Friday, August 28, 2009

The DAISY Planet: DAISY Consortium Newsletter, August 2009

The DAISY Planet: DAISY Consortium Newsletter, August 2009: "Free Chapter Download Program: September Titles

ReadHowYouWant logo In May this year ReadHowYouWant and HumanWare which are both Friends of the DAISY Consortium, announced their joint 'Free Chapter Download Program'. HumanWare logo

There are 20 new titles in the 'Free Chapter Download Program' each month. The Adult titles for September are:

* Creative Visualization
* The Way of the Superior Man
* The Universe Next Door
* Eat that Frog
* The Enlightened Sex Manual
* Building Emotional Intelligence
* Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling
* The Nonverbal Advantage
* I Brake for Meltdowns
* The Sinatra Solution

The September titles for Children and Young adults are:

* Real Guns
* Exploring the Grand Canyon
* What to Do When Good Enough Isn't Good Enough
* How to Do Homework without Throwing Up
* Courage to Be Yourself
* Stress Can Really Get on Your Nerves
* Charlotte and the Starlet
* The Girls Life
* Scratch Kitten Goes to Sea
* The Brain Finds a Leg

The list of new titles for each month is provided on the ReadHowYouWant - HumanWare Free Chapter download page.
ReadHowYouWant Website Upgrades

The ReadHowYouWant braille and DAISY pages are now fully accessible to visitors using screen readers, and their main site is scheduled to be fully accessible in the very near future."

Monday, August 17, 2009

The Aging of Aquarius - COLLOQUY

The Aging of Aquarius - COLLOQUY

Shared via AddThis

This is an excellent analysis of how to market to Boomers via loyalty programs, something that libraries need to do. It recommends marketing to them according to the market segments they are already in, rather than trying to shoehorn them into the blue-haired lady segment. The Boomer reader who reads Paul Krugman and Malcolm Gladwell is not going to suddenly develop a taste for romance novels. The Boomers are the biggest market for libraries and well worth hanging onto.

For us at ReadHowYouWant, I think the message may be that we should be marketing large print with slogans like, "I don't have time for tiny print," or "Take it to 16 point!"

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Technology Collaborative Launches Online Game to Exercise Brain Power of People with Multiple Sclerosis

Assistive Technology News

Libraries that are into gaming and into serving disabled patrons should look at making these brain games available on library public computers.

From the article:

"The MS Technology Collaborative has created a new way for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) to exercise their brain power. The Collaborative, an alliance of Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Microsoft, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, announced the launch of MyBrainGames, a free suite of online cognitive games for the MS community."

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Free Chapter Download Program by Humanware and ReadHowYouWant

Free Chapter Download Program

August 2009 20 New Titles Available

ReadHowYouWant logo

(a large print text only version is available at: http://www.humanware.ca/web/en/newsletter/51-t.htm )

Summer is a great time to enjoy reading while on your vacation or to be taken to another world while at home. We look forward to hearing feedback on the great stories that you're reading. August is another opportunity to try 20 new titles with http://www.readhowyouwant.com/humanware Free Chapter Download Program. We encourage you to explore the list below.

HumanWare, the leader in assistive technologies for people with print disabilities, and digital publishing innovator, ReadHowYouWant, are partnering to help individuals with reading disabilities and visually impairments discover the book reading device and the format that suits them best.

Please tell your friends, colleagues and the members of your teams that this exciting promotion will be going on for the rest of the year, and encourage them to visit http://www.readhowyouwant.com/humanware for a list of current titles as titles change monthly.

The titles selected for the month of July are:

Titles for Adults

Excuses Begone! by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence by Doris Pildington
And the Rat Laughed by Nava Semel
I Break for Meltdowns by Michelle Nicholasen and Barbara O’Neal
Brotherhood of the Rope by Bernadette McDonald
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra
Prompt and Utter Destruction by J. Samuel Walker
How to Talk with Your Doctor by Ronald L. Hoffman
You Don’t Have to Do it Alone by Richard H. Axelrod
In Search of the Blues by Marybeth Hamilton

Titles for Children and Young Adults

Scratch Kitten on the Pirate’s Shoulder by Jessica Green and Mitch Vane
Fighting Invisible Tigers by Earl Hipp
Kids With Courage by Barbara A. Lewis
Girls Who Rocked the World 2 by Michelle Roehm
The Adventures of Molly Whuppie by Anne Shelby
Bringing Up Parents by Alex J. Packer
Speak Up and Get Along by Scott Cooper
Will Jones’ Space Adventures and the Money Formula by Christine Thompson-Wells
Treading the Boards by Celeste Walters
What Teens Need to Succeed by Peter Benson, Judy Galbraith, and Pamela Espeland

People around the world are able to participate in this program, as well as purchase books on RHYW's website, www.readhowyouwant.com.

About HumanWare

HumanWare (www.humanware.com) is the global leader in assistive technologies for the print disabled. HumanWare provides products to people who are blind and have low vision and students with learning disabilities. HumanWare offers a full range of low vision products including the SmartView Xtend desktop video magnifier, the SmartView Pocket and Nano handheld electronic magnifiers, and the myReader2, HumanWare's unique "auto-reader". HumanWare's other innovative products include the BrailleNote, the leading productivity device for the blind in education, business and for personal use; the Victor Reader product line, the world's leading digital audiobook players, and the ClassMate Reader, the only portable book player to offer synchronised text and audio for individuals.

About ReadHowYouWant

ReadHowYouWant Pty Ltd and its R&D parent company, Accessible Publishing Systems Pty Ltd are both Sydney, Australia-based privately held companies founded in 2004 by electronic publishing pioneers Christopher Stephen and Greg Duncan. When Chris's sister, who suffers from MS, developed difficulty reading, they began experimenting to determine whether people with reading difficulties could benefit from changing the text format. After more than four years of testing, ReadHowYouWant has successfully developed award-winning conversion technology that reformats existing books into the widest selection of on-demand, alternative format editions on the market today. Each edition has been optimized for maximum readability. The company's goals are to make reading easier and more enjoyable by delivering formats that suit the reader and to give people with reading difficulties access to books in the formats of their choice-at an affordable price, and as soon as the book is published. For more information visit: www.readhowyouwant.com.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Hot List Marketing Program August/September 2009

Hot List Marketing Program August/September 2009

These titles are available at a 40% discount to libraries and bookstores (for resale) through 15 Sep 2009. Contact pstafford (at) readhowyouwant.com for pricing and to place orders.



Titles for Adults:





Excuses Begone! (Hay House) by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

* #1 New York Times Bestseller
* Dr. Wayne Dyer’s new PBS special airs in August and September
* Excuses Begone! featured on Oprah.com and Ellenshow.com
* “…deftly pinpoints the common excuses people utilize in rationalizing why they’ve failed to realize their dreams…” —suite101.com





The Cherry Ames Series (Springer Publishing) by Hellen Wells

* These titles have remained popular since their original publications between 1943 and 1968.
* “I was and still am a fan of Cherry Ames. Her courageous dedication to her patients; her exciting escapades; her thirst for knowledge; her intelligent application of her nursing skills; and the respect she achieved as a registered nurse (RN) all made it clear to me that I was going to follow in her footsteps and become a nurse—nothing else would do…Never once did I regret my decision to enter nursing.” —Harriet Schulman Forman, RN, EdD





Relative Danger (Poisoned Pen Press) by Charles Benoit

* “Benoit’s smashingly good, action-packed first novel…contrasts the modern features of North Africa and Asia with the remnants of their ancient pasts. Two murderous chases through urban and rural Egypt build to a resolution that remains well concealed until the final pages…” —Publishers Weekly
* “…Every element of this rollicking adventure shines, from its suspenseful, globetrotting plot to its nicely rounded characters…Readers will eagerly await more from the very talented Benoit.” —Booklist
* “A rip-roaring mystery novel that spans the globe. Benoit has written a colorful story of sultry babes, dangerous souks, imperial legacies, greed and murder. From Pottsville to Singapore, every page drips with realism and verve.” —John Robinson, author of The Sapphire Sea





Answers from the Heart (Parallax Press) by Thich Nhat Hanh

* “Thich Nhat Hanh shows us the connection between inner peace and peace on Earth.” —His Holiness the Dalai Lama
* “Anyone familiar with Thich Nhat Hanh’s writings will relish this book of questions and answers; it covers a lot of ground!” —Spirituality and Practice





Five Wishes (New World Library) by Gay Hendricks

* “With brilliance and clarity, Gay Hendricks shares his inspirational story from the heart. Five Wishes can help anyone find the power within to change their life.” —John Gray, PhD, author of Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus
* “It is time to make all your wishes come true. Gay Hendricks’s brilliant, easy-to-understand five questions will take you the distance to happy wish-fulfillment. I wish everyone would read, absorb, and apply the wisdom of this great and inspiring book.” —Mark Victor Hansen, coauthor of the Chicken for the Soul series
* “Five Wishes offers a timeless approach to living an authentic and fulfilling life.” —Body + Soul





Anxiety and Phobia Workbook 4th edition (New Harbinger Publications) by Edmund J. Bournes

* “A great resource for a holistic approach.” —Reid Wilson, author of Don’t Panic
* “Extremely well done.” —Christopher McCullough, author of Managing Your Anxiety
* “Any who’ve struggled with panic attacks and fears will find this packed with self-help exercises and guidelines to over coming anxiety and stress…” —Midwest Book Review
* “…this workbook offers a practical and comprehensive guide to anyone struggling to cope with the many-faceted manifestations of panic and anxiety.” —Child & Behavior Therapy





Investing for Dummies (Wiley) by Eric Tyson

* Over 40,000 copies sold
* Wall Street Journal bestseller
* Recommended by finance experts and used extensively by institutional investors, index funds, and exchange-traded funds





I Break for Meltdowns (DaCapo/Perseus) by Michelle Nicholasen and Barbara O’Neal

* “Show[s] parents how to intervene by providing language that is most often very sensible and would help parent in the middle of a crisis.” —LibraryJournal.com
* “Incredible resource…Like the What to Expect When You’re Expecting for the toddler years.” —Words To Mouth blog
* “This is a handy reference book to keep around.” —Mid-Ohio Valley Parent





And the Rat Laughed (Hybrid) by Nava Semel

* “…From genre to genre the story gains power, until in the end it emerges into the clear shadow less light, even though it was born in darkness. This is a disturbing, moving novel, which touches the soul.” —Ruth Almog, Haaretz
* “…this book, in my opinion, is one of the most interesting, strongest and most challenging books on the Holocaust to have been written by the second generation.” —Haya Hoffman, Yediot Aharonot





Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence (University of Queensland Press) by Doris Pilkington

* Brisbane City Councils One Book One Brisbane, Winner, 2003
* Adapted into a film starring Kenneth Branagh, 2002
* “This is a marvelous adventure story and thriller, celebrating courage and the resilience of the human heart.” —Phillip Noyce, Director, Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence the movie





Letters to a Young Therapist (Basic Books/Perseus) by Mary Pipher

* “…the rhythms of blather and breakthrough, resistance and revelation come through clearly…Her [Pipher] view of therapists as storytellers is borne out in direct, engaging prose and succinct observation…The well-known perils of the profession emerge freshly, but also its profound rewards.” —Publishers Weekly
* “A wise and compassionate book.” —Washington Post Book World





Getting Green Done (Public Affairs/Perseus) by Auden Schendler

* “…By challenging status quo thinking about sustainability and taking the point of view of the business executive and the worker in the field, Schendler offers a perspective that is refreshingly realistic and pragmatic.” —Publishers Weekly
* “A lot of people talk about climate change, but Auden Schendler combats it every day. He also makes the issue fun to read about. This is an amusing, anecdotal, as well as highly informative account of what can be done to help the environment in ways large and small.” —Walter Isaacson, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute, author of Einstein: His Life and Universe
* “Schendler frames his environmentally sound arguments in practical terms every business executive, home owner, and government official can relate to.” —Booklist
* “…a valuable tonic against the sophistry that saving the planet is as easy as a beach stroll.” —Boston Globe





The Universe Next Door (InterVarsity) by James Sire

* “A most magnificently useful book.” —E. M. Blaiklock, author of The Archaeology of the New Testament
* “If you are looking for an introductory exposition of prominent worldviews, I know of no better book.” —Nicholas Wolterstorff, author of Art in Action: Toward a Christian Aesthetic
* “To think intelligently today is to think worldviewishly, to come to terms with the mosaic of meaning systems which make up modern thinking. This book is a clear introduction and invaluable guide.” —Os Guinness, author of God in the Dark: The Assurance of Faith Beyond a Shadow of Doubt





Eat That Frog (Barrett-Koehler) by Brian Tracy

* Over 700,000 copies sold
* “Brian Tracy is one of the country’s leading authorities on the development of human potential and personal effectiveness. Tracy will lead you to more time and success.” —The Business Journal





Nutrient Timing: The Future of Sports Nutrition (Basic Health) by John Ivy and Robert Portman

* “Drs. Ivy and Portman take sports nutrition to a new level. A must read for the strength coach and athlete.” —Michael Stone, PhD, Head, Sports Physiology, U.S. Olympic Committee
* “…represents the next important nutrition concept in the 21st Century.” —William Kraemer, PhD, Professor, University of Connecticut







Titles for Children and Young Adults:





Fighting Invisible Tigers (Free Spirit) by Earl Hipp

* 210,000 books in print
* “Excellent reading for anyone working with teenagers.” —National Mental Health Association





Treading the Boards (Little Hare) by Celeste Walters

* “…a humorous novel…with lots of silliness and some twists and turns…a good fun read, likely to appeal to both boy and girl readers.” —Aussiereviews.com





Girls Who Rocked the World 2 (Beyond Words) by Michelle Roehm

* Inspiring stories from Harriet Tubman to Mia Hamm





Dogs Move Too! by Anthony Majewski

* Beach Book Festival Winner, Children’s Category
* Endorsed by Leader Dogs for the Blind
* New York Book Festival Awards Runner Up, Children’s Category





Jason Chen and the Time Banana (Interactive Publications) by Duncan Richardson

* “…a well-written and compelling Junior/YA novel likely to appeal to children, particularly boys, who like adventure and have an interest in history…” —Robyn Bavati, author of Getting Rid of Richard
* “…historical information used in the novel is accurate and adds realism. This novel would be an ideal gift for a 10 to 12 year old person.” —Royal Historical Society of Queensland newsletter

Selling Sex in a Recession: Erotica - 8/3/2009 - Publishers Weekly

Selling Sex in a Recession: Erotica - 8/3/2009 - Publishers Weekly: "But digital versions of erotica aren't the only new thing between the sheets. Cleis and Viva Editions has just formed a new partnership with ReadHowYouWant to release a number of titles in large print, Braille and DAISY—a digital talking book format targeting people with disabilities—later this year. “We are extremely excited to be able to provide erotica books to the visually impaired for the first time,” says Knight."

Nice mention of ReadHowYouWant in PW's article on erotica publishing. I don't think anyone else has ever published erotica in large print, braille and DAISY, so this should be another bold step toward giving visually impaired readers full access to all kinds of books.