[nfb-talk] Let's Keep The Books Talking:

[David Evans]

Dear Hope,

The problem is the federal funding to make the changeover happen.
The GAO has presented a uninformed and careless report about the changeover 
and is pushing CD's as the medium instead of flash memory cards.
CD's are already on the way out as a technology and the players can not take 
the kind of handling by clients.
Flash Memory is far better for long term use, but the GAO can't seem to see 
this.
Therefore, the federal funding for the new machines and the  flash card may 
not get funded unless, we the blind speak up.
The NLS has been studying this situation for several years and has asked for 
and received the feedback from the Blind Community on this subject.
We all just need to contact our Senators and Congressmen to support the NLS 
budget in the format they have planned.
Remember, 69% of all Blind people are over age 65 years and that number will 
rise to about 74% in less than 10 years.
These folks are not as tech savvy as some of us young whippersnappers.
The machines must be engineered for the largest user group not the most 
technologically knowledgeable.

David Evans, NFBF
Nuclear/Aerospace Materials Engineer
Builder of the Lunar Rovers and the F-117-A Stealth Fighter

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Hope Hein" <hmhein at verizon.net>
To: <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 03, 2007 2:58 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Let's Keep The Books Talking:


> Why can't they allow people to download books on to their Notetaker's and 
> computers digitally? They could have an authorization key or a password 
> and statement like Bookshare has to ensure that only the intended 
> recipient is able to access the material? For people who do not use 
> computers they could have a player. The books could be in the plastic 
> containers which would fit into the players.
>
> I do not understand what the fuss is about. I thought NLS was in the 
> process of creating these players and that they would be created by 2008. 
> I do not remember where I read the creation of these players. What is 
> happening? Have they decided not to create the players?
> Hope
> -----Original Message-----
> .From: "Kenneth Chrane"<kenneth.chrane at verizon.net>
> .Sent: 6/3/07 5:26:32 AM
> .To: "kenneth at myfreedombox.com"<kenneth at myfreedombox.com>, 
> "pmsinc at juno.com"<pmsinc at juno.com>
> .Cc: "Multiple recipients of NFBnet NFB-Talk Mailing 
> List"<NFB-Talk at nfbnet.org>, 
> "CSDB-ALUMNI at googlegroups.com"<CSDB-ALUMNI at googlegroups.com>, 
> "peeps-talk at yahoogroups.com"<peeps-talk at yahoogroups.com>
> .Subject: [nfb-talk] Let's Keep The Books Talking:
> .
> .Name: Kenneth Chrane
> .Your email address - a copy will be sent here: 
> kenneth.chrane at verizon.net -
> .Reply
> .Phone: (410) 486-1569 Baltimore, Maryland USA
> .
> .Editorial:
> .
> .
> .The Washington Post
> .
> .Wednesday, May 30, 2007
> .
> .Page A12
> .
> .Keep the Books Talking
> .
> .Congress should fund the digitization of a vital audio library for the
> .blind.
> .
> .A half-million Americans stand in danger of losing their public library.
> .They are the nation's blind, and their library is Talking Books, through
> .which
> .the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of 
> the
> .Library of Congress (NLS) provides 500,000 Americans with free audio
> .recordings
> .of about as many books. Unlike the "books on tape" that are sold at 
> retail
> .bookstores, these recordings are unabridged, extensive and diverse -- and
> .are
> .designed for people who have no other way of reading print.
> .
> .Unfortunately, today's Talking Books technology is ready to meet its 
> maker.
> .The program currently uses half-speed audiotapes that patrons listen to 
> on
> .special
> .devices. These tape players, like the Talking Books record players that
> .preceded them, are obsolete, and are no longer even being manufactured. 
> To
> .bring
> .the program into the 21st century, the NLS hopes to digitize its entire
> .library and create new players. It has spent 17 years researching, 
> building
> .and
> .testing new products, and it is ready to manufacture a fully accessible
> .flash-drive player. The Library of Congress has asked Congress to
> .appropriate about
> .$76.4 million to produce the players and digitize thousands more books.
> .
> .A forthcoming Government Accountability Office report, however, may 
> derail
> .the NLS's plans. In a draft version of the report completed several weeks
> .ago,
> .the GAO faulted the NLS for not considering existing commercial products
> .such as CD players and iPods instead of creating a new device. This 
> sounds
> .like
> .a reasonable concern, given tales of exorbitant government spending on 
> $792
> .doormats and $400 hammers. But creating special, noncommercial players is
> .crucial
> .to the continued existence of Talking Books. Commercially available
> .products, which often use visual screens and are not labeled in Braille, 
> are
> .not accessible
> .to the visually impaired. More important, to comply with U.S. copyright 
> law,
> .Talking Books can record and distribute only audio books that cannot be
> .played
> .by commercial devices.
> .
> .Should the GAO keep this misguided criticism in its final report, 
> lawmakers
> .should not be swayed by it. Instead, Congress should fully fund Talking
> .Books'
> .digital upgrade, a project that will grant many disabled Americans the 
> same
> .literary access afforded to the sighted.
> .
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