[bksvol-discuss] Re: FW: Google
- From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2008 13:53:27 -0500 (EST)
> It sounds like Bookshare, the NLS and RFB&D may be about to become
> obsolete.
Much as I love NLS and Bookshare, I would be glad if that were so. But
I'm not holding my breath.
Tracy
>
> On Mon, Nov 3, 2008 at 12:32 PM, Tracy Carcione <carcione@xxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>> I have pasted below a press release from the National Federation of the
>> Blind, which has a lot to say about this change in Google. I hope it's
>> right, and we will have much greater access. I've sometimes looked up a
>> page in a book I'm validating, but haven't really been able to read it.
>>
>>
>> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>>
>>
>>
>> CONTACT:
>> Chris Danielsen
>>
>> Public Relations Specialist
>>
>> National Federation of the Blind
>>
>> (410) 659-9314, extension 2330
>> (410) 262-1281 (cell)
>>
>> cdanielsen@xxxxxxx
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Google Settlement with Authors, Publishers
>> Will Have Positive Results for the Blind
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Terms of Proposed Settlement Agreement
>> Will Revolutionize Blind People's Access to Books
>>
>> Baltimore, Maryland (October 31, 2008): The National Federation of
>> the Blind, the nation's leading advocate for access to information by
>> the blind, announced today that the recent settlement between Google
>> and authors and publishers over the Google Books project, if approved
>> by the courts, will have a profound and positive impact on the
>> ability of blind people to access the printed word. The terms of the
>> settlement that was reached on October 28, among Google, the Authors
>> Guild, and the Association of American Publishers, on behalf of a
>> broad class of authors and publishers, allow Google to provide the
>> material it offers users "in a manner that accommodates users with
>> print disabilities so that such users have a substantially similar
>> user experience as users without print disabilities." A user with a
>> print disability under the agreement is one who is "unable to read or
>> use standard printed material due to blindness, visual disability,
>> physical limitations, organic dysfunction, or dyslexia." Blind
>> people, like other members of the public, will be able to search the
>> texts of books in the Google Books database online; purchase some
>> books in an accessible format; or access accessible books at
>> libraries and other entities that have an institutional subscription
>> to the Google Books database. Once the court approves the
>> settlement, Google will work to launch these services as quickly as
>> possible.
>>
>>
>>
>> Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind,
>> said: "Access to the printed word has historically been one of the
>> greatest challenges faced by the blind. The agreement between Google
>> and authors and publishers will revolutionize access to books for
>> blind Americans.
>>
>>
>>
>> Blind people will be able to search for books through the Google
>> Books interface and purchase, borrow, or read at a public library any
>> of the books that are available to the general public in a format
>> that is compatible with text enlargement software, text-to-speech
>> screen access software, and refreshable Braille devices. With 7
>> million books already available in the Google Books collection and
>> many more to come, this agreement means that blind people will have
>> more access to print books than we have ever had in human
>> history. The blind, just like the sighted, will have a world of
>> education, information, and entertainment literally at our
>> fingertips. The National Federation of the Blind commends the
>> parties to this agreement for their commitment to full and equal
>> access to information by the blind."
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "Among the most monumental aspects of the settlement agreement," said
>> Jack Bernard, assistant general counsel at the University of
>> Michigan, "are the terms that enable Google and libraries to make
>> works accessible to people who have print disabilities. This
>> unprecedented opportunity to access the printed word will make it
>> possible for blind people to engage independently with our rich
>> written culture. Moreover, it is refreshing to find accessibility
>> for people with disabilities explicitly included upfront, rather than
>> begrudgingly added as an afterthought."
>>
>>
>>
>> "One of the great promises of the settlement agreement is improving
>> access to books for the blind and for those with print disabilities,"
>> said Dan Clancy, engineering director for Google Book
>> Search. "Google is committed to extending all of the services
>> available under the agreement to the blind and print disability
>> community, making it easier to access these books through screen
>> enlargement, reader, and Braille display technologies."
>>
>>
>>
>>
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