[nfb-talk] The Talking Book Digital Program:

[Kenneth Chrane]

This is off topic, but of importance to those of us who are patrons of NLS.

Deborah

Marc Maurer, President
> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
> 1800 Johnson Street
> Baltimore, Maryland 21230
> Phone: 410-659-9314
> Fax: 410-685-5653
> officeofthepresident at nfb.org
> www.nfb.org
> 
> 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
> 
> 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
>