Perkins Library

01/11/2026

Several interpretations from sighted observers (as well as AI) of iconic photo portraits depicting blind New Yorkers reveal cultural biases linking blindness with suffering. But, these biases prevent fuller stories from being told. Read more: https://bit.ly/4pyrA6w

Pictures of anonymous blind folk by Paul Strand, Walker Evans, and Jacob Riis get at the medium's existential contradictions.

01/10/2026

We've made our love of guide dogs known, but have you ever heard of a guide donkey?! 🫏 Raif Kurt, a blind 82-year-old in Turkey, travels independently thanks to his trusted guide, Magare. Read more: https://bit.ly/3KXFxfK

Despite losing his eyesight at a young age, 82-year-old Raif Kurt, who lives in Manisa, continues to lead an independent life by traveling alone on a...

01/09/2026

Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a bandage-like device that will allow users to "feel" textures, directional cues, and more on touchscreens that don't normally offer such tactile experiences. Read more: https://bit.ly/4rqgQZY

The soft, stretchable VoxeLite developed by Professors J. Edward Colgate and Michael Peshkin wraps around a fingertip to let users feel the digital world.

01/08/2026

01/07/2026

For our next "Pages to Popcorn" books-turned-movies club, we will be reading the Boston-based thriller, Mystic River (DB 51758) by bestselling author Dennis Lehane, and watching the 2003 film adaptation starring Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon. Join the film viewing and discussion:

🗓️ Tuesday, January 27, 2026
🕙 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
📍 Perkins Library Tele-Fun Zoom room

Register for Pages to Popcorn to receive the books quarterly on digital cartridge by contacting Gina Russo at 617-972-7683 or Gina.Russo@Perkins.org.

01/06/2026

Check out Book Riot's 2025 most popular books in public libraries! 📚 Read more:

What were the most popular books checked out in US libraries in 2025? Here are the top fiction and nonfiction titles across 40 libraries.

01/05/2026

Glaucoma can cause reduced peripheral vision commonly described as “tunnel vision." This occurs from the damaging of a nerve in the back of the eye called the optic nerve. 👁

Plenty of talented and accomplished people live and have lived with glaucoma, including:

🎹 Musician, Ray Charles
🎭 Actor and comedian, Whoopi Goldberg
🎸 Musician, Bono
🎤 Operatic tenor, Andrea Bocelli
🏅 Olympian and Paralympian, Assunta Legnante ply

It is important to look out for the first symptom, which is loss of side (peripheral) vision, especially if you are over age 60 or are African American or Hispanic/Latino and over age 40. Like and share this post to help spread the word!

01/04/2026

Today is and it should come as no surprise that we love ! Do you know how braille works?

1️⃣ A braille cell consists of six dots, each with a designated number.

2️⃣ Letter a is just dot 1, letter b is dots 1 and 2, and c is dots 1 and 4.

3️⃣ Adding dot #3 to letters a through j forms letters k through t.

4️⃣ Adding dot #6 to letters k, l, m, n, and o forms letters u, v, x, y, and z. But, what about w?

5️⃣ The French language did not use w when Louis Braille first invented the code. It was added later, but it does not follow the same pattern as other letters.

6️⃣ Dot #6 before a letter capitalizes it. Example: Lowercase p becomes capital P

7️⃣ Dots #3, #4, #5, and #6 at the start of a sequence indicate that the symbols are numbers. Example: abj becomes 120

Learn more about braille!: https://bit.ly/3Sk4and

01/03/2026

Happy 2026! 🥂 To help kick off your 2026 reading goals, we're bringing you a special New Years Recommended Reads list inspired by one of the most popular best-selling authors in the world, Danielle Steel. https://bit.ly/48LYbQU

This December, share more festive moments with the young readers in your life with these holiday-themed recommended reads.

01/02/2026

Leap into alternate worlds on this National Science Fiction Day with our imaginative recommendations, all available in accessible formats! 🚀

📗 The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton
Available in audio

📗 All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall
Available in audio

📗 Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
Available in audio and braille

📗 The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami
Available in audio

📗 Two Truths and a Lie by Cory O’Brien
Available in audio

📗 Luminous by Silvia Park
Available in audio

Reach out to get started!: https://bit.ly/4d4iwjK

01/01/2026

We wish all patrons and members of our Perkins family a happy and healthy new year! 🎆 May you hit all of your reading goals in 2026! 🥂

Did you know that in braille, a special numeric indicator (highlighted in yellow) turns directly following letters into numbers? So, for 2026, the braille "b" become 2, "j" becomes 0, and "f" becomes 6!

12/31/2025

The results are in! Perkins Library's most popular genres in 2025 were... THRILLERS and SUSPENSE! 🫣 In fact, six of the top ten most popular books were fall into those categories!

📕 The Argument: A Gripping Psychological Thriller with An Incredible Twist by Victoria Jenkins
Available in audio

📕 Strangers in Time: A World War II Novel by David Baldacci
Available in audio and large print

📕 The First Gentleman: A Thriller by Bill Clinton and James Patterson
Available in audio and large print

📕 The Writer: A Thriller by James Patterson and J.D. Barker
Available in audio and large print

📕 Guilty: A Gripping Psychological Thriller That Will Have You Hooked by Laura Elliot
Available in audio

📕 Judgment Prey by John Sandford
Available in audio, braille, and large print

Did you read any of these books this year? Let us know why you can't get enough of the high stakes and moody atmospheres this year's top genre has to offer!