Technology User Group Meeting

 

Technology User Group Meeting

 Technology User Group Meeting

Contributed by Jerry Price, Assistive Technology Specialist

On Saturday, July 10, the Technology User Group prepares you to fully utilize Clubhouse Facebook and Zoom.

Whether you attend Zoom meetings or pursue other avenues of socialization, we all want to share and enjoy the benefits that Zoom, Clubhouse, and Facebook can bring.  Unmuting a microphone at the wrong time or posting in the wrong edit field can be a humbling experience.  Please join us as we help you to avoid mistakes and transform you into a master of your social universe.

The presentation will be virtual and may be joined by calling 319-527-4994.  You do not have to RSVP for this event.  The presentation will begin at 10 AM and last about 90 minutes.

We look forward to meeting with you virtually on Saturday, July 10th, and hope that you will join us for other exciting events we have planned for 2021.

If you would like to listen to previous TUG recordings, please click here:

https://www.marylandlibraries.org/Pages/Technology%20User%20Group.aspx

Upcoming TUG Programs:

Saturday, August 14, 10 AM, What’s new in iOS 15 & Jaws 2022.

Saturday, September 11, 10 AM, Alexa games.

Follow the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled (LBPD) on: 

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MDLBPD/

On Twitter at https://twitter.com/MDLBPD

On our blog at https://mdlbpd.blogspot.com/

And our website at www.lbph.maryland.gov

For more information about the Technology User Group, please contact Jerry Price at (410) 230-2446 or via email at assistive.technology@maryland.gov.

Tech Tips: Two-finger Scrub

 Two-finger Scrub

Contributed by Jerry Price, Assistive Technology Specialist

The two-finger scrub gesture is used to dismiss an alert or go back tone screen.  Take two fingers and rub them on the screen quickly as if you are trying to remove a stain.

Tech News: The Cloud

What is the Cloud?

Contributed by Jerry Price, Assistive Technology Specialist

The “cloud” is a network of servers that are located in a different location from your system.  These servers store information that you want to keep and have access to later.  Even if your computer or phone is destroyed, you can gain access to the data.  Many individuals use the cloud to back up software, pictures, important documents, music, and more.  Many cloud services charge a fee for storing this information for you.  Others offer a small amount of storage free with premium options.

Summer Fun @ LBPD for youth!

 

Youth Summer Library Program is Here! 

Contributed by LaShawn Myles, Youth Services Librarian

Schools are closing and the summer fun is just ramping up.  Please read below about two youth summer opportunities with The Maryland State Library for the Blind.  Both opportunities can earn you additional points towards your Tails and Tales Summer Reading challenge. 

One is the Teen Video Challenge, sponsored by the Collaborative Summer Library Program.  This is an annual event open to teens from 13-18 years old. The other is the LBPD Summer Reading Buddy Program.  Would you like to help other youngsters become better Braille readers?  Working with Ms. LaShawn, Youth librarian, you will be partnered up with another reader to practice reading Braille together. This activity also can qualify for Service Learning Hours toward your high school diploma.   Read more about both below.  

LBPD Summer Reading Buddy Program

Are you interested in working with other youth this summer?  Can you read Braille?  Then this may be an opportunity for you.  During  July 6th - August 6th, work with another peer and read together!  Older teens will be paired with a younger reader to read together twice a week for 15-30 minutes.    Teens would be offered service learning hours and the younger or less experienced reader would gain valuable coaching in literacy.  Both readers can also earn points toward their summer reading challenge. All sessions will take place virtually in break-out rooms on either Zoom or Google Meet.  LBPD staff will monitor all sessions and offer technical assistance when needed.  

How it Works:
Buddy pairs arrive for their scheduled meeting time each week and are greeted.  Then each pair is assigned to their own breakout room. They will have identical sets of braille books; either hard copy or ebraille. Strategies will be shared with the more advanced reader on how to read with their buddy.  Youth will also be allowed to play virtual games during their meeting times.  Only LBPD youth patrons are invited to participate.

If interested, please complete this form by June 25th.  Use the following link to register: https://bit.ly/3gzsz4G

Based on the interest, you will be notified of your reading buddy and times to meet by July 2, 2021.

Teen Video Challenge 

The Teen Video Challenge, sponsored by the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP), is an annual national video contest open to all teens (librarian and teacher support is encouraged). The challenge is for teens to create a public service announcement-type video that shows their unique interpretation of the 2021 CSLP slogan “Tails (animal tail) and Tales (stores from around the world).” Videos are to be no longer than 60 seconds and should promote libraries and reading.

https://www.cslpreads.org/programs/2015-teen-program/2021-teen-video-challenge/

Videos will be accepted from June 1 through August 6, 2021.

• The contest is open to teens 13-18 (though it's fine for people older or younger to appear in the videos).
• The process is simple; teens just need to upload their video to the social media outlet of their choice, submit a link to their video, and complete a simple online form.
• Videos will be limited to 60 seconds, making this a doable project for individuals or small teams.
• Teens/teen teams may submit more than one video.
• The program will accept submissions from June 1-Aug 6, 2021. 
• Permission and model release forms will only be required from the winning entries (completing the forms is a requirement to receive prizes and acknowledgment).
• There will be 5 national winners, who will each receive a cash prize of $200. The TVC Ad-Hoc Committee will convene a judging panel from CSLP partners and members in August.

Resources:

• Official TVC Submission Form
• 2021 TVC Contest Rules
• Logo files to help promote the contest:

• Teen Video Challenge Logo COLOR [.png]
• Teen Video Challenge Logo B&W [.png]

• 2020's 5 winning videos: https://www.cslpreads.org/2020-teen-video-challenge-winners-and-honorable-mentions/

 

If you have any questions about these programs, please contact kidsdesk.lbpd@maryland.gov 

Best, 

LaShawn

Youth Librarian

Tech News: Clew

 Clew

Contributed by Jerry Price, Assistive Technology Specialist

Clew is a breadcrumb navigation app that helps you navigate from Point B to Point A.  Let’s say you are in a supermarket and need assistance finding the pharmacy counter.  As someone helps you from the front door to the counter, you turn Clew on and it will keep track of the twists, turns, steps, etc. so that once you reach your destination, an audible map is available to help you retrace your path back to the front door.  The app is free and a podcast of the app in action can be found here:

https://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/getting-around-indoors-clew-ios

Marylandia Update

 

Marylandia Collection: Update

Contributed by Jordan Farinelli, Collection Development Librarian

This summer, take a cross country road trip from the comfort of home. The following list of 51 books contains one book set in every state, plus Washington D.C. These books have mostly been published within the last 10 years, and are as diverse in subject matter and genre as the states they cover. Grab a map and your favorite road trip snacks, and read along. Happy trails!

• Alabama: Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

• BR 23443

• DB 100528

• Alaska: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

• DB 90090

• Arizona: The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border by Francisco Cantú

• BR 22613

• DB 90287

• Arkansas: Boy Erased: A Memoir of Identity, Faith, and Family by Garrard Conley

• DB 93106

• California: There There by Tommy Orange

• BR 22564

• DB 91321

• Colorado: The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger

• DB 96162

• Connecticut: Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

• DB 85761

• Delaware: The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez

• DB 79170

• Florida: The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

• BR 22817

• DB 95925

• Georgia: An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

• BR 22197

• DB 90470

• Hawaii: Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn

• DB 98952

• Idaho: Educated by Tara Westover

• BR 22656

• DB 90188

• DB 95267 (Spanish language)

• Illinois: The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

• DB 91533

• Indiana: The Kindest Lie by Nancy Johnson

• DB 102560

• Iowa: Lila by Marilynne Robinson (3rd book in the Gilead series)

• BR 20575

• DB 79899

• Kansas: The Topeka School by Ben Lerner

• BR 22880

• DB 97054

• Kentucky: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

• DB 96907

• Louisiana: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

• BR 23212

• DB 99791

• Maine: My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

• DB 99442

• DB 100622 (Spanish language)

• Maryland: Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman

• BR 22891

• DB 96116

• Massachusetts: Writers & Lovers by Lily King

• BR 23292

• DB 98766

• Michigan: The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray

• DB 93861

• Minnesota: The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal

• DB 95922

• Mississippi: Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

• BR 22096

• DB 89552

• Missouri: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

• BR 19868

• DB 74888

• DB 79986 (Spanish language)

• LP 16133

• Montana: Fourth of July Creek by Smith Henderson

• DB 79315

• Nebraska: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

• DB 77545

• Nevada: Better Luck Next Time by Julia Claiborne Johnson

• DB 102215

• New Hampshire: The Fireman by Joe Hill

• BR 21654

• DB 84824

• New Jersey: Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen

• BR 21718

• DB 86228

• New Mexico: American Elsewhere by Robert Jackson Bennett

• DB 78514

• New York: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

• DB 81645

• North Carolina: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

• BR 22862

• DB 92245

• DB 100295 (Spanish language)

• North Dakota: The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

• BR 23078

• DB 98896

• Ohio: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

• BR 22149

• DB 89018

• Oklahoma: Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

• DB 87767

• Oregon: Red Clocks by Leni Zumas

• BR 22215

• DB 90345

• Pennsylvania: Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

• BR 23303

• DB 97929

• DB 103013 (Spanish language)

• Rhode Island: The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri

• BR 20304

• DB 77581

• South Carolina: The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

• DB 78079

• South Dakota: Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden

• BR 23423

• DB 100989

• Tennessee: All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin

• DB 91537

• Texas: News of the World by Paulette Jiles

• BR 21741

• DB 86668

• Utah: When Women Were Birds: Fifty-Four Variations on Voice by Terry Tempest Williams

• DBC 6884

• Vermont: Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

• DB 99512

• Virginia: The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates

• BR 22881

• DB 96729

• Washington: Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

• DB 75351

• Washington, D.C.: Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

• DB 86941

• West Virginia: Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam

• BR 16411

• DB 47833

• LP 6700

• Wisconsin: Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler

• DB 88963

• Wyoming: Dark Sky by C.J. Box (21st book in the Joe Pickett series)

• DB 102652

This list has been adapted from the Goodreads article, “Armchair Traveling.” Visit this link for the full article: https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/2053?rto=x_gr_e_nl_general&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=May182021&utm_content=Roadtrip.Reading&ref_=pe_3097180_576391690

Please note that all of these books are available for download on BARD, but some can only be mailed on a Books on Demand (BOD) cartridge. To have these books sent to you, please contact the reference desk. BOD, our new circulation system, significantly decreases the wait time for new books. For more information about BOD, see here: https://mdlbpd.blogspot.com/2021/03/books-on-demand-update.html

or, send an email to reference.desk@maryland.gov.