Talking Newspapers in West Texas

West Texas Recording Library opens telephone reader

by Kathleen ThurberMidland Reporter-Telegram

http://mywesttexas.com/articles/2008/06/19/news/top_stories/west_texas_recording_library.txt
Published: Thursday, June 19, 2008 3:21 AM CDT
-Program allows visually impaired to hear current events

[Clients call in and give a listen to their newspaper]

"Today is Thursday June 19. Beep.

Press one for the Midland Reporter-Telegram,

two for grocery store ads,

four for Texas Monthly. Beep.

Press 10 for front page, 11 for local news, 12 for state news. Beep.

With the touch of just a few buttons visually impaired citizens throughout the Permian Basin will now be able to call in and soak up local news, advertisements and other information they may have been missing by only having accessibility to audio news reports. The Recording Library of West Texas opened a new phone line this week where locals can hear recordings of the Reporter-Telegram each day as well as grocery store ads, Texas Monthly articles and any requested newsletters, said its Executive Director Trish Speight. The Odessa American and a variety of national news articles also will be added to the line shortly.

Pulpwood Queens Book Club

If the phrase "Pulpwood Queens Book Club"

is news to you, be informed that it's a runaway sawmill of East Texas (and now world wide) women who read books and talk. One of my Jefferson-native mother's book recommendations was Hershey's "Hiroshima." Apparently the women folks there read with a voracious criticism, and speak up in public about it. Seems it all got started in a beauty parlor; wouldn't you know it. And you though "Steel Magnolias" was the highpoint of that cultural nexus!

http://www.pulpwoodqueen.com/