International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Native Louisvillian Norbert L. Blume (1922-2011) speaks about his career in labor and Kentucky politics. Topics include: became aware of prejudice in WWII in the service; getting involved with the labor movement and became a leader of the Teamsters; his work in the Kentucky General Assembly from 1963 to 1968; running for Congress in 1964 and 1966; being Speaker of the House in the Kentucky General Assembly; introducing and passing of public accommodations legislation (the "Blume Bill") and a student-led hunger strike in its support; Democratic party involvement and campaigns; activities of the Kentucky Civil Liberties Union, of which he was a founder; work on a Kentucky Equal Rights Amendment; and his colleagues in labor and civil rights work.

Waunda Cox talks about her work as a tactile graphics tooler, braille transcriber and copyholder at the American Printing House for the Blind. She discusses new technology used in braille and tactile graphics production, including the use of computers and the PEARL (Plate Embossing Apparatus for Raised Lines), and use of the carousel table in colating. She also describes breaktime in the APH cafeteria, and the 1988 Teamsters Union strike.

Mary Crawford talks about her work as a press operator in braille and large type production at the American Printing House fror the Blind, the machinery and changes in processes, and her work in the company's ATIC (Accessible Textbooks) Department, where she operated Braillos and binding equipment for textbook production until her retirement in 2006. She also describes the use of the PEARL machine for production tactile graphics, and of the TED (Text Embossing Device) and PED (Plate Embossing Device). Crawford also recounts her experiences as a Teamsters Union member during the strike of 1988.

Betty Hardin, retired APH Tape Duplication Supervisor, talks about her work at the American Printing House for the Blind. She describes manufacturing processes for Talking Book production from 1967, when she started working at APH, until 2004, the year of her retirement. She describes hard record pressing, tape duplication of both open-reel and cassette tapes (2-track and 4-track), mastering, and cassette labeling. She also mentions the APH softball team and bowling league of the 1970s and briefly discusses the Teamsters Union.

Jim Hill talks about the American Printing House for the Blind, where he began working in 1962. He describes the Housekeeping, Security, and Slate Departments, which he supervises, and describes in detail the making of braille slates. Also mentioned are the cafeteria and breakroom facilities and the Teamsters Union.

Albert Jarboe, retired APH employee, talks about his work experiences at the American Printing House for the Blind. Hired in 1958, Jarboe worked primarily in Talking Book production, where he set up and ran record presses. Mention is made of a Banbury mixer. He also set up other machinery for Maintenance and worked in the company's Machine Shop. In 1981, APH negotiated its first Teamsters Union contract. Jarboe talks briefly about the effect of the union at the company.

Carole Jones talks about her work as a braille proofreader at the American Printing House for the Blind. She was hired at APH in 1977 and retired in 1993. She proofread materials in Nemeth Code, as well as other braille materials. She describes teamwork with copyholders; using a VersaBraille in proofreading; the advent of computers in APH braille production; breaktimes and the APH cafeteria, which was managed by Sam and Adam Begley; the effect of the Teamsters Union at APH, and participation in the union strike in January 1988.

Gary Jones, who retired from the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) in 2004, talks about working as a proofreader in the company's Talking Book Studio and as a worker in the Quality Control Department, where he checked recorded materials, as well as braille writers that had been repaired. He also talks about the APH cafeteria and its first managers, Sam and Adam Begley; about the changes that occurred at the company with unionization in 1981; and about changes in technology that affected his job. He also discusses integration at the Kentucky School for the Blind (KSB) when he was a student there during the 1950s and mentions Otis Eads, an African American band teacher at the school.

Irene Moore, retired APH press operator, talks about her work at the American Printing House for the Blind. From 1966 until her retirement in 1992, Moore worked primarily with large type presses. She also describes using a clamshell press in braille production. Mention is also made of the APH bowling league and of the Teamsters Union strike in 1988.

June Morris, retired APH Executive Vice President, talks about her work at the American Printing House for the Blind. She describes the Educational Research Department, which she directed, its organization and some of the department's research and product development projects, including "learning through listening" materials (which led to the development of specially designed cassettte player recorders), adaptations of scholastic achievement tests, development of low vision evaluation and training materials, voice indexing for World Book Encyclopedia and other recorded reference materials as part of the Aural Study System project, the Sensory Stimulation Kit for multi-handicapped children, and software development for computer use -- including Studio Recorder. Morris also discusses the creation of the Central Catalog database (later known as APH CARL and then, LOUIS) and of the APH Model Shop. Also mentioned are Teamsters Union negotiations and introduction of the every-other-Friday off schedule for APH union members.