[nabentre] More Action Needed to Ensure Funding for NLS Digital Conversion Program

[David Andrews]

From: McCarthy, Jim [
mailto:JMcCarthy at NFB.ORG] 

Sent: Friday, April 27, 2007 4:37 PM

To: undisclosed-recipients:

Subject: Action Needed: Urge Congress to Support the Talking Book Request

 
Fellow Federationists:
 
            I must bring you up-to-date on urgent issues regarding the Books
for the Blind Program of the National Library Service for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress and urge you to contact
your members of Congress.  A report from the General Accountability Office
(GAO) makes false or misleading assertions about the Library’s plan to
convert its recorded book collection to digital books and replace the tape
players with digital talking book machines.  Below you will find a letter from
Dr. Maurer, which he sent to state Presidents, and a fact sheet we
developed.  These documents explain the incorrect assertions of the GAO
report, and express the immediate need for Congress to fund the Library’s
conversion program.

            The Library of Congress budget request to fund the conversion
program is under consideration of the Legislative Branch Subcommittees of
the Appropriations Committees of the House and Senate.  Dr. Maurer’s letter
indicates the key members of those committees and how to contact them.  The
House Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch conducted a March 2007 hearing
in the Capitol which was well attended by Federationists.  The Senate
Legislative Branch Subcommittee will conduct its hearing to consider the
Library’s request on May 3rd, and we invite and expect Federationists on the
East Coast who can travel to Washington to come in impressive numbers.

Finally, there is an opportunity next week to present public testimony to
the Legislative Branch Subcommittee in the House which John Paré will do on
our behalf.
 
            In addition to the efforts described above, your help as a blind
individual is essential to assure the Library receives the critical funds
necessary to undertake the conversion of tapes to digital flash cartridges
and to provide blind people the new players that are required.  Please call
the member of Congress who represents your district, and the two senators
who represent your state.  Tell these members that you count on Talking
Books, describe their benefit to you, and explain that without the support
of Congress this critical program could be lost.

            As is always the case, Congress has many difficult decisions to
make when developing the federal budget.  Programs that do not receive
public support are easy to cut or even to eliminate.  The Books for the
Blind Program is too important to us to permit it to face cuts during the
conversion.  Therefore, contacting your members of Congress is extremely
essential.  Remember that the Capitol switchboard can be reached at area
code (202) 224-3121 or 225-3121.  Also, if you are not sure of your
Congressional Representative, you can learn this from the House of
Representatives’ Web site at  <
http://www.house.gov/> 
www.house.gov
, but
note that you need your zip code, plus the 4-digit extension.  To acquire
your 4-digit extension, consult the United States Post Office site found at

<http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp>
http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp
, which provides the extension once you
enter your full address including the basic five-digit zip code.

            The Talking Book Program may be the most universally esteemed
program that serves blind people.  Let Congress know just how important it
is to you as an individual.  I appreciate the usual hard work and dedication

I have come to expect of you as members of the National Federation of the
Blind.
 
Most cordially,

James D. McCarthy
Director of Governmental Affairs
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
 
 
 
April 19, 2007
 
SENT VIA E-MAIL
 
TO THE STATE PRESIDENTS OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
 
Dear Colleagues:
 
For the past several years we have been hearing from the Library of Congress
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped about the
development of the new Digital Talking Book.  The plan has been for Digital
Talking Book machines to become available in 2008.  The NLS program has been
creating digital books which can be distributed for use with the Digital
Talking Book machines that will become available next year.  Although some
people have urged that this program be accelerated, the NLS program has
pursued the development of this alteration so that flash memory technology
could be used.  Part of the reason for the schedule that has been adopted is
that the cost of flash memory technology has been very high until recently.

By the time Digital Talking Books are to be issued to library patrons, the
cost of providing reading matter on flash memory cards will be within
reasonable limits and cost-effective.  

In accordance with this long anticipated transition to Digital Talking Book
technology, the NLS program is now seeking an appropriation to fund the
first year of this transition.  Cassette machines are no longer being
manufactured, and the parts for cassette machines will become obsolete
within the next few years.  Consequently, it is urgent that the change to
the new Digital Talking Book format be made.  Unless funding for the new
program is included in appropriations this year, the program cannot be put
in place next year.  Some individual members of Congress have been raising
questions about the need for this change, the wisdom of the NLS personnel in
developing the new format, or alternatives that may be available for reading
digital books in the commercial marketplace.  
 
I have met with officials of the NLS program to talk about the Digital
Talking Book development for at least the last five years.  I have examined
the documentation from the library dealing with the Digital Talking Book
development.  I have discussed with NLS officials and others the needs of
the program, and I have been unable to learn of any reasonable alternative
to the Digital Talking Book format being proposed.  Some people have
suggested the use of CD technology, but knowledgeable technologists indicate
that CD technology is nearing the end of its innovative cycle.  By giving
you all of this background, I am letting you know that somebody appears to
want to stop the transformation of talking books to the new digital format.

I urge all of you to get information to the members of the subcommittees in
the House of Representatives and Senate to tell them how much this program
is needed.  The subcommittees dealing with this matter are the House
Legislative Branch subcommittee and the Senate Legislative Branch
appropriations subcommittee.  The chairperson of the subcommittee in the
House of Representatives is Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, and the chairperson of
the subcommittee in the Senate is Mary Landrieu.  These subcommittees are
part of the appropriations committee both in the House of Representatives
and the Senate.  The chairperson for the Appropriations committee (a
democrat) is David Obey and the ranking republican (minority party) is Jerry
Lewis.  The chairperson in the Senate (a democrat) is Robert Byrd and the
ranking republican (the minority party) is Thad Cochran.  I urge you to
write to your Representatives and to your Senators telling them that the
appropriation for the Digital Talking Book program and the National Library
Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped is vitally important to the
blind of the nation.  I urge you to send copies of your letters to the
chairpersons of these committees.  I urge you to get these letters to the
members of Congress by e-mail or fax.  Mail delivered by the postal service
is always held up these days because the postal service scans all mail for
foreign substances.  The members of the subcommittees for the House of
Representatives and the Senate are listed here along with contact
information.  This action is urgently needed now.  Please let me know if you
get either positive or negative responses from members of Congress.  
 
Cordially,
Marc Maurer, President
National Federation of the Blind
 
MM/kw

Attachment

 
Please either fax your letters or call the office of the Senator or
Representative to find out how best to transmit, and to whom to address,
your correspondence.

Senate Committee on Appropriations:
Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-WV), Chair
311 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax (202) 228-0002
Phone (202) 224-3954 
 
Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS), Ranking Minority Member
113 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax (202) 224-9450
Phone (202) 224-5054
 
 
For the Senate Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch:
 
Sen. Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA), Chair
724 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax (202) 224-9735
Phone (202) 224-5824 
 
Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-IL)
309 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax (202) 228-0400
Phone (202) 224-2152
 
Sen. E. Benjamin Nelson (D-NE)
720 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax (202) 228-0012
Phone (202) 224-6551 
 
Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO), Ranking Minority Member
521 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax (202) 224-6471
Phone (202) 224-5941

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
455 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax (202) 228-3398
Phone (202) 224-4944
 
For the House Committee on Appropriations:
 
Rep. David R. Obey (D-WI), Chair
2314 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-3240
Phone (202) 225-3365 
 
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA), Ranking Minority Member
2112 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-6498
Phone (202) 225-5861
 
For the House Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch:
 
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Chair
118 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-8456
Phone (202) 225-7931
 
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)
2444 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-9817
Phone (202) 225-2661
 
Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM)
1410 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 226-1331
Phone (202) 225-6190 
 
Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA)
1713 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-2699
Phone (202) 225-2631 
  
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)
1714 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-1968
Phone (202) 225-6631 
 
Rep. C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD)
1730 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-3094
Phone (202) 225-3061
 
Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN), Ranking Minority Member
1436 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-3494
Phone (202) 225-3271
 
Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL)
1424 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-9249
Phone (202) 225-6201
 
Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-CA)
2410 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-5444
Phone (202) 225-2511 
 

Fact Sheet 
 
SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF TALKING BOOKS
FOR THE BLIND AND PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED
 
 
Purpose:  

To provide full funding for conversion of antiquated audio playback
technology to state-of-the-art digital media.  
 
Background:  

In 1931 Congress passed the Pratt-Smoot Act, which authorized the
distribution of books to blind and physically handicapped persons in the
United States through what is now known as the National Library Service for
the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress (NLS).
Talking books began to be produced in 1934 and were originally recorded on
phonograph records; cassette books were produced beginning in 1971.  Today,
recorded books and the equipment to play them are distributed through a
network of cooperating libraries throughout the country.  Books on all
subjects and representing all literary genres, as well as a selection of
popular magazines, are available to NLS patrons.  From its inception, the
Talking Books program has utilized the most cost-effective technology that
is accessible by its users and protects the rights of copyright holders.

The conversion to digital media now planned by NLS will be only the third
change in media that talking books have undergone in seventy-three years.  

Problem:  

Currently, the service uses analog cassette tapes that are now obsolete and
must be replaced.

Solution:

The antiquated cassette tape technology must be replaced in phases by
state-of-the-art digital technology.  Since 1990, NLS has been working on a
plan to transition from analog to the most appropriate digital technology.
NLS realized that cassette tapes would become obsolete, and a new medium for
delivery of talking books would be needed that would last for at least a
generation.  For this reason, NLS began a deliberate, detailed, and rigorous
process to identify the form that talking books would take in the
twenty-first century.  NLS considered all potential digital technologies for
the delivery of talking books and conducted extensive user testing to ensure
that patrons of all ages and degrees of technological prowess, including
elderly and newly blind individuals who constitute the largest segment of
the NLS user population, could operate the new equipment to play the books.

Wisely, the service looked beyond the audio CD, which is now nearing the end
of its cycle of innovation.  In addition to its limited life cycle, CD
players have moving parts, which means that they would require considerably
more maintenance than other technologies, thereby increasing the cost.
Flash memory, which was a new technology at the time NLS began the process
of designing the next generation of talking books and players, is now
ubiquitous and inexpensive, has more storage capacity than CDs, and has no
moving parts.  

Recently, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has criticized NLS for
failing to consider whether off-the-shelf iPod or CD technology might be used to distribute and play talking books as a cost-saving measure.  While
there are commercial audio players that rely on flash memory, these devices
are not designed with blind persons in mind; none of them can be used
independently by a blind person because they feature screens and complex
visual menus to issue commands.  Moreover, commercial audio devices
typically have tiny controls that cannot be manipulated by someone with a
physical handicap.  By contrast, the digital talking book players that have
been especially designed for the NLS program for its blind and physically
handicapped readers have large, tactually distinct controls, audio menus,
and other features that allow them to be operated easily by all NLS patrons.

In addition, the specially designed flash memory cartridges that contain the
talking books are able to hold a Braille label identifying the book’s title
and can be easily manipulated by persons with dexterity problems, unlike the
tiny memory cards used in commercial audio players.  Finally, digital files
containing NLS talking books are encrypted so as to make them unplayable by
commercial devices in order to comply with the legal requirement that
talking books be distributed in a specialized format to protect copyrights.

 
Need for Congressional Action:  

The Legislative Branch Appropriations request from NLS for fiscal year 2008
seeks $19.1 million, in addition to the service’s normal budget of $55.7
million, to begin the conversion to digital technology.  An additional $19.1
million will be required in each of the subsequent three fiscal years to
complete the conversion.  Congress should fully fund the NLS request so that
the conversion to digital technology for the talking book program can
proceed as planned.  
 
Conclusion:

The service provided by NLS is invaluable to hundreds of thousands of blind
Americans—it is our only library, our only bookstore, our only magazine
stand.  The current analog cassette players are no longer available and
therefore must be replaced in order for the talking book program to remain
viable.  All of the GAO concerns are either unfounded or have been addressed
by NLS.  NLS has kept blind Americans fully informed over the past decade
about the development of the Digital Talking Book and has tested the
usability of the new talking books and players with groups of patrons across
the nation.  Fully funding the conversion to digital talking book technology
is the highest priority of blind Americans for the 110th Congress, as this
conversion must be accomplished in order for the talking book program to
continue.