[bookshare-discuss] Re: Fw: New Chapter For Blind In Bid To End 'Book Famine'
- From: Cindy <popularplace@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 12:19:45 -0800 (PST)
Interesting article. Obviously, the best solution
would be for world governments and the U.S. government
to allow access to bookshare for everyone (smile)
(unfortunately, that wouldn't help people who don't
read English -- and I don't think we have many
Spanish-languge books eiher, do we?). Maybe Benetech
could organize a World conference to discuss the
issue.
Cindy
--- Louise <lougou@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
> > Newsletter.co.uk (Northern Ireland)
> > Wednesday, November 17, 2004
> >
> > New Chapter For Blind In Bid To End 'Book Famine'
> >
> > By Lesley Walsh
> >
> > There's nothing like losing yourself in a good
> book but, for people like
> Henry Mayne, that simple pleasure can be very hard
> to come by.
> >
> > Losing his sight at 17, the Belfast man said the
> lack of accessible
> reading material for people with visual impairments
> makes nipping out to the
> local bookstore for the latest best-seller
> impossible.
> >
> > The plight of many like him has led the Royal
> National Institute for the
> Blind (RNIB) to highlight awareness about the "book
> famine" for
> partially-sighted and blind people.
> >
> > >From its Northern Ireland headquarters in
> Linenhall Street, Belfast, the
> charity launched its Right to Read Week and the
> publication of a new report,
> Written Off, which reveals only five per cent of
> books ever become available
> in a format accessible to the blind and
> partially-sighted.
> >
> > The Government is pouring billions of pounds into
> literacy initiatives
> across the UK but people with sight problems are
> being forgotten, the report
> claims.
> >
> > It also revealed that an audio book can cost more
> than £50 to buy, while
> the equivalent paperback copy can cost less than
> £10.
> >
> > David Mann, author of the report, said: " People
> with sight problems are
> able to read and want to read but face a book famine
> which the Government
> has consistently failed to address."
> >
> > Describing his own difficulties, Henry said:
> "Whether you are a dedicated
> bookworm; browse the pages of a waiting room
> magazine; depend on books for
> study or work-related tasks, or simply read the
> headlines of the daily
> papers, being able to access the printed word is
> something most people take
> for granted.
> >
> > "I became acutely aware of the enormous difficulty
> accessing the printed
> word while studying for a new career and a
> university degree. "If the
> Government is serious about life-long learning and
> tackling social exclusion
> they must acknowledge the right to read is a right
> for all and establish a
> fund so that more books in different formats can be
> produced."
> >
> > He also backed the RNIB's call for a Government
> task force to draw up a
> plan to tackle the "unacceptable discrimination"
> faced by millions in the
> UK.
> >
> > Travel broadcaster and writer Michael Palin
> recently recorded and released
> his latest book Himalaya as an RNIB Talking Book a
> month before the printed
> version and is believed to be the only author so far
> to have done so.
> >
> > * People can support the campaign at
> www.rnib.org.uk/righttoread.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > http://www.newsletter.co.uk/story/16567
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
The all-new My Yahoo! - Get yours free!
http://my.yahoo.com
Other related posts:
