Lori Bell has been selected as Project Director to oversee revision of the 2011 Revised Standards and Guidelines

Lori Bell has been selected as Project Director to oversee revision of the 2011 Revised Standards and Guidelines of Service for the Library of Congress Network of Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

As project director, Bell will work with a team of professionals to revise the 2011 Revised Standards and Guidelines of Service for the Library of Congress Network of Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. This most recent revision will take into consideration a number of significant changes in the operation of network libraries and in the development and use of new technologies that have occurred since the standards were last revised.

Bell has worked in and with libraries and library-related organizations for 30 years. The majority of her experience is in talking books and services to people with disabilities. Currently, she is contracting as the Special Projects Coordinator at South Central Library Regional Council in New York.

A decorated award recipient and honoree, Bell has also worked closely with several NLS regional and sub-regional libraries to plan, launch, operate and improve a downloadable digital audio book project called Unabridged. In addition, she has been involved in numerous collaborations, such as the pilot project, “Question Point” to offer virtual reference to the visually impaired population and “Project Healthy” where there were online programs using Talking Communities web conferencing software, making speakers on health issues available for seniors.

The revision project is being administered through the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) thanks to a grant from the Library of Congress/National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (LC/NLS).

ASCLA, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), is a diverse organization of librarians and support staff who work in academic and public libraries, state agencies, specialized libraries and multi-type cooperatives, as well as those who are self-employed. Not an ASCLA member, but interested in discounted registration rates on conference, ASCLA preconferences and other ASCLA events? Join, renew or add ASCLA to your ALA membership at www.ala.org/membership.