09/08/2026
Maryland LBPD Newsletter:
September
A newsletter from the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled
Contact the library: 410-230-2424 | lbpd.maryland.gov | [email protected]
photo shows John Owen at an outreach table
Director's Corner
With fall here, there are many ways to stay connected with the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled (LBPD). Check our newsletters and follow us on social media for updates on library news, programs, resources, and events.
We have some special events coming up this fall. On September 19, eligible LBPD patrons can join us for a free Tactile Tour of Boordy Vineyards. You must be a Maryland LBPD patron and at least 21 to attend. On October 24 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., we will hold the Friends of LBPD Annual Meeting, with Baltimore journalist and playwright Dan Rodricks as our guest speaker.
We hope you stay connected with Maryland LBPD and join us for a great fall season!
September Technology User Group Meeting
On Saturday, September 12, at 10 a.m., the Technology User Group (TUG) will present a two-part program designed to both inform and inspire.
First, embark on a guided tour of braille displays, their characteristics, functional distinctions, and the often-overlooked nuances that separate one model from another. We will examine price ranges, features, and real-world usability to help you determine which device aligns best with your reading style. We will also discuss ways to obtain a braille display at no cost, an opportunity too important to overlook.
Next, we turn our attention to the newest innovation from NLS: the BARD Web Player. This skill promises to reshape how readers interact with BARD materials. Soon, you will be able to play your books directly on your computer and seamlessly transfer playback between your desktop and your Alexa device. The ability to move your listening experience from one environment to another without losing your place marks a notable step forward in accessible digital reading.
Join us for a morning that blends practical guidance with forward-looking technology, all in the spirit of TUG’s mission to keep our community informed, empowered, and just a little ahead of the curve.
Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 656 203 7293
A woman using a smartphone
A New BARD Skill Is Coming
Beginning September 1, NLS will launch a beta test of the new NLS BARD Web Reader. This upcoming feature will let patrons listen to their BARD books directly from a PC and, if they use the BARD Alexa skill, seamlessly switch playback to an Alexa device without losing their place. The final version is scheduled for release to all patrons on September 30, bringing a smoother, more flexible reading experience to anyone who relies on BARD.
Youth News
Text. Back to School
As another school year begins, the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled (LBPD) is excited to welcome you back and support your educational journey. Our mission is to ensure that every student with a print disability — whether visual, physical, or reading-based, such as dyslexia — has the tools they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
We want to highlight several key resources designed to put thousands of titles right at your fingertips:
Instant Access with BARD
Our Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) service provides instant access to over 110,000 books and magazines. With the BARD Mobile app, available for iOS and Android, you can download your favorite titles directly to your smartphone or tablet. The best part? There are absolutely no due dates—once you download a book, it is yours to keep until you choose to delete it.
Reading Your Way: Books and Braille on Demand
To make reading more convenient, we offer specialized services tailored to your preferences:
Books on Demand (BOD): Receive customized cartridges through the mail containing multiple audiobooks (anywhere from 5 to 25 titles) based on your specific requests.
Braille on Demand: In addition to our physical Braille collection, one of the largest in the country, we provide access to electronic Braille files and eReader devices for qualified patrons.
Expanded Library Resources
Your LBPD account offers more than just textbooks! If you need to update your contact information or would like to request specific titles for the upcoming semester, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].
LBPD wishes you a successful and inspired school year!
Adult Events and Programs
Boordy Vineyards Logo
Join the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled on Saturday, September 13 for a special tactile tour and wine tasting at Boordy Vineyards, Maryland's oldest family-owned winery, which celebrates more than 80 years of winemaking and generations of agricultural heritage. Participants will enjoy a seated tactile exploration of the winery, learn about the vineyard's history, and experience the winemaking process through touch and storytelling. The program concludes with a guided tasting of Boordy's award-winning wines in a welcoming and accessible setting. Space is limited to 15 participants, so register early to reserve your spot.
NOTE: This event is only open to LBPD patrons 21+ years and older. At this time, patrons may not bring guests. Transportation to the vineyard will not be provided.
Registration Link
This October, the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled (LBPD) is hosting five free events to explore different print disabilities and keep the conversation about accessible reading going:
BRAILLED IT! Movie Watch Party — October 7–13, on-demand.
BRAILLED IT! Movie Discussion — October 13, live via Zoom.
IEPs and Print Disabilities — October 20, live via Zoom.
The Neuroscience of Dyslexia — October 22, live via Zoom.
Stroke and Dyslexia — October 27, live via Zoom.
All events are free and open to everyone, but you need to register. Whether you have a print disability, work with people who do, or just want to learn more, LBPD welcomes you to join these events and be part of the conversation. The library supports eligible Marylanders with print disabilities all year by offering reading materials in audio and braille formats.
To learn more about LBPD, see the full event schedule, or sign up, visit: https://bit.ly/Print_Disabilities26.
Book Cover
Marylandia Recommendation
The Big Book of Maryland Ghost Stories, by Ed Okonowicz, narrated by Mary Owen
DBC 12656
Hauntings lurk and spirits linger in the Old Line State. From the dark corners of Maryland, enter the world of the paranormal, where ghosts and ghouls alike creep just out of sight. From footsteps and apparitions appearing at Fort McHenry, to reports of strange noises and phenomena at the battleground of Antietam, this collection of stories about strange occurrences will keep readers glued to the edges of their seats.
Attn: Braille and Large Print Patrons
Please remember to return your Large Print and Braille bags when you are finished with your reading materials. These bags help us send books and materials to library patrons across Maryland. When bags are not returned, we have fewer available to ship materials to others who are waiting for their next books.
Thank you for helping us keep our library services running smoothly!
Living Life as a VIP Group Meeting
The new "Living Life as a VIP: Not Just Surviving" support group, led by Lydia Richardson, will meet on the third Friday of each month to provide a welcoming space for the blind and low vision community to share experiences and enjoy spending time together. Whether people are newly blind or have been blind their entire lives, this space encourages everyone to live fully, not just survive. The group gives an opportunity to meet new people, make connections and have a little fun.
"Living Life as a VIP: Not Just Surviving" meets on the third Friday of each month in the meeting room of the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. EST.
This meeting is free and open to the public. To give the organizers a headcount, please register below.
Registration Link
Living Life as a VIP Meeting Notice
Collection Spotlight
Vampires of El Norte, by Isabel Cañas
DB 116478
As the daughter of a rancher in 1840s Mexico, Nena knows a thing or two about monsters-her home has long been threatened by tensions with Anglo settlers from the north. But something more sinister lurks near the ranch at night, something that drains men of their blood and leaves them for dead. Believing Nena dead, Néstor has been on the run from his grief ever since. When the United States invades Mexico in 1846, the two are brought abruptly together on the road to war: But the shock of their reunion is quickly overshadowed by the appearance of a nightmare made flesh. Unless Nena and Néstor work through their past and face the future together, neither will survive to see the dawn.
The Bewitching, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
DB 131290
‘Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches.' That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva. Minerva is now a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales. Decades earlier, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Minerva begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved.
