Maine State Library-Talking Books Plus

10/15/2026

Today is and !
First established in 1964 and 2011, respectively, these days serve as a reminder of the success, independence and rights of people who are blind or visually impaired.
Of course, these achievements should be celebrated year-round, and NLS has a booklist featuring “changemakers” from the blind and visually impaired community.
From stories of academics, like the memoir of James J. Barnes, “Unforeseen: the First Blind Rhodes Scholar (DB90729),” and David Hartman’s “White Coat, White Cane (DB14631)” to stories of physical endurance like Erik Weihenmayer’s “Touch the Top of the World: A Blind Man's Journey to Climb Farther than the Eye Can See (BR14512, DB51505),” the NLS collection keeps the legacy of these individuals alive while providing the resources for the changemakers of tomorrow.
Find the full booklist at www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/changemakers?loclr=fbnls.
[Image: “White Cane Safety Day,” with a white cane folded in the shape of a W.]

10/06/2026

“Reading Rainbow” host Mychal Threets and disability activist Jonathan Mooney spoke from personal experience at the recent NLS national conference about libraries’ role in providing a safe, supportive space for people with disabilities.
“My autism, my ADHD, my bipolar, my anxiety, always knew they were welcome at the library,” Threets said.
“I didn’t feel like I had a place in school,” Mooney said. “But in that library, I felt seen. I felt accepted. I felt included.”
Read more from Threets and Mooney in the latest issue of NLS News — which also includes stories about “Brailled It,” a documentary film that goes behind the scenes at the 2024 Braille Challenge, and Florence Pugh’s visit to the Library of Congress in connection with a new streaming adaptation of John Steinbeck’s “East of Eden.”
Find it on our website at www.loc.gov/nls/news-and-updates/quarterly-newsletter-news/news-july-september-2026?loclr=fbnls.
[Image: A collage of three pages from the July-September 2026 issue of News.]

10/06/2026

NLS has a full schedule of free patron-focused online events in October. All begin at 7 p.m. eastern time; get details and register at the links below
First up, this Thursday, October 8, the Many Faces of BARD will offer tips on advanced navigation on the BARD Mobile app. After the presentation and demonstration, NLS staff members will take questions about all things BARD for the remainder of the hour. www.loc.gov/nls/news-and-updates/many-faces-of-bard?loclr=fbnls.
On Tuesday, October 13, the quarterly Patron Corner will continue the celebration of BARD’s 20th anniversary. The program will feature a panel of NLS colleagues and patrons who were the first users of BARD in a 2006 beta test. There also will be an opportunity for audience members to express what BARD has meant to them as patrons. www.loc.gov/nls/news-and-updates/patron-corner?loclr=fbnls.
On Thursday, October 22, the NLS Music Section will present a Q&A with Noah Tobias Carver, a tenor soloist, disability rights activist and NLS patron who won the 2026 Eastman School of Music Concerto Competition. You can read more about Carver in an NLS Music Notes Blog post at https://blogs.loc.gov/nls-music-notes/2026/09/reader-spotlight-on-noah-tobias-carver?loclr=fbnls. Find a link to join the webinar at www.loc.gov/nls/services-and-resources/music-service-and-materials?loclr=fbnls.
Finally, the topic for That All May eRead on Tuesday, October 27, will be Care and Use of the eReader: Troubleshooting and Other Miscellany. www.loc.gov/nls/news-and-updates/that-all-may-eread?loclr-fbnls.
[Image: Noah Tobias Carver, who will be the special guest at the October 22 NLS Music Notes webinar. Photo courtesy of Noah Tobias Carver.]

10/01/2026

Today is the first day of Dyslexia Awareness Month, observed worldwide every October. Dyslexia is an invisible disability, affecting an estimated one in five Americans, so there is a good chance you know someone who is dyslexic. Throughout October we encourage you to help spread the word about resources — such as NLS — that are available to individuals with dyslexia and other reading disabilities. Printable and shareable NLS information can be found at www.loc.gov/nls/services-and-resources/outreach-materials/?loclr=fbnls.
If you work with children who have dyslexia or other learning disabilities, our friends at public broadcasting station WETA’s Reading Universe also have a free resource collection for you; find it at https://readinguniverse.org/essential-support/dyslexia-other-learning-disabilities?utm_medium=social&utm_source=Partner&utm_campaign=NLS. It has printable classroom activities, lesson plans, expert articles, videos featuring real teachers and more. WETA has won three Library of Congress Literacy Awards for its Reading Rockets and Colorín Colorado programs.
Every resource shared is a step towards a more accessible world. Join NLS and WETA this month and all year ‘round in helping readers feel confident and enjoy reading!

[Photo: Students from Siena School, a school for students with dyslexia, participating in a sound workshop at the Library of Congress. Photo by Shawn Miller, Library of Congress.]

09/30/2026

Press release from our VIP friends in Boothbay Harbor.

The next monthly meeting of Visually Impaired Persons (VIP) will be held on October 6, 2026, at 1:15 p.m. in the Boothbay Region Community Center, located in the Meadow Mall on Townsend Avenue, Boothbay Harbor.

This monthly meeting will be a general discussion where members share their experiences with advancing vision loss and the resources that have helped them.

People with any type of vision issue or anyone with questions about vision loss are welcome to attend, along with their caregivers and drivers.

For more information call Joan at 207- 633-2498

Send a message to learn more

09/21/2026

Let’s light this candle! NASA invites you to an accessible webinar all about the RS-25, the engine to be used for the future Artemis lunar missions, on Friday, October 2, at 2 p.m. eastern time. The two-hour online event includes an audio-described video of an RS-25 engine test, a Q&A with an RS-25 engineer and a panel on accessibility in space and science that includes Dr. Kimberly Arcand, a visualization scientist at NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. To learn more about the RS-25 and the event, visit www.nasa.gov/general/nasa-hosts-virtual-artemis-webinar-for-blind-low-vision-community. RSVP for the webinar by next Friday, September 25, at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAgtokLIPaZ-FCpdjz0JPtBrTOmKu5xwjYPz4hGg3MKrJxzg/viewform.

[Image: An RS-25 engine. Photo courtesy of NASA.]

09/15/2026

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month, and we want to make sure you know that you don’t have to choose between BARD and a card.
It’s a common question we hear from potential NLS patrons: Can I still use my usual library even if I sign up for NLS? And the answer is a resounding yes, of course!
While NLS is the nation’s accessible library, we know that local libraries provide more than just books — they connect patrons with resources, community events and other materials, like DVDs and CDs.
Some NLS network libraries are even part of their local or state library systems.
If you haven’t checked out your local public library, this is the month to do so. Visit https://www.usa.gov/libraries-and-archives to explore all sorts of libraries and to find the public library nearest to you.

[Image: Federal Arts Project poster from 1941 promoting the use of libraries. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.]

09/05/2026

If you’re in the Washington, D.C., area, you’re invited to join the Library of Congress and NLS for an exclusive screening of “Brailled It” on Monday, September 14! “Brailled It” is a groundbreaking feature documentary that follows three blind and low-vision students competing in the Braille Challenge, an international academic competition. This unique 75-minute movie was filmed entirely through immersive sound and chest-mounted cameras worn by the students.
This screening is designed to bring together blind and sighted participants, creating opportunities for connection through shared experiences. Guests can participate in a tactile exploration of the Library’s historic Thomas Jefferson Building as well as inclusive hands-on activities and NLS resource displays, including tactile maps, music materials, accessible games and simulated braille coloring sheets. Free tickets can be reserved at www.loc.gov/item/event-422942/the-brailled-it-experience-cinema-for-all/2026-09-14?loclr=fbnls.
If you’re not able to make it in-person, join us for a virtual screening and panel discussion in October sponsored by the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled. The on-demand movie showing runs October 7 through October 13 and the panel discussion is October 13 at 7 p.m. eastern. Register for the screening and panel discussion at https://msla.maryland.gov/Pages/Brailled-It.aspx.

[Image: The poster for “Brailled It,” showing a Perkins-style brailler with festival award laurels above it, the movie’s title in print and simulated braille and, at the bottom, a compact block of film credits.]

09/01/2026