INSIGHT

A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF THE SPECIAL NEEDS LIBRARY OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA

The Special Needs Library of Northeast Georgia is a part of your public library and the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, serving Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Franklin, Greene, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hancock, Hart, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Putnam, Rabun, Stephens, Walton and White counties. We do not endorse any product or service mentioned in this newsletter.

800-531-2063, 706-613-3655

Email: specialneedslibrary@athenslibrary.org

Staff: Stacey Chandler, Lavern Gordon, Claudia Markov, Pete Hayek

OCTOBER 2004

Ability First Expo

The sixth annual Ability First Expo will be held on October 23, 2004, at the Classic Center located at 300 North Thomas Street, Athens, Georgia. The time is 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. The goal of this event is to shift focus from labeling persons who are physically and mentally challenged from being seen as disabled to being accepted as differently-abled. It is also their goal to create a network of consumers and their families and service providers while allowing hands-on experience of new technology and aids designed to enhance the lives of persons with mental and physical limitations. Activities include exhibits, speakers, demonstrations, entertainment, including a “Kid’s Corner” sponsored by the Lions Club, and door prizes (items donated by area merchants). Approximately twenty-five exhibitors including consumer organizations, service providers and those who retail assistive devices for persons with disabilities are participating in this year’s Expo. The keynote speaker will be Commissioner Michael Thurmond. Come out and join us at the Ability First Expo 2004 for a day filled with fun and information for the entire family!! We will have an exhibit there!

Georgia Statewide Coalition on Blindness

The Georgia Statewide Coalition on Blindness will be meeting on Saturday, November 13, 2004, at the Days Inn Hotel in Rome, Georgia. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and the meeting will adjourn around 4:30 p.m. The purpose of the coalition is “to come together to establish positions on all issues concerning blind people in order that we might be able to present a united front to get the best possible service for all blind people in the state of Georgia.” There will be a networking dinner that Friday night (November 12, at 6:30 p.m.). For more information, contact Marsha Farrow at 1-877-667-6815 or Peggy Chavis at (706) 583-8001.

White Cane Safety Day

The VISTAS Center and the Athens Council of the Blind will observe White Cane Safety Day on October 15, 2004, with a march down Broad Street. The march will begin at the Varsity (located at the corner of Broad Street and Milledge Avenue) and continue to the steps of City Hall where Mayor Heidi Davidson will read a White Cane Safety Day Proclamation at 12:30 p.m. Although this is an opportunity for people who are visually impaired to show their independence, White Cane Safety Day is for everyone. Drivers strike pedestrians and bicyclist daily across the country. White Cane Safety Day not only promotes more awareness of people who are visually impaired but also alerts drivers of the rights of non-drivers they will encounter in their daily commutes. So, whether sighted or visually impaired, come out and march in support of millions of people across the United States and around the world who use the long white cane to ensure safe and independent travel.

Welcome Back Teachers and Students

Teachers, as you are settling in for the upcoming school year, please be reminded that the Special Needs Library is here to serve you and your students with our services. If you need machines or want to request certain books for your students, please give us a call at (706) 613-3655 or toll free at 1-800-531-2063. You can also email your requests to us at specialneedslibrary@athenslibrary.org.

So Many Books and So Little Time

Are you receiving enough books, or perhaps too many books at one time? Are the books you receive interesting and the topics varied? We have approximately 50,000 from which to choose. We are always pleased to learn that you enjoy the materials we send. If you read a book and would like to read other titles by the author, please tell us. Of course, if you do not enjoy work by a particular author, we can remove the rest of his books from your reading list. Let us know how we may best serve your reading needs. We are always glad to hear from you.

Eye Health

Here is a list of books on eye disease and other eye disorders.

Bobby WorldWide Approved