[Colorado-talk] Fw: URGENT: Bookshare Needs Your Help

[Everett Gavel]

URGENT: Bookshare Needs Your HelpFYI,
Everett

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Bookshare 
Sent: Friday, May 24, 2013 5:52 PM
Subject: URGENT: Bookshare Needs Your Help

It's not typical for us to send you an email like this, but we felt
this situation was so important it was necessary.

You may already be aware, but for years negotiations have been moving
forward on what many have come to call the "Treaty for the Blind -
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Benetech/39440e0084/a20469086a/8c6ac19ad5 ." The goal of the international treaty is to make it possible for
people who are blind, or have other print disabilities such as
dyslexia, to get access to the books they need for education,
employment and inclusion in society--no matter where they live. It's
something we already do, with great success, in the United States
through Bookshare.

However, private interests are trying to alter the treaty in such a
way that it would become useless--even harmful. For example, they're
trying to get language adopted that basically says: "if you can buy
it, you can't borrow it." This is not only an attack on people around
the world with print disabilities--it's also an attack on libraries,
like Bookshare, and could have a drastic effect on the number of
books you have access to.

Our biggest worry is this becoming a treaty that could stop Bookshare
from serving our users in the United States the way we do today.  We
need our government negotiating for a treaty that supports a library
like Bookshare.

That's why we're working with a coalition of disability and library
groups, including the National Federation of the Blind and the
American Council of the Blind, to fight back against the proposed
changes by these private interests. We'll do everything we can to
secure a treaty that both protects the access we have now and that
will benefit people with print disabilities around the world--but we
need your help.

We're asking you to take a moment to sign a petition on the White
House's website that urges the President to step up his support:  -
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Benetech/39440e0084/a20469086a/4e4438ce56. If we can get to 100,000 signatures, the White House is required to
respond to the petition and will, hopefully, take positive action.
With your help we know we can reach that number.  We also recommend
the petition -
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Benetech/39440e0084/a20469086a/f43c9aab46/sid=2&reset=1  at the National Federation of the Blind's site, which is
particularly accessible.

Thank you for your time and support. Together, we believe that our
collective voice can make a real impact.

If you're interested in more background on the treaty, here are some
articles and resources you can review:   

Huffington Post piece by Jim on how the treaty is being poisoned by
private interests:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Benetech/39440e0084/a20469086a/3f5de5c34d   

WIRED Magazine article that gives some recent updates on the treaty:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Benetech/39440e0084/a20469086a/7e58bb06a5

Sincerely,
Jim Fruchterman & Betsy Beaumon, Bookshare

P.S. Please post the link to the White House petition on your social
media to help spread the word and get your friends involved! Again,
here is the link:  -
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Benetech/39440e0084/a20469086a/af6f03126e.

Note: this advocacy effort by Benetech, the nonprofit organization
that operates Bookshare, has not been supported or endorsed by
Bookshare funders, including the U.S. Department of Education.

______________________________________________________________________
Click to view this email in a browser
http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/266797/39440e0084/1400081337/a20469086a/

If you no longer wish to receive these emails, please reply to this
message with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line or simply click on the
following link: 

http://cts.vresp.com/u?39440e0084/a20469086a/mlpftw

______________________________________________________________________
Benetech sent this email free of charge using VerticalResponse for
Non-Profits. Non-Profits email free. You email affordably.


Benetech
480 S. California Ave., Suite 201
Palo Alto, California 94306
US


Read the VerticalResponse marketing policy: 
http://www.verticalresponse.com/content/pm_policy.html