PDF Reader for Visually Impaired
By Alicia Waters | July 11, 2013
Press Release from SNABLIND
The Swiss National Association of and for the Blind (SNAB) in collaboration with the Access for All foundation and the service provider xyMedia, has developed the VIP PDF-Reader. The VIP (visually impaired people) PDF-Reader filters the text out of a PDF file and presents it in a user-friendly interface. The text is always fitted to the size of the window. The reader is available to download free of charge from the SNAB website.
Topics: Accessibility, News & Info, Resources | No Comments »
June 2013 Bestsellers List
By Alicia Waters | July 11, 2013
The June 2013 Bestsellers List has been posted. The bestseller list compiled monthly by NLS combines information taken from the bestseller lists of the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and the Washington Post.
Bestsellers are included in the report when they appear on one of the above bestseller lists for a month or more.
Once a title appears in the report with an NLS number, it will not appear on future reports.
The acronyms used for newspapers and book clubs in the NLS bestseller report are:
Code Source
LAT Los Angeles Times
NYT New York Times
WP Washington Post
Topics: Books to Read | No Comments »
Public Forums on Disability Needs
By Alicia Waters | July 8, 2013
The Governor’s Commission on Disabilities wants to notify people with disabilities about the open forums that are scheduled around the state during the week of July 22nd to 25th. The forums are an opportunity to tell the state government of your needs and desires. Hopefully, the schedule will be linked to this blog posting in the next day or two. So stay tuned. For more information, contact Bob Cooper, Executive Secretary for the Governor’s Commissin on Disabilities at 401-462-0102 via RI Relay 711.
Topics: General, News & Info, Programs | No Comments »
Landmark Treaty for Visually-Impaired Persons
By Alicia Waters | July 2, 2013
Landmark Treaty for Visually-Impaired Persons
In a press release, the Institute of Museum and Library Services wrote:
June 28 – The World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) Diplomatic Conference for Visually Impaired Persons concluded today in Marrakesh, Morocco with a signing ceremony for the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) joined a United States interagency delegation in negotiating this historic multilateral treaty that will oblige all nations to establish copyright exceptions for people with print disabilities. Equally importantly, it will increase the international exchange of accessible-format copies of published works. This will be of particular interest to Americans seeking access to published works in a variety of languages.
Read the complete press release at http://www.imls.gov/landmark_treaty_for_visually-impaired_persons.aspx
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Reader’s Digest
By Alicia Waters | June 26, 2013
According to an American Printing House (APH) spokesperson, APH is conducting a test pilot to consider a digital version of Reader’s Digest. In the meantime, Reader’s Digest continues to be produced in cassette format that is playable on the NLS 4 track cassette player. Stay tuned for more information in the Fall 2013.
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New Hours for Talking Books Plus
By Alicia Waters | June 25, 2013
As of July 8, 2013, the Talking Books Plus library will be open for direct service between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm. According to the Department of Administration management, these hours are changing to be inline with Rhode Island government hours.
Talking Books Plus staff is commited to providing the best service possible. Email and postal mail requests and phone messages even those left after hours will be responded to as usual as soon as possible.
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Member Survey Deadline Extended
By Alicia Waters | June 25, 2013
The Talking Books Plus Member Survey was sent to subscriber of the Talking Times newsletter. If you are a member of Talking Books Plus/ BARD or you help someone use the service, please answer this short survey online or call 574-9310 to answer the survey by phone. Talking Books Plus values your feedback. Deadline to respond is Sunday, July 7th.
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Slow Mail Delivery
By Alicia Waters | June 25, 2013
Talking Books Plus is aware that members are experiencing slow delivery or nondelivery of talking books. National Library Services for the Blind and Physically Handicapped has stated that this is a national problem. Please be patient as we work on the issue. In the meantime, what we recommend for our Talking Books Plus members is that they use BARD (Braille Audio Reading Download) service as much as possible to get the books they want. Go to BARD for instructions to sign up. Call us at 401-574-9310 if you need assistance or suggestions on how to gain access to downloadable books. You don’t need to own a computer. You just need someone who will help you.
Topics: Digital Update, News & Info | No Comments »
Treaty for the Blind
By Alicia Waters | June 24, 2013
The WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) Treaty for the Blind is aimed at ensuring that millions of blind and vision-impaired people can get books in accessible formats like audio, Braille and large print. There are differences between advocates for the blind and the Motion Picture Association of America. The agreement would allow books to be distributed internationally. Advocates for the blind want to extend the kind of rights afforded by U.S. law which allows books to be converted to accessible formats without seeking permission from copyright holders.
Taken from an article written by Kimberly Kindy, Published: June 22 online in the Washinton Post.
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Saving Downloaded Files
By Alicia Waters | June 21, 2013
For those Talking Books Plus members who have applied for BARD, the Braille Audio Reading Download service, here’s a way to save the unzipped download files. When a Bard user wants to organize the downloaded files and/or wants to easily retrieve the files, unzip each title in its own folder. Give the folders a name you can remember. Use the book number or book title as the folder name, for example. This makes it easier to find the specific titles you want to delete from the cartridge.
Organization of the files in folders doesn’t matter if the BARD member wants to delete all the titles on the cartridge at one time. Some members like to read all of the titles on the cartridge and then delete them at one time before downloading new titles, for example. These members don’t need to organize the files in individual folders.
Topics: Digital Update, News & Info | No Comments »
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