News
This page will keep you up to date on Calibre's news and other news that will interest members.
Read older news items in our News archive.
Last updated 2 September 2010
Important note for Boombox users
All future Calibre books produced on USB memory sticks will bookmark from the exact point the book is left, instead of the beginning of the track as was formerly the case.
We are adding a new file to USB memory stick books from 2nd September onwards. This is because newer versions of the Boombox were not bookmarking as a result of changes made by the manufacturers. Other than enabling bookmarking, this file will have no impact on your enjoyment of Calibre books and does not affect correct playing or bookmarking on other devices such as Graff players.
Warning - Calibre E-Books site
Please note that the USA-based site http://calibre-ebook.com/ offering a software management application for e-books has no connection with Calibre Audio Library. The American site offers an option to donate in US Dollars. If you would like to donate online to Calibre Audio Library then the link you need is www.justgiving.com/calibre
Shop online with Calibre!
Calibre's Christmas cards are now available and, for the first time, you can now buy them online. As well as Christmas cards, we also have some all-purpose cards and gifts. As always, you can also buy cards and gifts by post or by phone. See the online shop for details. When you buy cards and gifts from us, you are helping to fund our service.
Team Calibre raises £400
A team of eight Calibre staff and volunteers completed the Red Kite Ramble through the Chilterns on Sunday 27 June - the hottest day of the year! The team looked very smart in t-shirts kindly sponsored by fresh printers. Their sweltering walk raised over £400 - enough to record a new book for the library. The photo shows (back row left to right) David Pipkin, Linda Adams, Christine Ronaldson and Jill Hambelton while David Coles, Liz Clarke, Linda Rutter and Sharon Quinlan make up the front row.
Mayor supports Darlington Reading Group
Councillor Jim Ruck recently visited the local Calibre book group in his capacity as Mayor of Darlington. Darlington's Crown Street Library hosts this book group for visually impaired people where members meet monthly. The group members listen to the same book using the multiple copies supplied by Calibre. The meetings provide an opportunity for enjoyable discussions and exchanges of views.
Councillor Stella Robson, who is visually impaired herself and a former Mayor, is a long-standing member of the reading group. "We are drawn together by our love of reading. The library supports us really well by telling us what books have had good reviews or have been enjoyed by other people. Thanks to Calibre we always have a good choice of books and they make sure we have enough copies," said Councillor Robson.
Councillor Ruck was so impressed with the service that he arranged a donation of £100 to Calibre from Darlington Borough Council.
Sunshine and smiles at Calibre awards party
Our annual party for volunteers and staff on Thursday 24 June recognised some very special achievements. Dorothy Turner, Janet Cox and Jean Reeve (shown here with Director Mike Lewington) each received certificates congratulating them on 15 years voluntary service. Kim Corbin, who is employed in our Membership Services team, was presented with a 30 year award.
115 members of the Calibre team enjoyed hearing about Calibre's achievements over the last year in a speech from Chairman, Martin Findlay.
Love story raises £145
When James and Zoe from Walthamstow got married they asked their wedding guests to donate to their favourite charities instead of sending gifts - and Calibre received £145.
The happy couple said "We are lucky enough to have good jobs, a nice house filled with lots of lovely things and pretty much everything we need. So instead of having a wedding list we asked guests to donate to charity." Donors described it as "a great, lovely, fab, brilliant idea".
They used the JustGiving.com website to create personalised web pages where people could donate online.
James said "Ever since I was a child I have loved listening to books from Calibre. My visual impairment makes reading difficult and tiring. But for many people it is impossible. They are denied the enjoyment of reading as well as the learning experiences that go with it. Calibre's recordings address the problem. That's why we chose to support it.
Like other Calibre members I still find it exciting to find out which title has come through the door. It means we can read so much more than we otherwise would."
We send our warm congratulations to James and Zoe and grateful thanks for their wonderful generosity.
New licence will help members with dyslexia
Calibre members with dyslexia will soon be able to read any book in the library thanks to new regulations that remove previous copyright restrictions. The Copyright Licensing Agency has launched a new 'Print Disability Licence' which allows organisations like us to lend audio books to people with 'print disabilities', including not just people with impaired sight but also people with dyslexia.
This is a great achievement by the Right to Read Alliance working with colleagues in the Copyright Licensing Agency and the Accessibility Action Group of the Publishers Association.
Mike Lewington, Vice Chair of the Right to Read Alliance and Director of Calibre Audio Library, welcomes the new licence:
"We are delighted that we can now give the same quality of service to people with print impairments and those with sight problems. When the 2002 Copyright Act came in, it created an uneven playing field because there were books in our library which we couldn't lend to dyslexic members. It was difficult for us but far worse for them. Now at last everyone is equal."
Read the full story and background here.
See below for more achievements from the Right to Read Alliance.
Falling for Calibre
An Oxfordshire pensioner, Ronald Moore, recently raised over £500 for Calibre in memory of his late wife, Mary, by doing his first sky-dive. Mary had been a great Calibre fan after she lost her sight: "She was in a world of her own when she listened to her audio books," Mr Moore said. Now 76, Mr Moore used to do low-level parachute drops but Mary had vetoed sky-diving. You can read more about this lovely tribute to Mary's memory here.
A first for Calibre
Calibre is supporting the first UK reading group for visually impaired young people. The group was set up by Sunderland City Council's Library Services and Sandhill View School in Sunderland to enable young visually impaired children to enjoy the same books as their friends. Calibre provides the books on CD to each member of the group so they can meet to discuss it.
The four boys and two girls in the group are aged between 11 and 15 and the first book they discussed was The Dare Game by Jacqueline Wilson. They plan to meet once a month and are setting up a reading list that includes sport and ghost stories; classic novels such as Black Beauty and authors such as Stephanie Myers, Philip Pullman, Charles Dickens and C S Lewis.
Calibre's Director, Mike Lewington, welcomed the initiative. "I hope that other authorities will be encouraged to set up reading groups for young people with impaired sight or dyslexia. With support from Calibre, they can enjoy books together, which is a great way to broaden their experience and make new friends."
For more detail, see Sunderland's press release.
Yahoo discussion group for Calibre members
One of our members has set up an email discussion group about Calibre. It enables Calibre members and other interested people to discuss the books they are reading and everything to do with Calibre's services.
To subscribe to the list send a blank email to:
CALIBREBooks-subscribe@yahoogroups.co.uk