A Tip for Your NLS Talking Book Player

So, I've found lots of tutorials for the NLS Digital Talking Book Player, and there is a built-in guide and manual. However, the one thing I have not seen mentioned is how to get the serial number and version of your player. This is needed for getting downloads specifically for your player, such as an RFBD user authorization key to play your RFBD books on your NLS Digital Talking Book Player (yes you can do this!). So I thought I'd make a quick note of how to find your serial number for this.

1. Turn your player on without a cartridge or flash drive in the player.
2. Press the Sleep button (the half-moon) ten times until it says "Serial Number."
3. Write down your serial number for future reference. It will repeat the information (serial number and version) until you press the play/stop button (the large, bright green button between the bottom arrow buttons).
4. Now you have the serial number of your NLS player, you can enter it to authorize it to play RFBD books!

A Unique Resource For the Blind of the World

The National Federation of the Blind says it best when they call the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind a “unique resource for the blind of the world.” This center, located at the National Center for the Blind in Baltimore, Maryland reviews technology, both products created specifically for the blind and products created for the mainstream market but which is accessible in one form or another, sometimes completely accessible, either through intentional universal design or by chance (such as the iPod Shuffle, a media mp3 player that is accessible because it has no screen, though the design was intended for people who are doing active exercise and cannot pause to look at a screen. The latest version of the iPod Shuffle, the iPod Shuffle 8.0 is even more accessible, as it has a Voiceover that tells the user the title and author of the song and has a folder feature.)

The staff at the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind evaluates, demonstrate, and train people in the use of the products they have. If you are able to visit the center, as I did on May 17, they can demonstrate the products in person. While there, I learned about various note takers, testing weights and ease of use. Because of my quickness to fatigue and pain, a note taker that is easy on my body and not too heavy is very important for me. However, I had very little access to the variety of note takers that are available on the market today. Before visiting the technology center, I had only seen three: the BraillePlus, the PacMate, and the BrailleNote, and had not had the chance to test any of them, as they are essential parts of the owners’ lives. So, when I was given the opportunity to visit the National Center for the Blind with a group from my state, I was overjoyed, knowing I would get to see many different note takers and test them. I was in for a surprise!

The technology center tries to have one of every product available that is accessible to the blind in some fashion….that includes two long tables full of note takers and similar electronic interfaces, dozens of ways to print, type, and read Braille, and hundreds of products for reading, writing, and daily living. I had limited time, so I concentrated my time on the note takers there, and had no chance to see the rest.

However, I still have the chance to learn about the other products, as do the millions of blind people who cannot go to the center in person because of distance, finances, or any other reason. The staff can also consult with blind people, professionals, or family members via phone. Some of the questions they get asked often, according to the NFB’s website include:

What do I need to get a blind person on-line and connected to the Internet?
How can I make my website accessible to the blind?
What electronic note taker is “best” for a person who is blind?

The website says they welcome questions, and the staff I spoke to in person was very welcoming and friendly, as well as knowledgeable and helpful. The Center is located at 200 East Wells Street at the Jernigan Place in Baltimore, Maryland. Their phone number is (410) 659-9314, x5. Further, they can be reached via fax at (410) 685-565, or via e-mail at access@nfb.org. For more information about the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind, visit the NFB's site for the Center.

NFB ShareBraille

Do you have shelves full of Braille books that you don’t want to trash, but never read any more? Maybe you are just starting out your Braille library and want a less expensive way of getting your own books. Either way, NFB ShareBraille is the place for you!

This website, NFB Share Braille , is a free service of the National Federation of the Blind. The concept is simple. Say you outgrow that Babysitter’s Club collection you had in elementary school, or you no longer want that Spanish textbook that you couldn’t find a new home for. You go to NFB ShareBraille, register for free, and add your book to the Available Book list. When someone clicks a link showing interest in the book, you send the book to them via Free Matter for the Blind, and voila! They have a new book, and you have more room for new books.

The other way around works just as easily. If you are looking for books to add to your small (or large) collection, go to the Available Book list, and if you find one you want, click its title, then on the information page, there is a table at the bottom with links to get the book. Then the person with the book will send it to you.

I got some great books this way, including Braille.com and Beyond (which I plan on passing on soon) and Florence and Michelangelo (which has become a permanent part of my collection, as it is a great little treasure).

It is easy to navigate around the NFB ShareBraille website, and enjoyable to see what books are available that I might be able to get. I like to check it all the time, to see what’s new. So should you! Check it out, and share your books or get shared books from other Braille users!