[bksvol-discuss] Re: FW: Google
- From: "Roger Loran Bailey" <rogerbailey81@xxxxxxx>
- To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2008 13:36:31 -0500
It sounds like Bookshare, the NLS and RFB&D may be about to become obsolete.
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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