We have story videos in BSL!

We’ve recently created a series of five short videos which each have me (Tanya) reading a picture book and then singing a nursery rhyme with a BSL (British Sign Language) interpreter beside me signing along and subtitles at the bottom.  These videos are for people to be able to share the joy of picture books with their children – whether they or their children are D/deaf* or hearing.

The videos are all held on the Falkirk Libraries You Tube channel

Why?                    One of the things I (Tanya) love most is to read picture books to children.  They respond with so much excitement and happiness to the fun stories and gorgeous pictures that are found there.  I’ve been reading picture books at Bantaskin Primary in Falkirk for some time now and I’ve been lucky enough to have some wonderful BSL (British Sign Language)using teachers and support staff from Windsor Park School for the Deaf to interpret for me when I’m reading picture books in class to pupils who use BSL.  It works really well – everyone in class can enjoy it (hearing and D /deaf) and experience the fun and excitement of books.

As part of my work in Falkirk Libraries, I think up ideas for videos and podcasts that can help to share a flavour of what our library service does.  We want people to know that we have beautiful, exciting books; fun storytimes, author visits and other events; friendly, knowledgeable, enthusiastic staff; and a huge desire to share the joy of books and libraries to as many people as possible.  I want everyone to feel welcome into our libraries, and I want everyone to feel that we have something for them.

So, I started thinking about how story reading with a BSL interpreter worked for both hearing and D/deaf children.  Then I thought about the fact that many D / deaf  children can have either D/deaf or hearing parents and that many D/deaf parents can have either D/deaf or hearing children.   I want parents and children who are D/deaf to feel welcome in the library and I want to share the joy of picture books with everyone.  We’ve had events in the past where Deaf parents of hearing children have come along to Bookbug sessions and we’ve employed a BSL interpreter to come along too – but these times are few and far between and have been instigated by the parent asking us if it was possible – we want to tell as many people as possible that we’re here for everyone.

How?                    We contacted the publishers of some of our favourite picture books and asked if we could record their books with BSL interpreting and put them on YouTube.  Some publishers have not got back to us yet, but lovely Little Door Books and Piccadilly Press said yes.  We also spoke with our colleagues at Falkirk Council’s Social Work Department who were happy to pay for a BSL interpreter for the project.  So, we had a selection of books that we sent to our interpreter, Linda Mackenzie, along with some songs and rhymes.  Linda came along to Bonnybridge Library for the recording and talked with us about which rhymes and picture books would and wouldn’t work – we did have a picture book that Floris publishers had kindly said we could use, but Linda felt it would be a very difficult one to sign along with, so we left it and focused on easier to use books for our first try.  We recorded me reading and Linda signing, then Naomi (our library video guru) played back the video for Linda to check that the signing was at the right speed, we re-recorded a couple of books as the reading and signing had got out of synch.  Finally, Naomi edited the videos and added in subtitles and pictures from the books, as well as information about us and the books.

What next?                                        We’re going to tell as many people as possible, to share our love for books far and wide.  Hopefully, we can produce some more BSL picture book videos in the next few months.  Let us know what you think and, if you like them, then please, share the videos as widely as you can

*I’ll use the term D / deaf as it is preferred by many people.  This is a great explanation of Deaf / deaf from SignHealth:

“The word deaf is used to describe or identify anyone who has a severe hearing problem. Sometimes it’s used to refer to people who are severely hard of hearing too.

We use Deaf with a capital D to refer to people who have been deaf all their lives, or since before they started to learn to talk. They are pre-lingually deaf.

It’s an important distinction, because Deaf people tend to communicate in sign language as their first language. For most Deaf people English is a second language, and understanding complicated messages in English can be a problem.

There is a very strong and close Deaf community with its own culture and sense of identity, based on a shared language.”

Inspiring Women – Podcast 36

Hello and welcome to the Falkirk Libraries podcast with Tanya and Vikki. You can find the books mentioned here on our library catalogue, if you want to request them.

Today’s episode is all inspiring women

What we have been reading and listening to:

Tanya has been reading and listening to:

  • The colour of Bee Larkham’s murder,  Sarah J Harris
  • Recipes for love and murder, Sally Andrew
  • Welcome to Nightvale podcast

Vikki has been reading:

  • The Librarian – Salley Vickers
  • Last Rituals, Yrsa Sigurdardottir

New and forthcoming adult books:

  • Scent of Death. Simon Beckett
  • Identity Crisis, Ben Elton
  • The Garden of Lost and Found , Harriet Evans
  • A Time of Blood , John Gwynne
  • The Swap, Fiona Mitchell

New and forthcoming children’s titles:

  • I’m not Grumpy Steve Smallman,  Illustrator Caroline  Pedler  (0-5)
  • The Naughtiest Unicorn,  Pip Bird (5-7)
  • Robin the First and Teen Titans Go … Fish, Amy Wolfram (Author), Sholly Fisch (Author), Jorge Corona (Illustrator), Chris Gugliotti (Illustrator) (7-9)
  • Head Kid, David Baddiel , Illustrator Steven Lenton (9-11)
  • A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Holly Jackson (Teen)

DVD recommendations:

  • Bohemian  Rhapsody (12)
  • Johnny English Strikes Again (PG)

Our Reading Agony this week: ‘We would like to add an animal addition to our family can you help?’  Below are a few suggested titles

  • 21 days to the perfect cat: the friendly boot camp for your imperfect pet, Kim Houston
  • 21 days to the perfect dog: the friendly boot camp for your imperfect pet, Karen Wild
  • The complete book of pets and pet care : the essential family reference guide to pet breeds and pet care, David Alderton
  • The ultimate encyclopaedia of caged and aviary birds : a practical family reference guide to keeping pet birds, with expert advice on buying, understanding, breeding and exhibiting birds, David Alderton
  • Complete puppy and dog care : what every dog owner needs to know, Bruce Fogle

If all of this puts you off we do have an alternative – cheaper and less stressful

  • Knit your own Pet, Sally Muir

Staff quote of the day “Are you a Lizard?”

Our Discussion was all about inspiring women and their achievements – Among our selection we’ve chosen a few potted female history and biography collections, as well as books by inspirational women. Hopefully they will be a jumping off point for reading more detailed historical titles or biographies.

  • Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai
  • Where are the women? A guise to an imagined Scotland, Sara Sheridan (published May 2019)
  • Wild Women,  Mariella Fostrup
  • A History of Britain in 21 Women, Jenni Murray
  • Bloody Brilliant Women: The Pioneers, Revolutionaries and Geniuses Your History Teacher Forgot to Mention, Cathy Newman
  • Yes She can –Why Women Own the Future, Ruth Davidson
  • A Woman’s shed: spaces for women to create, write, make, grow, think and escape,  Gill Heriz
  • Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History , Vashti Harrison
  • The Skills: From First Job to Dream Job – What Every Woman Needs to Know, Mishal Husain
  • So here I am Speeches: Speeches by great women to empower and inspire, Anna Russell
  • Equal Power: Gender Equality and How to Achieve It, Jo Swinson
  • Everywoman,  Jess Phillips
  • A History of the World in 21 Women,  Jenni Murray

Did You Know? Theory Test Pro (on library Pcs or online) – Theory Test Pro is a highly realistic online simulation of the UK’s driving theory tests for all vehicle categories.

  • It contains all the official test questions licensed from the DVSA, the people who set the tests.
  • Unlimited access to all the official questions from the DVSA in the same format as the official test
  • Includes online version of Highway Code
  • Realistic hazard perception video simulations
  • Access to test banks for car, motorcycle, passenger carry vehicle and heavy goods vehicle categories
  • Machine translation into over 40 different languages
  • Speech-enabled tests so you can listen to questions

Simply create an online account, entering your library card number, and off you go!

This is our last podcast before a 6 week break. We begin our new, refreshed season 3 on 15th May.

 But keep an eye on our blog for new posts and feel free to go back and listen to some of our older episodes.

Thank you for listening to the Library Love podcast, we hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and if you did, then join us on rate and review us on Apple so that more people can find out about us.  We love to hear from you and if you’d like to get in touch with us, or if you’ve got a Reader Agony of your very own then go to www.librarylovefalkirk.com, Falkirk Libraries on Facebook or @LibFalkirk on Twitter