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BRL MEMORANDUMVol. XXXIV Fall 2015 No. 3
Published byThe Braille Revival League
An Affiliate of theAmerican Council of the Blind
President: Paul EdwardsMiami, FL
Editor: Denise ColleyLacey, WA
Produced in alternate formats byThe Alternate Format Pros, LLC
301-806-4948www.thealternateformatpros.com
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CONTENTSPresident's Message: Looking Ahead
By Paul Edwards - 3Renewal Time is Approaching
By Jane Sheehan - 6Commonology
By Ralph Smitherman, Secretary - 9Press Release
Braille Authority of North America - 10Mississippi School for the Blind, Braille Bee:
By Jan Hawthorne - 12UEB Implementation: How's It Going in Other Countries?
By Sandra Ruconich - 13In Other Words - 22Joyfully Brailling My House!
By Jane Sheehan - 23Meet the People Bringing the Written Word to Those Who Can't See
By Megan Turchi - 26Unveiling The Answers - 33Braille Apocalypse
By Sally Martin - 34Special Thanks
By The Alternate Format Pros - 40
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President's MessageLooking AheadBy Paul Edwards
We are truly at a crossroad where braille is concerned. There has been lots of talk about the arrival of UEB. Gradually those of us who are braille readers must accustom ourselves to a new code. One of the questions that the Braille Revival League needs to ask itself is how will we be involved in the transition to the new code? We have talked about that and, with all things going well, we will be sponsoring a series of conference calls early next year to help our members and others who want to join us come to terms with the new code.At our convention in July we spent an hour talking about an inexpensive braille display. There is a strong likelihood that what has, in the past, been a pipe dream may now be pretty close to a reality. For the first time it is likely that an inexpensive braille display costing well under one thousand dollars may become available. The implications of this development may be huge, immediately, but could be even larger in the long run. Immediately, braille displays may be affordable for individual blind people. Suddenly, a device which could only be dreamt about by most of us may be something we can truly think about saving up to buy. In the longer term, it is possible that the National Library
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Service will consider making a braille display available to those who are braille readers. If more people are using braille displays, there is the potential of making lots more braille available for us to read. UEB makes automated translation more reliable and may make it feasible to produce braille books through NLS that will only be available electronically. This could mean a huge increase in the range of books we can get in braille.Who will benefit from this potential bonanza and what might BRL do to make it more likely to happen? Clearly, all of us who would like to read using a braille display, but can't afford it, now will be the primary beneficiaries of the inexpensive braille display from NLS. I think that there are a lot of potential braille readers who could benefit as well, and therein lies an issue. Clearly, there are lots of agencies where braille is being taught. How seriously do those agencies take braille? How often are children and adults persuaded that braille is only marginally relevant to them? Often braille is only taught to the point where users can make labels. The expectation is that reading braille is just not something that blind people really and truly want to do!I think this treatment of literacy is aggregious! I also think that we in BRL have a responsibility to do something about it. If we are truly getting closer to making braille displays affordable, we
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need to be sure that more blind people get a chance to benefit from their availability. I would like to see our members going to local agencies and offering to help with braille teaching. I would like to see us become more vocal advocates that more time be devoted to learning braille. I would like to see us talking to people who lose their vision to persuade them that learning braille is worth the time and effort it takes.I think that the next few years will constitute a last chance for braille. We know that the braille reading population is falling and getting older. Unless we are prepared to demand that more blind people become "real" braille readers, our form of literacy may go the way of the dodo and the passenger pigeon.The BRL Board is talking about ways of promoting braille and we will be sending out suggestions by email and in future Memorandum issues. We need to grow our organization as well. The Braille Revival League used to have as many as eight hundred members. We need each of our members to reach out to those that they know to persuade them to join. We need to build an army that will work to make the future of braille a certainty. Will you help?
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Renewal Time is ApproachingBy Jane Sheehan
This year is flying by, and 2016 will be here before we know it. That means it'll be renewal time for those of you who are members of the Braille Revival league for 2015. (Of course, if you're a life member of BRL, you don't have to pay me any dues money, but you may want to drop me a line to ensure that all the information I have for you is still correct.)All memberships run on a calendar year, and the BRL constitution currently requires us to purge all those members who have not renewed by February 15 of the upcoming year. So that your membership will not lapse, we would appreciate receiving your contact information and dues payment before February 15, 2016. If you're not sure what your membership status is, please feel free to call me at 301-598-2131 or e-mail me at [email protected], and I'll be glad to check for you.As in the past, if you wish, you may send me a check for $10.00 per person for your 2016 dues. My address can be found at the end of this article. I will be sending out renewal notices in December 2015 to those of you who are not members for 2016. These notices will go out via e-mail if I have
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a valid e-mail address for you. If not, I'll be sending the renewal notice in braille and print.For 2016, BRL is trying something new, and we hope you'll find it convenient. We will now be able to take dues payments, as well as donations and orders for word-search booklets via credit card! If you'd like to use a credit or debit card for your 2016 dues, please feel free to call me at 301-598-2131 and I'll be happy to process the transaction for you. I will not maintain your card information after the transaction is processed, and the security of your data is of paramount importance to me.However you wish to renew your membership in the Braille Revival League (and we sincerely hope that every one of you will do so), please provide me the following information, either in braille or in print or via phone:
Name(s) Address City, State and Zip Country (if outside the United States) Primary phone number Alternate phone number Primary e-mail address Alternate e-mail address Your visual acuity: Are you legally or totally
blind, or sighted? What format do you prefer for the BRL
Memorandum (Braille, Large print or e-mail)?7
What format do you prefer for ACB's magazine The ACB Braille Forum (Braille, Large Print, Cassette, CD or e-mail)?
If you're planning to join BRL through one of our state affiliates for 2016 (California, Florida, Missouri, Pennsylvania or Texas), part of your dues payment to that affiliate will come to us, so you need not send any money to me directly, but I'd appreciate your dropping me a note via e-mail, snail-mail or phone with the above-requested information and letting me know that you'll be paying through a BRL affiliate.My contact information is:
Jane Sheehan, TreasurerBraille Revival League14311 Astrodome DriveSilver Spring, MD [email protected]
I look forward to hearing from each of you soon, and I hope you'll rejoin the Braille Revival League for the coming calendar year.
CommonologyBy Ralph Smitherman, Secretary
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During our annual BRL convention this past summer we played a game called Commonology. Each player had a brailled copy of the game. The object was to figure out the common thing in relation to the listed items for each number. The person who answered first with the correct answer was awarded points. Try and figure them out; answers appear later in this news letter. Have fun with the game!
Commonology1. face, egg
Office, platter2. jack, marker
Johnson, mountain3. good grief, pretty ugly
Civil War, controlled chaos4. muffler, chain
Badge, cross5. fruit, pocket
Poison, peppers6. neigh, twang
Sizzle, tweet7. McKinley, Rainier
Massanutten, Nebo8. Twilight, Blaze
Quintet, Hombre9. Ice, shot
Tooth, beef
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Press ReleaseJuly 2015For Immediate ReleaseContact: Jennifer Dunnam, Chair, Braille Authority of North [email protected]
BANA Publishes Provisional Guidance for Transcribing Foreign Language
Materials in UEB
At its face-to-face meeting in May, the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) approved a new publication, Provisional Guidance for Transcribing Foreign Language Materials in UEB. This publication is now available on the BANA website at http://www.brailleauthority.org/foreign-language/index.html. The rules of Unified English Braille (UEB) allow a range of approaches for transcribing foreign language text. These methods result in braille that is appropriate for a variety of types of texts as well as for differe nt groups of readers. Full details are given in Rules of Unified English Braille 2013, Sections 13 and 14.The provisional guidelines for foreign language describe four general methods for foreign
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language transcription, which should be suitable to cover the majority of cases. The publication describes each of these methods and indicates the circumstances for which each is most appropriate. Method 1 and Method 3 in particular are recommended for particular situations. The examples and some of the language used in this document are from the document by the United Kingdom Association for Accessible Formats (UKAAF), "Transcribing Foreign Language Material in UEB" and are used with permission.BANA welcomes feedback from users of the methods described in this publication.NOTE: This press release is available in HTML on the BANA website at http://www.brailleauthority.org/pressreleases/pr-2015-7.html
Mississippi School for the Blind,Braille Bee:
Submitted by Jan HawthorneIn 2013, as a part of January's month long celebration of braille, MS School for the Blind initiated a Braille Bee. It was divided into beginner and advanced levels. Judges who are community members highly knowledgeable in braille,
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determine the correctness of answers. Just like a spelling bee, students are given either the dot numbers from which they identify the contraction, or the contraction for which they indicate dots, or correct usage. Students whose answers are not correct are eliminated. The winner for each level receives a trophy and a gift card. We think the application of braille knowledge for braille readers is just as important as the application of spelling rules. Since 2013, Braille Bee has remained one of our most popular braille month activities.
UEB Implementation:How's It Going in Other Countries?By Sandra Ruconich, ACB representative to
The Braille Authority of North AmericaAs you well know, Unified English Braille (UEB) will become one of four official braille codes used in the United States on January 4, 2016, Louis Braille's 207th birthday. (The other official U.S. codes, by the way, are the Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science Notation, 1972 revision; the music braille code, 1997 revision; and the International Phonetic Alphabet, 2008.)As you may also be well aware, the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) adopted UEB because, among other reasons, UEB provides for
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less ambiguity in braille signs, more accurate automatic translation from print to braille and from braille to print, easier ways to add symbols to the code, when necessary, without creating code conflicts, and fewer exceptions to braille code rules.As you may not know, states throughout this country are currently presenting workshops for teachers of the visually impaired to show them the basics of UEB and to help them consider how they will introduce it to students. States are also planning how and when standardized tests given to braille-reading students will be available—and eventually only available—in UEB. Many university programs began teaching UEB to those preparing to teach visually impaired students during the fall semester of 2014, and those programs which haven't yet introduced UEB will start teaching it during fall semester 2015. So the U.S. is getting ready for UEB. But other English-speaking countries are already using it; in fact, some have been using it for several years. Countries already using UEB include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Nigeria, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Australia adopted UEB in 2005. Ireland is now working on a UEB implementation plan.Are there things we can learn from the countries who are farther down the implementation road than the U.S. is? What do braille readers in these
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countries have to say about UEB implementation? These are the questions this article will try to answer, based on available research.
Australia and New Zealand ResearchMajor research about UEB implementation has been done by Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB) in its Braille Development Unit. Two studies have been done: one with participants from Australia and New Zealand and the other with participants from the United Kingdom (UK).In the Australia-New Zealand study, ten braille users were interviewed; eight were from Australia, and two were from New Zealand. Because participants were recruited at a meeting of the Australian Braille Authority and a conference which followed that meeting, all were familiar with braille and with UEB. There were seven women and three men. Three were braille teachers, two were braille producers, and two were braille transcribers. Six were between 17 and 49 years of age, and four were between 50 and 64. All participants were blind or low vision, and nine of the ten were experienced braille users (eight had learned braille when they were children).Before UEB was implemented, 1/3 of the participants were positive, 1/3 were undecided, and 1/3 were negative toward UEB. During the transition to UEB, some had to learn it quickly because their job required using and/or teaching
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it, some adapted gradually as they needed to for reading, and one saw the change as difficult and unnecessary. One person who used UEB on the job said "There were a lot of perceived problems which were not real" (White, 2011a). Most braille users thought the transition period was "inconsequential or irritating at most" (White, 2011a). Many commented that they continued to write braille as they always had and used UEB for reading "generally available documents" (White, 2011a). One person thought it was "too cluttered," adding, "It was like limping after I had been running" (White, 2011a). Five years after UEB implementation, when these interviews were done, eight of the ten participants were glad their countries had changed to UEB, one was still undecided, and one remained violently opposed to UEB. All said they used braille at the same level as they had before UEB implementation. One person commented, "Talking to people who are not happy about UEB, a lot of it is that we are not really good with change, it's what you are most comfortable with. For students, people who want to pull apart what they are reading, it is a faster code and gives you more information the same sort of information a sighted person gets from that text. ..." (White, 2011a). Because this study was done at the time the United Kingdom was considering whether or not to adopt UEB, participants were asked if the United Kingdom should adopt UEB. Nine of the ten recommended adoption, urging UK braille users to
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consider the needs of children, and the future of braille, and to adopt UEB immediately. It was important to many participants that they be "part of a global family of English speaking braille users," and these participants felt that there would be "benefits that having one code would bring" (White, 2011a). One of those benefits is that prior to UEB implementation, Australia and New Zealand could not share braille materials. Why? Because until the 1980s Australia used British braille. Since visually impaired Australian students were integrated into public school classrooms during the 1980s, so that braille production needed to be expanded and braille needed to look more like the print available to sighted Australian students, the country began using "British Braille with American capitalisation rules for literary material, American braille code for computer-related material, and an Australian braille code for mathematics and chemistry material" (Howse et al., 2010). New Zealand, on the other hand, had been using English Braille American Edition since the mid-1960s (Cryer, 2011).
United Kingdom ResearchThe United Kingdom (UK) took a different approach toward UEB implementation. In July 2005, the Braille Authority of the United Kingdom (BAUK) decided that UEB was "now sufficiently complete and stable enough to justify a major
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consultation of braille users in the UK" (Cryer, 2011). In 2008 BAUK developed, produced, and distributed a sample of UEB materials, and a questionnaire about those materials to over 4000 braille users, producers, and other stakeholders. 470 questionnaires were returned. 76% of those responding didn't want UEB to be adopted as the standard braille code in the UK. 66% did not think UEB adoption would benefit braille readers in the UK or other countries. So in December 2008, BAUK concluded that UEB should not be introduced in the UK at that time (Cryer, 2011).In January 2009, BAUK merged with two other organizations to form the UK Association for Accessible Formats (UKAAF). UKAAF formally approved UEB as an experimental code in September 2010, so that technical features of the code could be evaluated (Cryer, 2011).In 2011, RNIB conducted a study, commissioned by UKAAF to help UKAAF members decide whether to implement UEB in the UK. 165 readers of an RNIB braille magazine were sent a collection of winning essays from a worldwide essay contest for braille readers which had been produced in UEB (White, 2011b). A week later these participants were interviewed by phone about themselves, their braille usage, and their opinions of the UEB-produced essays. 107 interviews were conducted. Here is a summary of the results, as reported by RNIB's Mandy White (2011b):
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37.9% of participants had no difficulty reading UEB. Another 49.5% could read UEB but more slowly than they read British braille. 12.6% could read UEB but with difficulty. No one was unable to read UEB. 67% said either that the code didn't cause problems, or that they noticed differences but soon "got over them." Those who had problems reading UEB had most trouble with the contractions which had been removed, followed by punctuation changes, followed by sequencing removal (spacing after contractions like "and" and "the").The last question of the fourteen-question interview dealt with participants' opinions about UEB. Forty people answered the question; twenty answers were positive and twenty were negative. Positive comments included the following: "I was worried that I might have to learn a new braille code but now realise I would not find it difficult." "If someone was learning braille from scratch I think it [UEB] could be easier." "I think it's about time, there are so many different braille codes out there it would be nice to have just the one braille code for users, especially if you are a new braille user."Negative comments included: "I found the UEB rather cumbersome and not very enjoyable to read." "I feel very strongly that braille is something I've grown up with. It is my first language and I feel emotionally attached to it. I
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think it is a real shame if I can't have the books I want in the braille I've grown up with in my own country." "I really cannot see how it is going to make it easier to learn. Standard English Braille is logical and it seems as if UEB is taking away that logic" (White, 2011b).
ConclusionAs you can see, these two studies suggest that braille users in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK have many of the same concerns U.S. braille readers express about UEB implementation. After reading UEB materials, some braille users continued to feel negatively toward this code. However, other braille readers who initially felt either negative or undecided had changed their minds after reading UEB samples, and had concluded that it was easier to read than they had thought. Although the Australia-New Zealand research sample is small, it's significant that nine of the ten participants urged the UK to adopt UEB "without delay" (White, 2011a). And UKAAF did adopt UEB in October 2011. Implementation in schools began in September 2014 (Texas UEB Resources OUDDPDF, 2014). The bottom line, at least for me: regardless of the country you live in, some people like UEB, some don't, and some are undecided. I hope folks in the U.S. will give it a chance. Change is hard and takes work and commitment to bring about. But the evidence in this article suggests that if UEB is
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read frequently, and is viewed with an open mind, users may find the change is easier to deal with than they thought!
REFERENCESCryer, H., Home, S., and Osborne, P. (2011). Unified english braille (ueb) implementation: state of the nations. RNIB Centre for Accessible Information, Birmingham: Research report #14.Howse, J., Gentle, F., Stobbs, K., and Reynolds, J. Transition to unified english braille (ueb) in the icevi pacific region. Presentation at Think Globally, Act Locally conference of the Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities. 23-25 May 2010, Auckland, New Zealand. Unified English Braille resources and Training Documents ..., wwwddtexasddatddnet/users/blejjaa/Webinars 2014/UEB/BLED Texas UEB Resources OUDDPDFWhite, M. (2011a). The experiences of australia and new zealand in implementing ueb (unified english braille code). RNIB Braille Development Unit, Peterborough.White, M. (2011b). Evaluation of the views of a sample of rnib magazine subscribers on an anthology of essays produced in ueb. RNIB Braille Development Unit, Peterborough.
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In Other Words(EDITOR's NOTE: This game was also played at the 2015 annual Braille Revival League convention. See the answers later in this newsletter. No cheating now!!!!)
Game instructions:In Other Words presents words that represent other common words or names. For example: If the clues are: "canine; abode" the answer would be dog house, a common expression. Give yourself a time limit and have fun with the game!
In Other Words1. card game; façade;2. coffee; week day;3. chapeau; prank;4. within the city; monastery;5. copper; frightening;6. protecting shelter; army officers;7. short haircut; promise;8. river mouth land; day break;9. another me; musical melodies.
Joyfully Brailling My House!By Jane Sheehan
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Braille has always been a major part of my life, and many things in my house have braille on them: the controls on my stove, dishwasher, microwave, even the clothes in my closet have braille labels.But making these labels just got a lot easier. Back in March of 2015, I read an announcement of a new device for creating braille labels which was planned for release soon. I decided to take advantage of their pre-order discount, and ordered one, sight unseen.In July, I was pleased to find that LoganTech, the manufacturer and major distributor of this 6dot braille labeler, was exhibiting at the ACB convention in Dallas. With much eagerness and not a little trepidation, I braved the mayhem of the exhibit hall to go and have a look at the device. Eagerness because I was really anxious to finally get my hands on the device I had pre-ordered several months ago, but trepidation because what if, upon actually trying the device, I didn't like it? My trepidation was totally groundless, and I found the device to be compact, completely usable, and everything I had anticipated.In the middle of July, the long-awaited box appeared at my door. In the interests of honesty, though, I have to tell you that the first two units shipped to me by LoganTech were defective. This was apparently the first case in which 6dot units
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were found to be defective. But throughout my dealings with LoganTech on this issue, everyone at the company who I spoke with couldn't have been nicer or more cooperative, and they were determined to do everything possible to ensure that I received a working 6dot labeler.My third unit arrived last week, and it works like a charm, and I've been labeling things right and left.Now, let me describe this great little gadget. It's oval-shaped, about 8 inches wide, about 5 inches front to back at it's widest point, and about 3 inches high. On the top of the unit is the standard 6-dot braille keyboard and a long spacebar in front of that. Just behind the spacebar, between keys 1 and 4 is a round button used to cut your finished label. To the left and right of the cutting button are arrow keys. On the right side of the unit, nearest to the front is an on/off rocker switch. Behind that is a micro USB port used to connect an optional QWERTY keyboard. Behind that is a small round jack for connecting an optional AC power adapter, which LoganTech sells for $49.00.On the back side of the unit is a small door that drops down to expose the compartment where the roll of labeling tape resides. The unit takes 3/h-inch dymo tape in 10-foot rolls. These can be hard to find, but LoganTech sells them in boxes of 10 for $35. (I was a glutton and bought 2 boxes). The unit comes with one roll installed and an extra one in the box. On the bottom of the unit is a battery
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compartment holding 6 AA batteries, which are included.On the front edge of the underside of the unit are two plastic loops which I just discovered, and which can be used to fasten a strap. I think a carrying case is being designed, and either method would facilitate carrying the device around for on-the-go labeling, for example, at a grocery store.The labeling tape is a bit tricky to insert until you get the hang of it, but there is a good description of this process in the included print manual. I think a braille manual is now available from LoganTech.Let me expound a bit on the cutting feature of the 6Dot labeler. Gone are the days of trying to peel the backing off of a label. I've been known to give up in frustration and tape a label with a stubborn backing onto the surface I was trying to label! But with this unit, that problem is solved! When you finish brailling your label and press the cut button, the unit cuts the label for you, so that when the label comes out of the unit, the tape is scored about 1/h inch from the righthand end of the label but the backing is not cut; you can fold back the tape and peel off the backing with ease.The 6Dot Braille Labeler sells for $599 plus $24 for shipping. You can contact LoganTech at 1-866-962-0966.
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Now, I think I'll go and see what else in my pantry needs a braille label!
Meet the People Bringing the Written Word
to Those Who Can't SeeBy Megan Turchi
(Boston.com Staff, 07.10.15, 11:34 AM)The National Braille Press would be easy to miss. It's located in a building steps from Northeastern University on an idyllic one-way road with little car traffic and many trees with blooming flowers. The outside of the building has grey steps that lead to a small sign that says National Braille Press, Est. in 1927.Upon ringing the bell to enter, it would seem like a fairly typical Boston office -- there's a receptionist, a staircase and some offices -- but with telling details. There is a conference room with portraits, one of which shows a man with his eyes closed and his fingers running across a page. Against the other wall are books, most of which don't have illustrations on the cover, just a title and raised bumps.This unassuming building houses all stages of a printing press that prints 75 to 100 braille books per year for the Library of Congress, braille menus for Starbucks and Wendy's, cookbooks, airline
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safety guides, children's books, Harry Potter, tests, and the Bible. It also houses a unique collection of workers, both blind and sighted, who shared with us the details of their jobs.From Radio to PrintJoe Quintanilla, vice president of development and major gifts, sat in a chair in the conference room with his walking stick by his side. He was wearing a suit and a tie that spelled out NBP, for National Braille Press, in braille -- an interesting choice for a man who can't actually read the language.As a kid, Quintanilla explained, he was pulled out of class every week to meet with a teacher for the visually impaired. And he hated it."I didn't like being pulled out of class," he said. "I had some vision. Sometimes you have denial and don't want to use adaptive strategies."Quintanilla said he had a good memory and was getting good grades, so he didn't put much focus on learning braille. When he got into high school he tried to pick it up, but by college he realized he had missed out."I lost out because of my decision not to push braille," he said. "I wanted to pursue a career in radio."Quintanilla went to Boston College and majored in communications, while also running on the cross
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country team. (He also ran the marathon in the 1996 Paralympics.)"I thought I was good and funny [on the radio]," he said. "They gave me a script and I would listen to it."But after a making a few mistakes, he realized that reading scripts was key...S he found a new career path."The challenge for braille is the notion that braille isn't needed anymore. As long as people need to read, braille is going to be a must. Technology can enhance braille usage, but it can't replace it."Quintanilla now helps raise money to subsidize the high cost of making braille books so that blind people don't have to pay more than sighted people in order to read. He's been with NBP for four years, during which time he has improved his braille reading ability."I got more braille skills," he said. "But it was a detriment to me not to have it. Braille is a tremendous part of learning."The people behind the process That is the goal of the National Braille Press -- to provide access to learning through books and more to blind adults and children.And it all starts with the transcribers upstairs.
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Julia Parmalee graduated from Bryn Mawr College with a degree in Greek and Latin. After school she did some odd jobs, like taking care of pets, until she read a Boston Globe article about NBP in 2006."It described what a braille transcriber did," she said, sitting in her chair, her computer screen filled with braille dots. "It's what I wanted to be doing." Parmalee is sighted and said she had never thought of this as a career path before.Parmalee uses a software called "Duxbury Braille Translator" to create code, which converts the printed word to braille. She also needs to look for words that weren't coded correctly."In a mystery novel it [wrote] `defective` instead of `detective,`" she said.Once she thinks it is correct, she sends it across the hall to the proofreaders. Story continues after gallery (Note: The following are captions accompanying photos.Were Take a look inside the National Braille Press building: The National Braille Press is on St. Stephen Street near Northeastern University.Andy Robinson/ Boston.com
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Elizabeth Bouvier is a collator who helps put the books together once they have been printed.National Braille Press printed "Harry Potter" books in braille when they came out, as part of a special agreement with Scholastic Press.Amber Pearcy is a proofreader at NBP.A NBP employee puts braille stickers on a children's book. The written text is underneath the braille so sighted parents can read to their blind child, or vice versa.Joe Quintanilla's tie spells out NBP in braille dots.Gene O'Neill works at printing the books at NBP and has been there for 13 years.A NBP employee works at collating the books.After the books or texts have been collated, they are put in envelopes to be shipped out.There are many books at NBP that are meant to help blind people use modern technology.Amber Pearcy has been a proofreader at NBP since 2012. She graduated with a degree in psychology from Louisiana Tech University and has been reading braille since she was three years old.As a proofreader, she reads the braille that has been transcribed, looking out for errors.
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"It's about how careful we are," she said sitting in a chair with her guide dog underneath her desk. "Some documents are scanned and we might see an `L' for an `I` or sometimes there can be added or deleted dots." She also has to make sure the document is formatted correctly, like if something is supposed to be laid out in a list."It's all about the details." Pearcy said. "Our mission here is really important. [X] encompasses every stage of someone's life. I started learning braille at three and I always had it at my fingertips."Next, Bill Maling, the plate embossing device operator, who has been working at NBP since 1980, takes charge and uses the proofread sheet to emboss the braille dots onto a piece of metal.Proofreaders take another look to make sure the text is correct, and then the metal is brought to its final destination -- what Quintanilla called "the heartbeat of NBP."The metal plates are placed in the 50-year-old Heidelberg press machines where they then use the plates to mass produce the book's pages.After all the pages have been pressed, they are carried across the hall where they are hand folded, stapled or bound, and put in envelopes to be shipped out.
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According to Quintanilla, the NBP produces over 9 million pages of braille per year."The challenge for braille is the notion that braille isn't needed anymore," he said. "As long as people need to read, braille is going to be a must. Technology can enhance braille usage, but it can't replace it.
Unveiling The Answers(Editor's Note: Now the moment we've all been waiting for! Below are the answers to the two BRL convention games found earlier in this newsletter.)Commonology 2015 Answers:1. things that are oval2. magic things3. oxymorons4. things worn around the neck5. things that are picked6. onomatopoeias7. famous mountains8. Paul Newman movies9. things that are chipped.
In Other Words 2015 Answers:1. poker face2. Joe Friday
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3. hat trick4. downtown abby5. penny dreadful6. Lee Majors7. Bob Hope8. delta dawn9. I tunes.
Braille ApocalypseBy Sally Martin
(The teacher formerly known as Dot 6S dot 6y.)
(From Newsreel)Miss Karen and Miss Sally walked out over the grounds of the Braille Apocalypse. They scanned the area and saw 9 green tents. "Those must be where the contractions that are no longer useable are going to die," Miss Karen surmised. They scanned the field and saw And, For, Of The and With looking lost. And kept trying to hug With, but With was shouting, "We can't do this any more!" Karen and Sally knew that they would have to talk to the strongman contractions.Karen put on her stern teacher face, and told them they could no longer snuggle together. And protested. "I've been cuddling my whole existence, it isn't fair."
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Sally patted And on the dots and said, "we know, this change is hard,. It will be difficult at first, but we'll all get used to it. And pouted, but stood alone. Of, The, For and With seemed near tears, but stood strong and alone. "We'll still be close to other letters when we're used in words," The said."It isn't the same," And lamented."It will have to do," said The, with a finality in its tone. "Let's leave them for a bit and look in on the tents," Sally suggested."I suppose we should," Karen said as she led the way.Ble was in the first tent, a thermometer hung from his mouth. He saw the TVI's and began his delirious rant. "I'm not that easily confused with the number indicator. I'm not bad for the reader, I'm not! I want to be part of UEB, it can't end like this."Karen and Sally exchanged a knowing glance. "We are so sorry, Ble, you will become a zombie contraction." "What does that even mean?" Ble asked in a panicky tone. "It means you will continue to be read in old braille, but we won't use you when we write new braille. It isn't really death, but you aren't really
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alive any more, either," Karen explained in a calm voice. "Will I eat brains?" Ble asked.Karen and Sally laughed, and thought to themselves that the change would kind of eat the brains of the transcribers who were new to UEB, but the readers would be just fine.Sally answered, "No, you won't eat brains, you'll get used to being a zombie though, think of it as retired instead of dead, you'll have less work to do."Ble seemed calm as the TVI's left to go to the next tent.The next tent was the tent of the Clingons. Little To was in his cot, looking rather pathetic. "I know, I know, there's probably no saving me. I was never all that great at saving space anyway," he said with resignation. Karen replied, "You were everywhere. Sure you weren't saving that much space, but you did a lot of good work, we'll still see you in the old braille. But when we write new we'll have to spell out to."The TVI's headed to the next tent. By was there, and he had a similar reaction as To, he seemed to know his days were numbered. "The best thing I can do is accept my fate, and hope I don't scare any little readers when they see me doing a
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zombified clingon move in an old braille text." He sighed, but looked accepting. Karen and Sally gave him a big hug, and thanked him for his selfless dedication to little readers. "Don't worry, we'll explain to the children that all you zombies were heroes. You've all sacrificed yourselves in hopes to create better braille for everyone."The next tent was shaking, Into seemed restless and frightened. "I don't know what to think. On the one hand my In lives on, on the other hand we all know To doesn't make it. What's to become of me?"The TVI's knew they had some explaining to do. Sally used her most comforting voice and said, "In will live on, but To is now spelled out. Into will still have the In contraction, but To will be spelled out. Also, no more clinging." Into let out a huge sigh and whined, "clinging was my favorite part of the job, I'm a snuggly type, this will be awful!"Karen attempted to cheer him up. "You'll still cling and snuggle in the old texts, but you'll have to follow space rules going forward." Into conceded. "I suppose we have to follow the space rules. As much as I like snuggling, I like braille readers more than anything, so we will just have to put them first."In the next tent the TVI's found Com hiding under his blanket. "Com, we need to talk to you. Things
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are changing, and we know you're scared, but let us explain. You were getting confused with the hyphen, and UEB will eliminate some of that confusion."Com popped his head out and pleaded, "Readers have always figured me out."Sally agreed, "They usually did, but there are issues with back translations. We thought about it long and hard, and this is what is best for the future. We do appreciate your service, and will tell children how well you served us all."Dd popped his head out of the tent as the TVI's walked up. "Don't come in, I already know I can't carry on because I look too much like punctuation. Obviously the period beat me out, he's everywhere, everywhere!" Dd zipped his tent closed and the TVI's moved right along.At Ation's tent there was a thudding sound, Ation was trying desperately to raise her dot 6. Sally intervened, and explained that the dot 6 could not be changed, it was too confusing to have what looked like a capital indicator in the middle of a word. Ation stopped her thumping and looked defeated. Karen offered words of comfort, explaining that back translation was difficult when 2 symbols meant different things. Ation asked how often that was even an issue. Karen explained that technology was becoming a primary means to
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produce and read braille. They tucked Ation into bed.The weary teachers walked over to the o'clock tent. O'clock was packing a bag with sunscreen and shorts. The TVI's asked what she was doing. "I'm not crying over less work, I'm out of here. I'm heading to Florida, I'm not sad that my work is done," O'clock replied. The TVI's chuckled and wished her well.Before entering the last tent Sally looked like she was going to cry. Karen patted her on the back and said, "I know this one is going to be hard for you." They walked in and found Ally weeping. Sally held Ally's hand, as she found the courage to tell her favorite contraction the hard news. "Ally, you are part of me. My name just won't be the same without you. I'm so very sad that you won't make it." Ally and Sally shared a hug, and the TVI's left the tent feeling accomplished. They walked toward the main area of the camp and heard quite a ruckus. As Karen wondered aloud what it could be, Sally picked up a monocular and looked out toward the gate of the camp. "That's the changes to composition, punctuation and indicators, they look restless. What should we do, Karen?"
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Karen replied, "Run!" They ran as fast as they could, but knew they would soon have to face the changes. For the time being they had done enough.
Special ThanksIt has been our pleasure to produce the BRL Memorandum in braille and large print for the Braille Revival League for the past two years. We have received many positive responses and feedback from well-respected members. We want to especially thank Judy Jackson for taking a chance on a new company and giving us this opportunity. We will, of course, maintain our memberships in BRL, but feel it is time to turn the production process over to another company of your choosing. We thank you for your business and wish you well in the future.
Terry & Frank PachecoThe Alternate Format Pros
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2014-2015 BRL Board of DirectorsOFFICERS
PRESIDENT:Paul EdwardsMiami, [email protected]
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT, Denise ColleyLacey, Washington [email protected]
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT, May DavisDoylestown, [email protected]
SECRETARY, Ralph SmithermanBrandon, [email protected]
TREASURER, Jane SheehanSilver Spring, [email protected]
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT:Judy Jackson,Miami, [email protected]
BOARD MEMBERSAnn ByingtonTopeka, [email protected]
Susan GlassSaratoga, [email protected]
John LuttenbergerPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania [email protected]
Rhonda TrottTalladega, [email protected]
AFFILIATE REPRESENTATIVEMarleen O'NeillPhiladelphia, [email protected]
BRL MEMORANDUM EDITOR:Denise [email protected]
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