansas community will represent the Midwest section of the book.
Need inspiration? Here’s an example:
"My grandma’s homemade rolls were golden, flaky, and soft, their yeasty aroma filling the kitchen. After her passing, I found her recipe—just a list of ingredients with no instructions. Guided by a memory of her teaching me to knead dough until smooth but slightly sticky, I recreated her rolls. Every time I make them, I feel her presence."
Share your recipes and memories by emailing KTB@ks.gov, calling 1-800-362-0699, or mailing them to:
Kansas Talking Books
1 Kellogg Cir, Box 4055
Emporia, KS 66801
We look forward to including your story in this heartwarming project!
Watch the Introduction to NFB-Newsline Webinar
On Tuesday, November 12th, Scott White and Jack Mendez from NFB-Newsline joined us to host an “Introduction to NFB-Newsline Webinar.” NFB-Newsline is a free service of the National Federation of the Blind that provides a collection of over 500 national newspapers, magazines, and now, Kansas local publications in an accessible audio format.
Scott and Jack provided an overview of the service and the process of setting up and logging into an account. Scott provided anecdotes from patrons on how the service has benefited them and how the user experience can be tailored to each person. They also detailed the many ways you can access NFB-Newsline, including from a touch-tone phone, iOS app, website, Alexa device, and more. We thank them for taking the time to provide a comprehensive demonstration of the service to our patrons. The archived webinar recording is available for you to view at this link.
Talking Books Coffee Hour
Cozy up with a mug full of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate this winter and join other Kansas Talking Books patrons at our new virtual Coffee Hour program. This hour is open to patrons to meet and chat with each other about all sorts of topics. Want to know how other patrons are doing with the latest update to their iPhones? Want to chat about the weather? Recipe exchange? Everyday life skills? Get the chance with our Coffee Hour, open to all patrons twice a month. If you can’t make the afternoon hour, try the evening hour. You can use the join via Zoom with a computer, tablet, or smart phone at this link bit.ly/4fXLVxm.
Meeting ID: 413 473 6425
Passcode: kstb
You can dial-in using a touchtone phone, 1-346-248-7799.
Meeting ID: 413 473 6425
Passcode: 800254
Or call the library at 800-362-0699 to get transferred into the meeting.
Dates and times:
Thursday, December 12 at 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, December 18 at 3:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 16 at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 22 at 3:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 13 at 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 19 at 3:00 p.m.
Celebrate a big State Library of Kansas anniversary with Kansas Talking Books!
You are invited to celebrate the State Library of Kansas’ 125th anniversary of serving Kansans while headquartered in the north wing of the Kansas Statehouse. The 125th celebration begins Monday, January 27, 2025, with an open house in our lobby on the third floor, room 312-N, 300 Southwest 10th Avenue, Topeka. Answer a handful of trivia questions and submit your answers for one randomly selected prize, meet some of the Topeka team, browse the book stacks and enjoy a sweet treat.
Can’t make it Monday? Join us Kansas Day, Wednesday, January 29, as a new Kansas Suffragist Memorial Mural is unveiled. The 19’ x 8’ mural titled “Rebel Women” by Manhattan’s Phyllis Pease, features Kansas women who helped change the state and beyond, including a dynamic woman of State Library history. The mural will be displayed on the first floor of the Statehouse and east of the rotunda. As of this writing, the time of the unveiling has not been announced.
Did you miss our 2024 Kansas Talking Books roadshows? Your next chance to meet Michael and Maggie, the dynamic duo who help Kansans access the National Library Service’s BARD or Braille and Audio Reading Download service, is Thursday, January 30. They will be at the Statehouse on the second floor of the rotunda for a day of introducing Kansans to Kansas Talking Books services. Stop by and introduce yourself.
Stay up to date on State Library of Kansas resources and important events by following us on social media. You will find us on Facebook at facebook.com/statelibraryofkansas and Twitter at x.com/LibraryofKS.
Color Our World with Summer Reading 2025
We are already preparing for next year’s summer reading program and it’s shaping up to be an adventure bursting with imagination and creativity! Join us as we explore the vibrant world of reading, where stories and words bring color to your world.
Each week, we’ll provide activities to spark your creativity, along with themed book recommendations full of colorful characters, dashing adventures, and inspiring tales. Stay tuned to our website for more information as we continue to build an exciting summer reading program open to all Kansas Talking Books patrons. Let’s color our world together!
KTB Outreach & Event Calendar.
Our outreach activities decline considerably in the winter, but we still have a few events on the schedule. Bookmark our Talking Books Event Calendar to stay up to date with all of our outreach events and patron programs.
December 5th: Butler County Department on Aging presentation. 2101 Dearborn Street, #302. Augusta. 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
February 13th: Talking Books Roadshow at Leavenworth County Council on Aging. 711 Marshall Street, Suite 100. Leavenworth. 9:00 am – Noon.
Quarterly Virtual Book Club: The Man Who Invented Christmas
All Kansas Talking Books patrons are invited to join our quarterly virtual book club on Wednesday, December 11 at noon.
Meet other patrons and enjoy a lively discussion of DBC02962 The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol rescued his career and revived our holiday spirits by Les Standiford
If you are interested in participating, contact Maggie Witte at 620-341-6281 or maggie.witte@ks.gov.
News from NLS
Parental Acknowledgement Required for Users Under 18.
A new Library of Congress policy requires a signed acknowledgment by the parent or guardian of any new applicant or current patron under the age of 18. Any current account missing this acknowledgement will be suspended on January 1, 2025 until the form is on file.
In addition, any school serving students under 18 will be required to provide a signed institutional acknowledgement.
NLS and Kansas Talking Books have attempted to contact all of our active users affected by this policy change. If we haven’t been able to reach you, you can download the form (https://bit.ly/3AQvap0) or contact KTB at 800-362-0699 to get one mailed to you.
Help NLS test its new My Talking Books Alexa skill
Did you know that NLS patrons with Amazon Alexa-enabled smart speakers can now enjoy talking books on BARD using voice commands? NLS is seeking patrons to take part in an open beta test of the new My Talking Books skill, a voice-activated app for Alexa smart speakers. In addition to being one of the first to get the My Talking Books skill, you’ll be helping NLS identify and fix any remaining bugs before the skill is made widely available. If you’re interested, you can get more information and register for the beta test at www.surveymonkey.com/r/mtb-open-beta.
Looking for your next great read?
You’ll find many of the latest additions to the ever-growing NLS collection in Talking Book Topics or Braille Book Review. Both bimonthly publications—and past issues too—are on the NLS website in a variety of formats. Patrons can access the audio edition of TBT via the BARD Mobile app, subscribe to it on cartridge, or get it through NFB-NEWSLINE. The website also has issues of International Language Quarterly for patrons reading in languages other than English.
Keep Up-To-Date with NLS Events
To get the latest NLS news and programs updates directly to your inbox, sign up for the NLS Patron Announce email list. Send your name and email address to the Patron Engagement Section at NLSPES@loc.gov. You can unsubscribe yourself from the list at any time.
Readers’ Advisor Recommends: Books We Loved in ’24.
The Talking Books team provides their staff picks each month on our blog. Today we are sharing our favorite books of the year! It can be hard to do. So, please pardon us if there is more than one pick per person. It’s a book lover problem.
Michael Lang, Director.
DB 117545 Gator Country: Deception, danger, and alligators in the Everglades by Rebecca Renner.
To catch a Florida Man, you have to become one, and that's what Officer Jeff Babauta did. As his ponytailed, whiskey-soaked alter ego, he established Sunshine Alligator Farm. His goal? Infiltrate the shady world of illegal poachers in the Florida Everglades in order to protect the natural world. A head-spinning adventure soon unfolds. Jeff deals with glow-in-the-dark alligators and high-speed airboat rides, but quickly learns that not all poachers are villains. They're simply people trying to survive, fighting against the poverty and greed holding them down. Jeff wants to solve the mystery of alligator poachers, and in doing so he must venture deeper into a strange ecosystem where right is wrong, and justice comes at the cost of those who've welcomed him into their world. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
Maggie Witte, Outreach Librarian.
DB 99243 Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth.
Fifteen years ago, five ordinary teenagers were singled out by a prophecy to take down an impossibly powerful entity. After the Dark One fell, the world went back to normal for everyone but the Chosen Ones. After all, what do you do when your purpose in life is now fulfilled? Some strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook.
DB 110401 The very secret society of irregular witches by Sangu Mandanna.
As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don't mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she's used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos "pretending" to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously. But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and...Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he's concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat. As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn't the only danger in the world, and when peril comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn't know she was looking for." Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
Dylan Calhoon, Patron Services Manager.
DB 69250 Patient zero: Joe Ledger series, book 1 by Jonathan Maberry.
Baltimore detective Joe Ledger shoots and kills Javad Mustapha, a suspected terrorist, during a police raid. When the covert Department of Military Sciences recruits Ledger, the detective finds himself facing Mustapha again, as well as a new breed of terrorist--zombies. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex.
Rei Cook, Library Assistant.
DB 72052 The odyssey by Homer.
Robert Fagles's 1996 translation of the Greek epic poem attributed to Homer. After the Trojan War, Odysseus begins a ten-year voyage back to Ithaca during which he relies on his wit and wiliness to survive encounters with Poseidon, god of oceans, and other divine and natural forces.
Jason Brinkman, Production Manager.
DB 117620 Murder crossed her mind by Stephen Spotswood.
Vera Bodine, an elderly shut-in with an exceptional memory, has gone missing and famed detective Lillian Pentecost and her crackerjack assistant Willowjean "Will" Parker have been hired to track her down. But the New York City of 1947 can be a dangerous place, and there's no shortage of people who might like to get ahold of what's in Bodine's head. Does her disappearance have to do with the high-profile law firm whose secrets she still keeps; the violent murder of a young woman, with which Bodine had lately become obsessed; or is it the work she did with the FBI hunting Nazi spies intent on wartime sabotage? Any and all are on the suspect list, including their client, Forest Whitsun, hotshot defense attorney and no friend to Pentecost and Parker. The clock is ticking to get Bodine back alive, but circumstances conspire to pull both investigators away from the case. Will is hot on the trail of a stickup team who are using her name-and maybe her gun-for their own ends. While Lillian again finds herself up against murder-obsessed millionaire Jessup Quincannon, who has discovered a secret from her past-something he plans to use to either rein the great detective in . . . or destroy her. To solve this mystery, and defeat their own personal demons, the pair will have to go nose-to-nose with murderous gangsters, make deals with conniving federal agents, confront Nazi spies, and bend their own ethical rules to the point of breaking. Before time runs out for everyone." Some strong language, some violence. Commercial audiobook.
DB 89375 Fantasyland: how America went haywire by Kurt Anderson.
A discussion of the post-factual "fake news" movement, which is, perhaps, less new than many might think. Covers examples from across five centuries of life in America, including the Salem witch trials, Scientology, the Satanic Panic of the 1980s, conspiracy theories, and more. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
Nataly Renfro, Machine Clerk.
DB 79327 Sparrow Hill Road: Ghost roads, book 1 by Seanan McGuire.
Years ago, Rose Marshall died when a man ran her off the road. Now, she haunts the highway and helps truckers transition to the other side. But with her killer still free and alive, Rose decides it's time to hunt him down. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex.
DB 108883 The girl in the green silk gown: Ghost roads, book 2 by Seanan McGuire.
For Rose Marshall, death has long since become the only life she really knows. She's been sweet sixteen for more than sixty years, hitchhiking her way along the highways and byways of America, sometimes seen as an avenging angel, sometimes seen as a killer in her own right, but always Rose, the Phantom Prom Date, the Girl in the Green Silk Gown. The man who killed her is still out there, thanks to a crossroads bargain that won't let him die, and he's looking for the one who got away. When Bobby Cross comes back into the picture, there's going to be hell to pay-possibly literally. Rose has worked for decades to make a place for herself in the twilight. Can she defend it, when Bobby Cross comes to take her down? Can she find a way to navigate the worlds of the living and the dead, and make it home before her hitchhiker's luck runs out? There's only one way to know for sure. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
DB 110422 Angel of the overpass: Ghost roads, book 3 by Seanan McGuire.
Rose Marshall died when she was sixteen years old and on her way to her high school prom. She hasn't been resting easy since then-Bobby Cross, the man who killed her, got away clean after running her off the road, and she's not the kind of girl who can let something like that slide. She's been looking for a way to stop him since before they put her body in the ground. But things have changed in the twilight world where the spirits of the restless dead continue their "lives." The crossroads have been destroyed, and Bobby's protections are gone. For the first time, it might be possible for Rose to defeat him. Not alone, though. She'll need every friend she's managed to make and every favor she's managed to add to her account if she wants to stand a chance...and this may be her last chance to be avenged, since what is Bobby Cross without the crossroads? Everything Rose knows is about to change. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
Troy Arndt, Circulation Clerk.
DB 120044 Murder road by Simone St. James.
July 1995. April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn. They're looking for the small resort town where they plan to spend their honeymoon. When they spot what appears to be a lone hitchhiker along the deserted road, they stop to help. But not long after the hitchhiker gets into their car, they see the blood seeping from her jacket and a truck barreling down Atticus Line after them. When the hitchhiker dies at the local hospital, April and Eddie find themselves in the crosshairs of the Coldlake Falls police. Unexplained murders have been happening along Atticus Line for years and the cops finally have two witnesses who easily become their only suspects. As April and Eddie start to dig into the history of the town and that horrible stretch of road to clear their names, they soon learn that there is something supernatural at work, something that could not only tear the town and its dark secrets apart, but take April and Eddie down with it all. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
Services Spotlight: Audio-Described Finding Nemo Stage Adaptation
Audio-Reader provides live audio description at theaters across the Kansas City metro area. The Coterie Theatre at Crown Center has made accessibility a priority and offers multiple audio-described and sensory-friendly performances for each of their shows. In December, the show will be a stage adaptation of the 2003 Disney/Pixar classic Finding Nemo. In addition to offering audio description during the Friday, December 6, 12:00pm performance, there will be a reception with Coterie and Audio-Reader staff on Sunday, December 7 ahead of the 2:00pm show. Starting at 1:00pm, theater patrons can enjoy light refreshments while touring the stage and theater and engaging with props and costumes. An event the whole family can enjoy, it will be a wonderful afternoon for new or experienced audio description listeners.
Visit thecoterie.org to purchase tickets. With promo code KUADNEMO, tickets are only $14 each for the December 7, 2:00pm performance.
In addition to the Coterie Theatre at Crown Center, Audio-Reader regularly provides audio description at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, KC Starlight, and Theatre Lawrence. They are open to new theater partnerships, so make sure to request audio description with the box office when planning your next night out at the theater.
Listen Local.
Access a wide variety of local interest magazines and newsletters on our NFB-Newsline Local Channels. Sign up for Newsline today by calling 620-341-6286 or emailing Ryan Lauber.
Ad Astra Kansas Newsletter: With a mission to "Advance the Kansas State Motto, 'Ad Astra Per Aspera,'" the Ad Astra Kansas Foundation newsletter promotes space science and education in Kansas. You can expect to hear updates about Kansas specific efforts relating to the space sciences in this quarterly newsletter.
Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging: Amazing Aging! from the JAAA is a quarterly publication “For Seniors and Those Who Love Them.”
Kansas Elections: Includes up to date voter information from the Secretary of State’s office.
Kansas Living Magazine: Kansas Farm Bureau’s quarterly membership magazine. Enjoy life to the fullest with inspiration from Kansas Living. Featuring stories from Kansans around the state, delicious and healthy recipes, expert financial tips, and more.
KTB News and Info: Kansas Talking Books Newsletter and other important program updates.
Kansas Tourism: Informational channel on the many things to do around Kansas. Currently featuring the Kansas Byways Open Road Guide as well as the 2024 Official Travel Guide, you can expect to find publications detailing travel and tourist information around Kansas.
Kansas Wildlife and Parks: A place to find relevant Wildlife and Parks information. Uploaded are the yearly regulation summaries for both hunting and fishing, including assistance permitting information. Also, information on the many state parks available to the public around Kansas.
North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging: Keynotes A news magazine for older Kansans’ and their families. Focusing on issues related to Kansas seniors including state and federal legislation, health care, estate planning, etc.
Leavenworth Council on Aging (The Source); your source to know what's happening at the Council on Aging.
The Active Age: A monthly news publication with a mission to help readers in Sedgwick, Butler, and Harvey Counties live healthy, active and fulfilling lives.
Wyandotte/Leavenworth Area Agency on Aging: The Communicator from the WY/LV AAA is a bi-monthly publication that provides readers with items predominantly of interest and affecting the well-being of senior citizens in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties.
Upcoming State and Postal Holidays
Christmas: Wednesday, December 25th
New Year’s Day: Wednesday January 1, 2025.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Monday January 20th, 2025
Contact Information for Kansas Talking Books
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Toll-Free phone: 1-800-362-0699
Phone: 620-341-6280
Address: 1 Kellogg Circle, Box 4055, Emporia, KS 66801.
Email: KTB@ks.gov
On X: @KSTalkingBooks