From the Director’s Desk

The wait is over! We have finally received our first shipment of DA2s, the new digital talking book machines, from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS).

With the DA2’s Wi-Fi connection, readers can login to BARD, the NLS Braille and Audio Reading Download service, and download books directly to their player as well as listening to books on talking book cartridges. The player also features Bluetooth connectivity for wireless headphones or speakers. Patrons who wish to use these new features are welcome to request a new player. Players will be distributed on a first come first served basis, but, as with all NLS services, priority will be given to veterans. You can learn more about the DA2 on the NLS DA2 webpage. https://www.loc.gov/nls/services-and-resources/equipment-for-nls-materials/da2-getting-started

If you’re happy with your current player, there is no need to switch. The talking book machine you already have will continue to be supported for years to come. 

As always, if you have any questions or concerns you can reach me by phone at 620-341-6287 or by email, michael.lang@ks.gov. Keep reading for KTB news, NLS updates, book recommendations, and more. 

–Michael Lang, Director

Kansas Talking Book Updates

Welcome New KTB Staff

Join us in welcoming Sarah, our NFB-Newsline coordinator, to the talking books team. Sarah manages our NFB-Newsline local channel content, user accounts, and is working to grow our subscriber base through various outreach efforts. She also produces local audio magazines. Sarah has already been hard at work and we’re very excited to have her on board. 

NFB-Newsline User Survey

Attention Newsline users! Kansas Talking Books is conducting a survey about NFB-Newsline usage and preferences. Your answers will improve this service. 

The survey, which takes 5 minutes or less, asks about Newsline and your use. It includes the option to update your NFB-Newsline account and request more information. The survey closes September 30, 2025.

You can access the survey online or call the library at 800-362-0699, and our staff will take your answers over the phone.

Thank you for participating in the survey to improve NFB-Newsline, sponsored by the State Library of Kansas, Talking Books.

Summer Reading Wraps Up

Thank you to everyone who registered and participated in our summer reading program! We hope you enjoyed the activities, book lists, and events that were offered. We would also like to send a huge thank you to the Kansas Advisory Council for Talking Books Services for their support and for donating the prizes for the program. Our grand prize winners were:

Adults: Amelia, Eudora

Youth: Abigail, Manhattan

A survey has been mailed to participants requesting feedback on the summer reading program. Please fill it out and return it in the self-addressed envelope that is included. If you are unable to fill out the mailed survey, you can call the office to answer the questions over the phone with Kansas Talking Books staff. We will use this information to improve the program next year. We look forward to your input. Thank you again for helping Color Our World!

More Talking Book News on our Blog

KTB’s Talking Books Talk blog is a great resource for all talking book patrons. Visit Talking Books Talk to find book lists, staff picks, information on KTB happenings, tips and tricks on getting the most out of talking books and, next month follow along with our Horror in October special series. Enter your email address on the right-hand side to subscribe and get notified when a new post is uploaded so you’re always up to date.

Join the Discussion, Join a Virtual Book Club 

Maggie, KTB librarian, facilitates two virtual book clubs open to any talking book patron in Kansas. Both book clubs meet via Zoom. Participants can join via computer, smart device, or touch-tone telephone.

The quarterly book club meets four times per year. The next two meetings and books are:

Find more information about the quarterly book club on our Talking Books Programs page.

The Manhattan Area VIP book club switched to virtual during COVID and opened up to all talking book patrons. This monthly book club typically meets at 1:00 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. 

The next four dates and books for discussion are:

Find the list of all upcoming books on our Talking Books Talk blog.

If you are interested in participating in either book club, contact Maggie at 620-341-6281 or maggie.witte@ks.gov.

Warm Up During Winter Coffee Hours

Mark your calendars; our virtual coffee hours return this winter; an hour for patrons to meet and chat with each other about all sorts of topics, not just books. This come-and-go program meets twice a month, December through February, using Zoom (accessible by computer, smartphone, or touch-tone telephone). The first two events will be held on:

  • Wednesday, December 10 at 6:00 p.m.

  • Wednesday, December 17 at 3:00 p.m.

Contact the office at 1-800-362-0699 or KTB@ks.gov if you have questions.

NovemBARD: BARD isn’t Hard

BARD isn’t hard! We want to help you get comfortable finding and downloading your own reading materials with ease. Join KTB throughout November as we celebrate the joys of BARD and support you on your journey to BARD mastery.

Hone your search skills with BARD Bingo or join us for hands on demos and troubleshooting at a Roadshow event (dates and locations in the next section). On Tuesday, November 18 we’ll be hosting the webinar “A new way to BARD: Your guide to BARD on the new DA2” at 10:00. We’ll demonstrate the new player and walk you through accessing BARD and downloading books. https://calendar.library.ks.gov/calendar/talkingbooks/da2_bard

BARD isn’t hard! If you’re new to BARD, a seasoned pro, or just looking to get started we’re here to help make the process easy for you this NovemBARD. 

Outreach Events Calendar

KTB representatives will be traveling for outreach events frequently this fall. If we’re in your neighborhood stop by, say Hi, and bring a friend to share the joy of talking books.  

September Events

Tuesday 9/16, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunflower Fair at Tony's Pizza Event Center. 800 The Midway. Salina, KS 67401.

Tuesday 9/23. Kansas Talking Books Roadshows

  • 10 a.m. – Noon. Abilene Public Library, 209 NW 4th St, Abilene,.

  • 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Marion City Library, 101 Library St. Marion.

Wednesday 9/24, 10 a.m. – Noon. Books, Brew, & Chat at Emporia Senior Center, 603 E 12th Ave, Emporia.

Saturday, 9/27, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Introduction to Braille Workshop at Dorothy Bramlage Public Library, 230 W 7th St., Junction City.

October Events

Monday 10/6. Kansas Talking Books Roadshows

  • 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Morrill Public Library, 431 Oregon St, Hiawatha.

  • 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Delaware Township Library, 421 Mary St Ste A, Valley Falls.

Thursday 10/9, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. Wamego Community Resource Fair at Wamego United Methodist Church, 600 Lincoln Ave. Wamego.

Wednesday 10/15, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Flint Hills Senior Life Fair at Lyon County Fairgrounds, Anderson Building, 2700 W Hwy 50, Emporia.

Thursday 10/16, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.: Kansas Talking Books Roadshow at KCKPL West Wyandotte Library, 1737 N 82 St, Kansas City, KS 66112.

November Events

Wednesday 11/5, 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. Jewell County Community Health Awareness Day. Mankato Community Center. 214 N High St, Mankato.

Wednesday, 11/12, 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Kansas Talking Books Roadshow at Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 SW 10th Ave, Topeka, KS 66604.

Wednesday, 11/19, 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Kansas Talking Books Roadshow at Advanced Learning Library, 711 West 2nd St N, Wichita, KS 67203.

Follow our online event calendar for new events as they’re added.

New State Library of Kansas Website

Introducing the State Library’s updated website created with YOU in mind, library.ks.gov. It’s now easier to Get Connected to digital books and useful databases, Share Talking Books, Find Policy Resources, Popular eBooks and news with the "Spotlight On" feature – all found on the easy to navigate homepage, library.ks.gov. 

Know folks who might be interested in Talking Books services? You can quickly find and share Talking Books eligibility and sign-up information, as well as our event calendar from nearly every Talking Books page, library.ks.gov/talking-books. 

Bonus: Share our radio ad with friends and family and help all Kansans live the lives they want, .

News from NLS

BARD 2 Offers New Features for Patrons

BARD, the NLS Braille and Audio Reading Download website, now offers expanded functionality and will serve as a gateway to exciting new services in the future. 

If you use BARD on the web, you now have access to BARD 2. If you’re not a BARD user, this is your chance to sign up for the service and get instant access to hundreds of thousands of audio and braille books and magazines for reading with an NLS digital talking-book machine, a personal smart device with BARD Mobile, a Braille eReader, or your PC with the BARD Express player. Contact us at KTB@ks.gov or 800-362-0699 to sign up for BARD.

Features of the new website include:

  • Reorganization of the Wish List, Reading History, Subscriptions, and Account Settings under one menu.

  • New sorting capabilities of book lists. You can now search through book lists and refine the results by format, language, and subject.

  • An updated search engine, so finding books is easier and faster than ever before.

  • Advanced search functionality.

You can find more information on our Introduction to BARD 2 blog post.

Access to the new and improved BARD website requires a change in your login procedures. We have attempted to contact all BARD web users to provide instructions for the new login procedures. If you have any questions, need assistance, or just want to tell us about your experience with BARD 2, contact us at 800-362-0699 or ktb@ks.gov. 

Announcing a new NLS program: BARD 2.0 Office Hours

The Patron Engagement Section is offering a new program to assist patrons using the new BARD 2.0 website. BARD 2.0 Office Hours will be held each Tuesday night from 7:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., starting September 16 and ending November 25. Each session will be informal in structure, specifically designed to assist patrons as they learn and use the new BARD website.

Sessions will not begin with a presentation and will not be recorded. Patron questions will be addressed on a first come, first served basis. Staff will share their screen reader sound for the patrons as they answer patron questions and demonstrate features. Details and zoom link can be found on the NLS BARD Office Hours webpage.

Subscribe to the Patron Announce email list to keep up to date on all NLS programs. New announcements arrive straight in your inbox a few times a week. To sign up, send your name and email address NLSPES@loc.gov. You can unsubscribe from the listserv at any time.

Find Great Books with Collections Connections

With hundreds of thousands of audio and braille books and magazines available from NLS, it’s hard to know where to start when searching. Collections Connections, a free email newsletter from the NLS Collection Development staff, can help. Each month it highlights fiction and nonfiction titles focused on a timely theme. To sign up, send your name and email address to the Collection Connections team at connections@loc.gov. You can unsubscribe yourself from the list at any time.

Readers’ Advisor Recommends: Microhistories

These microhistory books focus on something specific, a single subject examined in depth; be it an object, community, individual, or event. The book may span centuries or a short period of time depending on the topic of research. Dive into a variety of topics with these books available in audio and/or braille formats.

Audio

DB 55857 Salt: A world history by Mark Kurlansky.

Author of Cod (DB 45502) explores the worldwide influence of the oldest and best preservative vital to animal and human survival. Discusses salt's impact on civilizations when it was a scarce and expensive commodity and its many uses beyond the culinary in the modern world. 2002.

DB 62108 Spook: Science tackles the afterlife by Mary Roach.

Author of Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers (DB 58302) examines historical and contemporary attempts to determine the existence of life after death. Roach avoids the philosophical debate, instead exploring primarily scientific endeavors to monitor out-of-body experiences, weigh souls, and communicate with the dead. 2005.

DB 46906 The Professor and the Madman: A tale of murder, insanity, and the making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester.

An account of the unusual circumstances leading to the friendship between the Oxford English Dictionary's editor, Dr. James Murray, and one of its most prolific contributors, Dr. W.C. Minor, an American criminal. Relates the details of Dr. Minor's crime and its aftermath and how he first began his correspondence with Dr. Murray. Bestseller.

DB 101961 The Immortal Game: A history of chess, or how 32 carved pieces on a board illuminated our understanding of war, art, science, and the human brain by David Shenk.

Mixing history with personal stories, a writer chronicles the game of chess. He examines the game's history from ancient Persia and medieval Europe to modern day chess masters. He examines a single legendary game that took place in London in 1851 and relays his own attempts to gain chess skills. Commercial audiobook. 2006.

DB 87889 Butter: A rich history by Elaine Khosrova.

Deep analysis of the history, use, and allure of butter. Discusses the economics of butter production, regional variations, and the impact of industrialization. Includes recipes featuring butter and instructions for making your own. 2016.

Also available in braille as BR 21924.

DB 130043 Empty Vessel: The story of the global economy in one ship by Ian Kumekawa.

A jaw-dropping microhistory of the global economy over the last fifty years told through the many lives of a single ship. First built as a Swedish offshore oil rig in the 1970s, it went on to become a barracks for British soldiers in the Falklands War in the 1980s, a jail off New York in the 1990s, a prison in Portland in the 2000s, and accommodation for Nigerian oil workers off the coast of Africa in the 2010s. It has been called Safe Esperia, HMP The Weare, even 'The Love Boat'. Through its encounters with a world of island tax havens, the English court system, exploited labor forces, free banking zones or immigration politics, the ordinary boat at the heart of this story reveals our complex modern economy to us, connecting the dots of a dramatically changing world in the making, and warning us of its dangerous consequences. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 59716 Bicycle: The history by David V. Herlihy.

Traces the international evolution of the bicycle from the nineteenth-century "mechanical horse" to early twenty-first-century engineering marvels. Discusses how the bicycle captured the popular imagination, influenced social customs, and led to other technological developments. 2004.

DB 67484 The Box: How the shipping container made the world smaller and the world economy bigger by Marc Levinson.

Economist traces the development of the shipping container as a cheap means to transport goods, beginning in the 1950s. Explains its effects on the economic landscape, such as eliminating longshoremen's jobs and changing port communities. Features Malcom McLean, a trucking company owner, as the major force in this dynamic. 2006.

DB 82316 Rain: A natural and cultural history by Cynthia Barnett.

Details the history of rain, from its beginnings approximately four billion years ago during Earth's infancy to its impact on life in the twenty-first century. Describes the geometry of the raindrop, technologies to control and direct rainfall, and rain's influence on the arts. 2015.

Braille

BR 21412 Spell It Out: The curious, enthralling and extraordinary story of English spelling by David Crystal.

A linguist chronologically examines the history of spelling in the English language to unearth the stories behind the rogue words and irregular spelling rules that confound so many. He explains the reasoning and stories behind these many peculiarities. 2012.

BR 21642 Grunt: The curious science of humans at war by Mary Roach.

Science writer tackles the science behind a soldier's challenges, such as panic, exhaustion, heat, and noise. Examines studies on hearing loss and combat survivability, the problems with zippers, medics' shock training, and other unconventional topics related to the inner workings of the military. 2016.

BR 21690 Light: A radiant history from creation to the quantum age by Bruce Watson.

Journalist chronicles historical and contemporary explorations into the nature of light, both scientific and artistic. Discusses creation myths, Greek philosophers, religious representations, scientific investigations and feuds, filmmaking, and the development of such artistic movements as Romanticism. 2016.

BR 23069 K: A history of baseball in ten pitches by Tyler Kepner.

The baseball columnist for the New York Times presents a history of the sport, told through the ten major pitches of the game. Includes commentary from some of the best pitchers in baseball history, such as Nolan Ryan, Greg Maddux, Bob Gibson, and Mariano Rivera. Some strong language. 2019.

BR 23380 Money: The true story of a made-up thing by Jacob Goldstein.

Co-host of NPR's Planet Money podcast presents a history of money from the origin of it as a concept in Mesopotamia to the digital and cryptocurrencies of the twenty-first century. Discusses key turning points including the invention of capitalism, the Great Depression, and the 2008 recession. Some strong language. 2020.

BR 25671 The Sum of the People: How the census has shaped nations, from the ancient world to the modern age by Andrew Whitby.

This three-thousand-year history of the census traces the making of the modern survey and explores its political power in the age of big data and surveillance. In The Sum of the People, data scientist Andrew Whitby traces the remarkable history of the census, from ancient China and the Roman Empire, through revolutionary America and Nazi-occupied Europe, to the steps of the Supreme Court. Marvels of democracy, instruments of exclusion, and, at worst, tools of tyranny and genocide, censuses have always profoundly shaped the societies we've built. Today, as we struggle to resist the creep of mass surveillance, the traditional census, direct and transparent, may offer the seeds of an alternative. Unrated.

Services Spotlight: Hutchinson Public Library Welcomes Braille Readers!

Hutchinson Public Library (HPL) welcomes braille readers! HPL has a small braille collection that is available to check out through interlibrary loan. They will box and send the books to your local library via interlibrary loan request. Please request titles through your local library. Large print books are also available for low vision readers. All titles are available by searching the HPL online library catalog at www.hutchpl.org.

If you have any braille books you no longer want, Hutchinson Public Library is accepting donations. The books will help grow the braille collection for patrons.

Local Books on BARD

Check out these recently added books recorded by our fabulous volunteers and produced by KTB staff. 

DBC29581 The Antidote: Happiness for people who can’t stand positive thinking by Oliver Burkeman. 

Looking both east and west, in bulletins from the past and from far afield, Oliver Burkeman introduces us to an unusual group of people who share a single, surprising way of thinking about life. Whether experimental psychologists, terrorism experts, Buddhists, hardheaded business consultants, Greek philosophers, or modern-day gurus, they argue that in our personal lives, and in society at large, it's our constant effort to be happy that is making us miserable. And that there is an alternative path to happiness and success that involves embracing failure, pessimism, insecurity, and uncertainty - the very things we spend our lives trying to avoid. Thought-provoking, counterintuitive, and ultimately uplifting, The Antidote is the intelligent person's guide to understanding the much-misunderstood idea of happiness. Adult. Some strong language.

DBC29583 True (-- sort of) by Katherine Hannigan.

The day Ferris Boyd moves to town, Delly Pattison is sure a special surpresent (a present that is a surprise) is on its way. Instead, Delly ends up in even more trouble than usual. The Boyds' arrival in River Bluffs means big changes for Brud Kinney, too. He can't believe who he's hanging around with. Ferris Boyd isn't like anyone Delly or Brud have ever known. Ferris is a mystery and a wonder. Through friendship, though, Delly, Brud, and Ferris discover truths that will change their lives. And bring them the best surpresent of all. Some violence. For grades 3-6.

Upcoming State and Postal Holidays

Columbus Day: Monday, October 13. Postal Holiday.

Veterans Day: Tuesday, November 11. Library Closed & Postal Holiday.

Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 27. Library Closed & Postal Holiday.

Thanksgiving: Friday, November 28. Library Closed.

Contact Information for Kansas Talking Books 

Address: 1 Kellogg Circle, Box 4055, Emporia, KS 66801 

Toll-Free Phone: 1-800-362-0699 

Local Phone: 620-341-6280 

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Email: KTB@ks.gov 

Website: https://library.ks.gov/talking-books

Talking Books Talk Blog: https://library.ks.gov/blogs/talking-books-talk 

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