Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library

Curious about Appalachia? Recommended books about Appalachia from the Kentucky Talking Book Library: All of these titles are written by people from Appalachia, many also from Kentucky:

Twilight in Hazard: An Appalachian Reckoning – DB 106989

What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia – DBC 15905

Uneven Ground: Appalachia since 1945 – DBC 05633

Talking Appalachian: Voice, Identity, Community – DBC 17555

Appalachian Reckoning: A Region Responds to Hillbilly Elegy – DB 95655

Events The New York Public Library offers more than 93,000 programs annually, serving everyone from toddlers to teens to seniors.

Free performance tonight on the highline! Open, accessible with braille and tactiles:

Music for the Garden;Celebrating Stuttering Voices High Line Art presents JJJJJerome Ellis' performance "Music for the Garden” and "Celebrating Stuttering Voices," honoring those who stutter.

Designing Tactile Maps: an Introduction for Everyone

Thursday June 27, 5;00 to 7:00 PM Eastern

Maps matter, and maps you can read by touch are a valuable tool that blind people use to plan trips, navigate complex spaces, understand intersections, understand geography and more. What makes a tactile map a pleasure to read and practical to use? Spoiler alert: it's often different from what works for a visual map.

Begin or continue your tactile map-making journey with renowned tactile designer Naomi Rosenberg of the Material and Accessible Design Lab at the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco. This workshop will cover key map vocabulary, questions to ask yourself while designing, how to use labels and symbols, how to choose what appears on the map, and much more. The session will cover techniques that sighted and blind designers can use: no specific equipment or prior experience is required. After the session, you'll be ready to take on the challenge of designing your first tactile map, and interested patrons can sign up for a small-group map-making challenge that focuses on New York City parks and landmarks!

This online workshop is open to everyone: thanks to the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults for making it possible!
Register below:

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Designing Tactile Maps: An Introduction for Everyone. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. Begin your tactile map-making journey with renowned tactile designer Naomi Rosenberg of the Material and Accessible Design Lab at the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco. This workshop will cover key map vocabulary, questions to ask yourself while designing, how to use la...

Please share! NYC libraries are facing a $58.3 million budget cut that could force most branches to reduce service to just five days a week. On today's Day of Action for Libraries, tell & :

Day of Action for Libraries: #NoCutsToLibraries — Invest in Libraries Your library and your community need your help! Our public libraries are facing a potential $58.3 million cut.

May is Mental Health Month and Today We Are Supporting Veteran's Mental Health by sharing this link to stories of veterans who are thriving after receiving mental health treatment and support: https://www.maketheconnection.net/mental-health-month/

Today I Am | Mental Health Month Discover stories from Veterans who found healing, balance, recovery and more through mental health treatment and support from their loved ones and communities.

The Workforce Development Corporation (WDC), in collaboration with The Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (NYC Opportunity), NYC Small Business Services (SBS), The Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development (NYC Talent), The Center for Workplace Accessibility and Inclusion (CWAI), The Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) have issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking feedback and comments on an exciting new initiative to co-design and pilot new workforce development programs by and for New Yorkers with disabilities. Learn more about the RFI by attending the informational session on March 25, 2024 (register to attend in-person at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-workforce-development-initiative-for-people-with-disabilities-ip-tickets-861061166127?aff=oddtdtcreator or register for the live stream at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-workforce-development-initiative-for-people-with-disabilities-online-tickets-861065749837 , and submit all feedback by April 2, 2024.

New Workforce Development Initiative for People with Disabilities (Online) The info session will provide an overview of the initiative and explore opportunities for collaboration.

Images Are for Everyone: Building the Foundations for Tactile Literacy – Paths to Literacy Paths to Literacy Images Are for Everyone: Building the Foundations for Tactile Literacy. For teachers, families, and others interested in literacy for children and youth with visual impairments

Holiday Card and Ornament Making with Digital EmbroideryTuesday December 19, 3 PM to 6:45 PM (drop in for an hour)Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book LIbrary40 West 20th St, 2nd Floor | ManhattanMake tactile, memorable holiday cards and ornaments using a digital embroidery machine. No experience is required. Stefanie Kosef of the NYU Ability Project and Chancey from the tech team will lead this workshop.
Participants will browse pre-embroidered templates with winter and New Year themes, arrange the ones they want on a tactile grid, and have their planned design converted into a tactile card on cardstock. Or, patrons can make hangable holiday ornaments. We'll also have materials on hand for adding Braille and print messages to cards. No computer or prior art-making skills are required, and blind and sighted people are welcome.Please plan to drop by for at least an hour so you'll have time to plan and make your cards. RSVP to [email protected] and let me know when you plan to arrive, between 3 PM and 5:45 PM on Tuesday Decemb er 19. The workshop will end at 6:45 PM.