[gui-talk] Fwd: IMPROVED ACCESS TO DIGITAL DOWNLOAD BOOKS FOR BLIND AND LOW VISION U.S. CITIZENS

[Steve Pattison]

 From:    David Andrews dandrews at visi.com
 To:      dtb-talk at nfbnet.org

IMPROVED ACCESS TO DIGITAL DOWNLOAD BOOKS FOR BLIND AND LOW VISION 
U.S. CITIZENS

[This announcement is displayed in text only for accessibility with 
Braille Notetakers. A web version is available at:
http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/about_us/press_releases/2009_press_releases/improved_access_to_digital_download_books]

Longueuil, May 25, 2009

On April 30, the National Library for the Blind and Physically 
Handicapped (NLS), a division of the Library of Congress in the 
United States, entered the first phase of its transition to a digital
playback system, as well as releasing an upgraded version of
its pilot download website. Beginning with the testing of 5,000 digital
players by NLS patrons in their homes, NLS is preparing to launch
full-scale production and distribution of 26,000 machines per
month this year, ensuring continued access to reading materials for 
more than 500,000 registered users.

New to the NLS program is a state of the art online component, called 
the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) site. This new site for 
blind and physically handicapped patrons of NLS now provides better than
ever access to digital audiobooks and magazines. The BARD digital books and 
magazines are in the ANSI/NISO Z39.86 2002 format, the specification for
navigable digital talking books. Readers may press buttons on the NLS digital
talking-book player and compatible players to jump from chapter to chapter,
section to section or page to page. This ability to quickly navigate the book
structure, combined with the high-quality human recording, make the new
digital NLS download books one of the most significant advancements in
the provision of talking books for blind and low vision people.

"The high quality navigable digital books from the new NLS BARD 
service represent a major advancement in access to books, magazines, 
and electronic braille for Americans who are unable to read print due to
blindness, low vision, or physical disability", says Gilles Pepin, CEO of
HumanWare. 

"With BARD, NLS brings its library into the home of its patrons. Not only
do NLS patrons now have access to thousands of digital books but they
can find their book of interest and download it in minutes independently
and from the comfort of their home computer."

HumanWare manufactures the popular Victor Reader Stream, a DAISY NISO 
compatible digital talking-book player designed in collaboration with the
National Federation of the Blind (NFB), which several thousand NLS patrons 
already use to play the new digital NISO books. The NLS digital books on
the BARD site are protected by encryption and compatible digital book
players must be authorized by NLS for eligible patrons to play the books.

The ability to press buttons on the Victor Reader Stream to easily 
jump between chapters, pages, or magazine articles, like the NLS 
digital talking-book player, provides a rich audiobook reading experience
never before experienced by audiocassette readers. For reference books
such as cookery books the user can even enter a page number from the
table of contents on the Stream telephone-style number pad and the
playback will move immediately to that page. With the NLS player,
Victor Reader Stream, and the NLS BARD books, users now have
immediate access to thousands of books and can navigate them 
just like they would navigate the equivalent print book's structure.

The new BARD download audiobook and magazine service is available 
free of charge to eligible blind and physically handicapped individuals in
the US. and to citizens living abroad, who have access to a computer and 
high-speed Internet connection, and who have a free NLS digital 
talking-book player or own an authorized compatible digital
talking-book player such as HumanWare's Victor Reader Stream.
To learn more about the new BARD service visit
https://nlsbard.loc.gov/

About HumanWare

HumanWare is the global leader in assistive technologies for vision, 
including products for the blind and visually impaired. HumanWare's 
products include BrailleNote, the leading productivity device for blind
people in education, in business and in their personal lives; the Victor
Reader product line, the world's leading digital talking book players;
and myReader2, the new version of HumanWare's unique
"auto-reader" for people with low vision. For more information visit
www.humanware.com

David Andrews and white cane Harry.

Regards Steve
Email:  srp at internode.on.net
MSN Messenger:  internetuser383 at hotmail.com
Skype:  steve1963