Maine State Library-Talking Books Plus

Press release for our friends at the Visually Impaired Persons (VIP) of Boothbay. For this meeting, they will have a special guest from The Iris Network!

"The next monthly meeting of Visually Impaired Persons (VIP) will be held on July 7, 2026, at 1:15 p.m. in the Boothbay Region Community Center, located in the Meadow Mall on Townsend Avenue, Boothbay Harbor.

Our guest speaker will be Aisha Hixon from Iris The Iris Network, whose mission is helping people with vision impairment or blindness attain independence and community integration. Community rehab services, Low Vision Center, and Iris Park Apartments are just a few of the programs the Isis Network provides. These and additional resources will be discussed at our meeting.

People with any type of vision issue are welcome to attend, along with their caregivers and drivers. Anyone with an interest in or questions about vision loss are always welcome.
For more information call Joan at (207)633-2498.
Need a ride? Call Kitty at (207)633-6355."

[Image: Director of Outreach Services at the Maine State Library speaking to the VIP members who are seated around a large table.]

If your vision is cloudy or blurred, you may have cataracts.
Cataracts, the clouding of the lens of the eye, are a common cause of vision loss as people age. Caused by the breaking down of proteins in the eye, cataracts may be unnoticeable at first but can lead to cloudy vision, faded colors, halos around lights and declining vision at night.
Advances in medical science — from contact lenses to surgery — have made living with cataracts completely doable. According to the National Eye Institute, nine out of 10 people who get cataract surgery report that they see better afterwards.
June is Cataract Awareness Month, and we’re reminding you that if vision loss impacts your ability to read print, NLS is here to help you with our free collection of audio and braille materials. Learn more about how NLS serves those with low vision at https://www.loc.gov/nls/who-we-serve/visually-impaired?loclr=fbnls.
[Image: A cloudy sky with "Cataract Awareness Month" written in the foreground. The word "Cataract" is blurred to reflect the condition. iStock photo.]

Looking for your next great read? Check out "Project Hail Mary" by Andy Weir (DB 103718)! It’s an exciting story about Ryland Grace, who wakes up on a spaceship far from Earth with no memory of how he got there. As he pieces together the details of his incredible mission to save humanity from a huge threat, he meets an unexpected ally along the way. This book is a bestseller from 2021 and is available as a commercial audiobook, so grab your headphones and dive into this fantastic adventure!
[Image: An astronaut floating in space with a gold and black background.]

2026 National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled Summer Reading Program Kicking off the 2026 National Library Service for the Blind and Pri...

Visiting DC to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary? The Smithsonian museums — and other popular tourist stops — have a host of accessible options, from touchable tours to braille brochures. And if you can’t make it to the nation’s capital, many of the audio tours are accessible from your own home. Whether you want to hear descriptions of the presidential portraits at the National Portrait Gallery or take a virtual walking tour through the U.S. Botanic Garden, the NLS Accessible Cultural Heritage Institutions guide can point you to the resources you need. Learn more at www.loc.gov/nls/services-and-resources/informational-publications/accessible-cultural-heritage-institutions-for-the-blind-and-visually-impaired-in-washington-dc?loclr=fbnls.
[Image: Participants of a Library of Congress touch tour explore the mosaic of Minerva outside the Main Reading Room.]

We enjoyed a constructive two-day visit from our Regional Consultant, MaryBeth Wise, our wonderful representative from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled! It was wonderful to spend time discussing the services we offer to our Talking Book patrons all across Maine.

MaryBeth Wise, Regional Consultant from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled met with MSL staff over two days to discuss services to Maine residents with reading disabilities. The support of the National Library Service helps us reach so many Mainers with reading and visual disabilities. Thank you, NLS!

More information about the Talking Book program at the Maine State Library is available on our webpage at https://www.maine.gov/msl/outreach/lbph/index.shtml .

You can learn more about the National Library Service here: https://www.loc.gov/nls/ .

(Pictured left to right: Director of Public and Outreach Services Alison Maxell, Special Services Coordinator Chris Boynton, National Library Service Regional Consultant MaryBeth Wise, State Librarian Lori Stockman, and Outreach Services Librarian Sarah Duggan.)

Summer is almost here! Get ready for a great summer reading program provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled!

[Image: Digby and friend are surrounded by stacks of books as they read outside.]

NLS Summer Reading Program - National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) | Library of Congress NLS summer reading adventure! Enjoy online events, activities & story times for all. Register & explore through braille & talking books!

If you or someone you know would love to learn more about our NLS Summer Reading Program, "Unearth a Story," feel free to give Outreach Services Librarian Sarah a call at 207-287-5650! We’ll have more exciting information coming soon on the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled website, so stay tuned!

Ready to unearth a story this summer?

We’re thrilled to announce that we have been selected by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) to curate and host the 2026 Summer Reading Program. This nine-week literary experience is designed for readers who are blind or have low vision, but anyone, anywhere is welcome to participate. No library card required!

Join us as we discover stories hidden in landscapes, archives, family histories, science, and lived experience through virtual author conversations. We’ll also be exploring four National Parks through a new Narrated Soundscapes series, with a new episode dropping every other week.

The Summer Reading Program officially kicks off on June 15th. Don’t miss out—sign up today on our website! https://bit.ly/43jFn7G

Image Description: A dark green banner features the headline "Unearth a Story" with the Braille Institute logo and the National Library Services logo beneath the text. The banner sits over a faded antique map background.