[access-uk] Re: Charity for blind hits out at Bromley council (From News Shopper)
- From: "Janet Tuggey" <janet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:43:26 -0000
Janet & Wheat, the silly Shepherd cross
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Clive.Lever@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: 12 January 2011 10:33
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Charity for blind hits out at Bromley council (From
News Shopper)
Hello,
here in Kent we have a system whereby you can borrow audio books on line.
More and more, we are likely to find services being provided online only,
rather than in offices. It is in our interest therefore, to ensure we keep
local authorities on their toes:
1. By doing all we can to ensure the online book borrowing service is both
accessible and usable. One problem I've had with ours is that you can put
six books in your shopping basket, but you have to proceed to the check-out
within 30 minutes or you lose the books. However, every time you put a book
into the basket, you waste a lot of time navigating around the system from
almost the start of the process, to find your next book. Without the skip
navigation buttons, and having to "drill down" through too many pages per
book, you don't get a lot of real value out of your 45 minutes worth. It's
like having to get from London to Manchester in three hours, when sighted
people can go straight there, but users of speech and keyboard are sent via
Cornwall on a slow train that stops at every lamp-post.
2. We need to ensure that the computer systems in our libraries are both
accessible and usable for those who don't have internet access at home. Once
again you have 30 minutes per session, but may not be able to do anywhere
near all the things that a sighted person could do in that time. Also, we
need to make sure that the computers they introduce are not solely
touch-screen-based.
It's cheaper to provide services online, essentially courteous, efficient
self-service, than to keep open loads of premises and employ loads of
customer services staff, so the push towards digital by default may lead to
more and more closures of smaller, traditional libraries...and other
services too. I think we need to keep our wits about us to make sure that
technology and websites are accessible. I don't know how you would get on
going to a library where the access technology is HAL/Supernova and you are
a Jaws user, for example. In theory, you could then go to a jobcentre and
find either nothing at all, or WindowEyes. In order to access all online
services through public access terminals, would we need to know our way
around all speech access software, not just our preferred speech? Some
libraries are reluctant to put speech onto all their terminals for reasons
of confidentiality, and for fear that lots of speakers babbling different
texts would disrupt other users. The words Phones and head spring to mind.
Best,
Clive
Best,
Clive
Clive Lever
Diversity Advisor
01622 221163 (extension 7000 1163) Room 1.15, Sessions House, County Hall,
Maidstone, ME14 1XQ.
Diversity is a strength and we will value and harness difference for the
benefit of all service users, the individual and KCC.
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Ron Sears
Sent: 12 January 2011 09:21
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Charity for blind hits out at Bromley council (From
News Shopper)
I don't know what it is like in your areas but here in Oxford the libraries
are closing and we will only have the Central and one in the suburbs left so
that resource will be gone.
Ron
----- Original Message -----
From: "Damon Rose" <damon.rose@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 9:14 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Charity for blind hits out at Bromley council (From
News Shopper)
Joe public does get free books, Ibrahim. That's the root of the anger and
disappointment mentioned here. There is an amazing library system out there
which most visually impaired people can't access or take anything like full
advantage of.
Do you pay council tax? If so, you're paying for lots of people to be able
to access libraries except yourself. Many feel that there is an important
education, cultural knowledge and leisure time issue at stake here. Why
should blind people have to pay twice for library services? They're amongst
the poorest people in Britain.
And you should note that not everyone can afford 70 pounds or at least it
would easily slip down the priority list of a lot of people because it's a
not inconsiderable sum.
Do councils understand the impact that this will bring?
My grandma, who died a year ago, had gone blind in the last ten years of her
life. She spent most of her last ten years plugged into a talking book. Her
life revolved around them. I have since learnt that this is very much the
case for a lot of elderly blind people.
So, education, tax, cultural learning, leisure, self development all aside,
talking books are a lifeline to many, quite literally. I'd argue it was a
big part of what kept my grandma alive and happy.
It's inevitable that talking book itself will lose money as a result of
this.
Lots of blind people won't be prepared to pay. This means that those who do
pay will find themselves with a lesser service in the long run as less books
will be recorded. If indeed the service is sustainable. Seems a shame this
is happening after RNIB's big talking book fundraising and adverrtising push
at the end of last year.
...Damon
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Ibrahim Gucukoglu
Sent: 12 January 2011 07:56
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Charity for blind hits out at Bromley council (From
News Shopper)
Hi.
I totally agree here. I cant see what all the fuss is about. Never at any
time in my life as far as I can remember have I ever had talking books paid
for by my local council or charity, be it public or private. Talking books
as supplied by the RNIB is only £69 per year, a significant subsidy when you
consider they loan you a player and potentially dozens of books per year.
If you want to read, you should be prepared to pay for it as reading is not
a human right and even if it were, the council in most boroughs provide
their own library services with books on cd, cassette and even playaway as
is the case in Peterborough where I live.
The fact that some blind people are either too lazy or just plane ignorant
of these services is no excuse not to ask them, for all they have to do is
get off their asses or pick up the phone and ask. In an age where most
young blind people and even a large majority of the middle aged and elderly
have access to technology of some sort or othe r or know people who have
access to said technology, the information about service provision in your
local borough is readily available online and details of how to access these
services is often posted in libraries and town halls.
For heaven sake, wake up everyone, smell the roses and start putting your
hand in your pocket and paying for things you want or that you feel you
need. Joe public doesn't get free books, so why the heck should we.
All the best, Ibrahim.
----- Original Message -----
From: David <mailto:n.weston42@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 7:36 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Charity for blind hits out at Bromley council (From
News Shopper)
Hi,
I would like to say that for that the last forty years or more I have had to
pay for my equipment and also for my talking books. So far as I can see
their is no change for me, or is Hertfordshire unique?
David Weston.
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Gordon Keen
Sent: 11 January 2011 09:38
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Charity for blind hits out at Bromley council (From
News
Shopper)
Here we go then, the big society - my arse!
Site Logo<http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/resources/images/1000734/>
Charity for blind hits out at Bromley council
1:18pm Monday 10th January 2011
By David Mills
A CHARITY which represents the blind and visually impaired has hit out at
Bromley Council <http://www.bromley.gov.uk/Default.bromley> for temporarily
suspending equipment provision.
Services which include the talking books, as well as equipment such as
walking canes and liquid level indicators, are all under review by the
council.
Kent Association for the Blind (KAB), which has a sight centre in Blyth
Road, Bromley, will be pressuring the council to continue providing funding.
Dick Groves, aged 65, of South View, Bromley, said: "Visual impairment is
the most feared of all sensory impairments. Provision in Bromley is
extremely patchy."
Mr Groves, who is blind, said: "This is a classic example of the way in
which action has been taken without consultation and without information
being given to one of the weakest sections of society and least able to
respond."
Kent Association for the Blind's Bromley
branch<http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/resources/images/1536532/>
A KAB spokesman said: "We are currently in contact with our service users to
explain the service has been temporarily suspended by the London borough of
Bromley.
"We are sharing other providers of these services such as the Calibre audio
library, a completely free service, to ensure users are not going to go
without talking books.
"We at KAB are going to be making representations to the council to press
the case that it would be more cost effective to continue to fund provision
because we believe withdrawing that service represents a real risk to
people's safety and their ability to get out and about.
"The costs that could be generated by injury would far outweigh the cost to
the council of providing equipment."
A council spokesman said: "We have a strong commitment to providing talking
books in our libraries with no plans to cut the service and we will continue
to make special concessions to waive charges to people with a registered
visual impairment.
"We have however moved from cassettes to CDs and downloadable material over
the years but we still keep a large collection of older cassettes in our
Home Library Service, which supports customers who are physically unable to
get into a branch.
"There are also free national talking book service and as well as our
library service we will be assisting people to access the talking books from
the national Calibre service together with the equipment provided by the
British Wireless for the Blind Fund.
"To make sure we make the best use of our resource we wanted to avoid
duplication and whilst we no longer fund the KAB talking books service, KAB
is pointing people to our library and to these free services.
"In terms of equipment supplied by the KAB on our behalf such as portable
lamps, talking clocks and mobility aids, again we want to make sure we use
resources as efficiently as possible and have suspended this KAB while we
carry out a review.
"However we do continue to fund KAB to provide assessment and rehabilitation
services for people with visual impairments."
Back <javascript:history.go(-1);>
© Copyright 2001-2011 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.newsshopper.co.uk
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain personal
views which are not the views of the BBC unless specifically stated.
If you have received it in error, please delete it from your system.
Do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way nor act in reliance
on it and notify the sender immediately.
Please note that the BBC monitors e-mails sent or received.
Further communication will signify your consent to this.
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
Other related posts:
