Good morning! Are you looking for some fun and easy passive programming ideas for early January to ease into the new year? Look no further! https://bit.ly/3YkgzJv The Write Your Name in Braille activity is good for both kids and adults alike. All you need to do is purchase a slate and stylus<https://www.amazon.com/Lines-Cells-Braille-Writing-Plastic/dp/B07SVYSRWP/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3EGCP9FE2P2PB&keywords=slate+and+stylus+braille&qid=1671114153&sprefix=slate+and+sty%2Caps%2C359&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFLOERWVjhXTkNZVlUmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTEwMjIxNTNDNTM1UzdERVdOTlAmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDQxMTIyOTJPWkdYWkxIVjk5WlUmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl> and set out the instructions with some scrap pieces of paper. The NLS Fun with Braille work sheet is a good grab and go for the younger crowds. Feel free to duplicate these at your libraries to pass out to patrons! BTBL is in the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) network of libraries nationwide. The entire month of January is Braille Literacy Month, and January 4th is specially celebrated as World Braille Day in honor of the birthday of Louis Braille! This is a great chance to highlight a part of your collection on blindness or disability awareness in general. Below is also a short book list to get you started: Juvenile / Young Adult Six dots : a story of young Louis Braille by Jen Bryant Just Ask! Be different, be brave, be you by Sonia Sotomayor Out of Darkness: Story of Louis Braille by Russell Freedman My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay by Cari Best The Secret Code by Dana M Rau I Am Not A Label by Cerrie Burnell Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes: A story by Jonathan Auxier Light a Single Candle by Beverly Butler Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom Want some more ideas? 1. Storytime highlighting Louis Braille, a character with a visual disability, characters with glasses, characters with white canes, etc. 2. A Facebook post about Braille Literacy Month (you can always tag us! @MichiganBTBL) 3. Adult book club/discussion about a book with a character that is blind (ex: All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr) 4. A take away bookmark with reading suggestions that highlight character's with visual disabilities As a reminder, the Braille and Talking Book Library<https://www.michigan.gov/btbl> is here to provide a valuable resources for FREE to your community. We have over 125,000 audio and braille books in our collection for Michiganders that have trouble reading regular print books because of a disability. As a librarian, you can even certify the application<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.michigan.gov%2Fleo%2Fbureaus-agencies%2Fbureau-of-services-for-blind-persons%2Fbtbl%2Fapplication-for-service&data=05%7C01%7CWambaughS%40michigan.gov%7C37512277eeb84c15ef7108da9bfed8d6%7Cd5fb7087377742ad966a892ef47225d1%7C0%7C0%7C637993816116172214%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=LNQU5qrhq3JCcpdhsYK3JCoblSzD6DYvRdeydt%2FvFj4%3D&reserved=0> on behalf of your patron. Contact me directly for more information. Wishing you and your families very Happy Holidays! Stephanie Wambaugh, Librarian 12 Team Lead and Outreach Services Michigan Braille and Talking Book Library (BTBL) Bureau of Services for Blind Persons P.O. Box 30007 702 W. Kalamazoo St. Lansing, MI 48909 Phone: 1-800-992-9012 Fax: 1-517-284-2885 wambaughs@michigan.gov<mailto:wambaughs@michigan.gov> LEGAL NOTICE: This email is for the exclusive use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain privileged and confidential information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or duplication of this email is expressly prohibited. If you are not an intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately, delete the email from your computer, and do not copy or disclose it to anyone else. Your receipt of this message is not intended to waive any applicable legal privilege and does not constitute an electronic signature or provide consent to contract electronically.