Free Music Online, On Demand, at Deezer! No Downloads Needed!

If you want to listen to music online, for free, you really need to check out Deezer at http://www.deezer.com/. The site claims "Deezer.com launches the first FREE and LEGAL site for listening to music." The music is played "on demand," at a user's request. This is different than most other online music websites, where you have little control over specific songs that are played.

However, users be warned - song titles/songs on the site do NOT seem to be filtered. Therefore, I would not recommend that children use this site. If there is a way to filter certain words/titles out, I haven't figured out how to do it. If you have figured out how, please feel free to post a comment so others can know.

Free Victor Reader Stream Training

For those needing some training on how to use the Victor Reader Stream, check out this free training seminar! It will be Tuesday, October 2, at 8:30 pm Eastern Time. It will be held in The Friends of Bookshare Online Community Room at http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rs7867a2369e0e.

Not familiar with the VR Stream? It is the player that allows you to participate in the NLS Digital Talking Books Download Project. For more information on the project, you can also see my previous blog post on the topic.

More information about this and other related free accessibility programs can be found online at http://www.accessibleworld.org. Past programs are archived on the site, so be sure to see if there are any of interest to you!

American Council for the Blind

Are you familiar with the American Council for the Blind? Check out their website! It features a simple design, which would likely be highly compatible with screen readers. The group began in 1961, and you can find out more information about the group at http://www.acb.org/profile.html. The group provides advocacy for blind and visually impaired persons. The website also includes helpful links for blind and visually impaired persons at http://www.acb.org/resources/index.html.

National Book Festival is September 29

The Library of Congress' National Book Festival will be held on Saturday, September 29, at the National Mall in Washington D.C. There is no charge to attend. Some of the featured authors include Cat Cora, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Diane Ackerman, David Baldacci, Joyce Carol Oates, Jodi Picoult, and David Wiesner. You can see the entire author list at http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/authors/.

In regard to accessibility, the website also notes that "ASL interpreting services will be provided in all author pavilions during scheduled events. The Accessibility & Information tent (located near the Smithsonian metro stop) will offer access to ASL interpreters, assistive listening devices (ALDs), large-print programs, Braille programs and other special services." For more information, please go to http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/.

Also, the LOC is offering a live webcast of the National Book Festival Gala on September 28 at 7 pm EDT. You can view the webcast live at http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/live.html. James Billington and First Lady Laura Bush will speak at the event.

AARP's 2007 List of Best Employers for Workers Over 50

Be sure to look at AARP's website to see AARP's most recent list of the Best Employers for Workers Over 50. It looks like SC Johnson has come out as #1 on the list! According to the article at http://www.aarp.org/research/work/employment/bestemployers.html, "Key areas of consideration are: recruiting practices; opportunities for training, education and career development; workplace accommodations; alternative work options, such as flexible scheduling, job sharing, and phased retirement; employee health and pension benefits; retiree benefits; and age diversity of the workforce." Congrats to all the winners! Hopefully other companies will follow suit!

Free Audio book about a blind man and his guide dog - "Luminescence" by Will Addison

Thanks to "Blind Chance: David Faucheux's Audio Web Log," I learned of a free audiobook. (By the way, be sure to check out David's great blog at http://www.teleread.org/blind/index.html!)

Did you know that you can download a FREE audio book about a blind man and his guide dog? According to the website at http://willaddison.googlepages.com/, the book is "A tender love story set in present-day Thomasville, Georgia, this novel follows the brief connection of two lives equally scarred by tragedy, equally illuminated by the grand romance they share together. For a beautiful summer month, private-practice veterinarian Katherine Reese opens her home and heart to James Levine, a blind man whose guide dog contracts a deadly but treatable illness."

On Will's site, there is also a link to download "Waltz of the Fireflies," a song referenced in the book, that Will Addison wrote and recorded himself.

Elderly at Highest Risk for Suicide!

Did you know that suicide affects older adults too? Read more about this important topic in The Seattle Times in an article by Sarah Skidmore at http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003891440_suicide19.html

AFB AccessWorld September 2007 Issue

The American Foundation for the Blind publishes a bimonthly publication called AccessWorld. The publication reviews technologies for the blind and visually impaired and discusses various accessibility issues. It contains ratings for the products (such as cell phones and screen readers) reviewed in the publication. You can view the September 2007 issue at http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw0805toc. There is lots of good technology information at this site, so don't miss it!

What is Social Bookmarking/Del.icio.us?

I posted several days about about Del.icio.us, which is a social bookmarking website. If you're still confused about Del.icio.us and social bookmarking, I recommend this awesome tutorial video! The tutorial was made by Lee and Sachi LeFever of the Common Craft Show. You can check out their website for more information at http://www.commoncraft.com/show. They offer some other great tutorials on Web 2.0 topics. What a great resource!

Ageline by AARP & Scholarships for Women!

AARP offers a database for aging related issues called Ageline. The database states that it has "detailed summaries of more than 90,000 publications about aging and the 50+ population" and that it "provides abstracts of current social gerontology and aging-related research, policy, provider, and consumer books, articles, and reports." If you're looking for aging statistics or doing any aging related research, I highly recommend you check out this database! There are also sections targeted specifically at consumers, rather than researchers. You can also sign up for an Ageline email newsletter at the site.

AARP is also now offering a scholarship targeted at women age 40 or older. You can find more info about the scholarship at http://www.aarpfoundationwlc.org/. Applications must be submitted by October 31, so don't delay!

Eons, Social Networking for Adults Age 50+

Did you know that there are social networking sites dedicated to adults age 50 and over? One of these sites is Eons. There are sections such as games, money, careers, travel, and obituaries. (Gosh, do they really need to have obituaries? Doesn't that make the site seem too sterotypical, suggesting that all baby boomers and older adults like to read the obituaries?) Me personally, if I developed the site, I would have left the obituaries section off the site... But nonetheless, it's a great social networking site for boomers and older!

Want to Listen to an Audio Version of my Blog?

Would you like to listen to an audio version of my blog? It's easy! Just go to http://www.talkr.com and register for a free account. You can then subscribe to my blog (blog address is http://talkingbookslibrarian.blogspot.com/) and hear everything that I write! It's a neat service and an easy way to get an audio version of all blogs you are subscribed to!

Free Downloadable Audio Books & Magazines

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped has launched the NLS Download Pilot. This service features downable audio books. Only current NLS Talking Book patrons can participate in the pilot, and you must have access to a player that can utilize the download format, such as the Victor Reader Stream. View the application if you qualify for the program and have a player! If you are using the new service, be sure to leave a comment or contact me to let me know what you think of it!

National Institute of Aging's Spanish Language Website for Older Adults

The National Institute of Aging has a Spanish language website for Spanish speaking older adults. Be sure to share this site with anyone who could benefit from free health related information in Spanish! Of course, there is also an English version of the website for those who prefer the information in English. The site includes health information, research, news, and information on grants and training.

Disability Info from the Federal Government

There is a wealth of disability information and resources online at http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/, courtesy of the United States Federal Government. You can even locate state and local disability related resources. Information is included on employment, education, housing, transportation, health, benefits, technology, community life, and civil rights.

Statistics on Older Americans

The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics publishes statistics on Older Americans. With links to lots of great statistics, this is a wonderful starting place to obtain statistics on aging and older adults in the United States!

Free Talking Books!

Let's make sure that everyone reading this understands more about Talking Books! So, please read on....

Does someone you know qualify for free Talking Books? People who are unable to read standard print due to a visual or physical impairment, or those who have a reading disability, may qualify for free Talking Books. Check out the national web site for Talking Books provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) - The Library of Congress. Users can search to find their local Talking Books library or search the online catalog to find titles of books.

To learn more about how to use the Talking Book machine, you can watch an awesome video created by the Long Island Talking Book Library. They have done an amazing job explaining how to use the machine!

What Will Libraries Be in 2017?

The National Library of New Zealand has allowed people to offer ideas on what libaries will be like in 2017. It has been posted as a slideshow on Flicker. What do YOU think libraries will be like in 2017?

World Alzheimer's Day is September 21

World Alzheimer's Day is September 21, 2007. The Alzheimer's Association is working to raise $1 million dollars by World Alzheimer's Day, or September 21. Visit their website to make a donation. You can also join a 2007 Memory Walk to help raise money. Let's work together to help eliminate this tragic disease!

Del.icio.us

Have you checked out the Del.icio.us website? It's a social bookmarking site, and it can easily lead you to other sites of interest. For example, if you find some cool websites about blindness, you can easily bookmark them there. Then, you can see who else has bookmarked those same sites... Chances are that people who have bookmarked the same website also have some other similar websites bookmarked. Exploring these other websites and links may lead you to some great websites that you never even knew existed. So be sure to check it out today! Type in "blindness" (or any other word of your choice) in the Del.icio.us website search box and see where it takes you!

My first entry!

Hi everyone, this is my first official entry on my new blog. I am a Talking Books librarian, and I love my job! I am new to blogging and am excited to get started on my own blog. Please feel free to contact me or leave comments to let me know what types of information you would like to see included in this blog.

Not familiar with Talking Books? It's a library program for visually impaired or print disabled persons and is totally FREE! For more information, go to the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped website at http://www.loc.gov/nls/