[nfbwatlk] Closure of Web Braille?

[Mike Freeman]

Hello, all.

I don't have much information. I strongly suspect, however, that the 
issue which caused such a precipitate shutdown of web braille does 
involve the potential to back-translate documents. You and I know that 
this is unlikely given the availability (and, yes, scanability) of texts 
from other sources. But this may not be a matter of rationality; I 
suspect that this may not be all NLS's doing and that it felt its hand 
was forced. I have noted much wailing and gnashing of teeth on other 
lists. I feel this is premature. Until we know the exact nature of the 
problem, we cannot propose rational solutions to it. And NLS officials 
may not be in a position yet to say much; remember that NLS is a branch 
of the Library of Congress.

Publishers are touchy enough right now about potential copyright 
infringement that we don't need more fuel poured on the fire. And, 
unfortunately, I know of a few instances (fortunately, several years in 
the past) when web braille use criteria *were* violated. Such violations 
don't help our cause.

I share everyone's concerns. But it is my view that a plethora of angry 
email won't help the situation much. I am certain that our leadership is 
involved in feretting out the reality behind the appearance and that 
some solution will be forthcoming shortly. If nothing else, my name is 
Durward K. McDaniel if a question isn't asked of Mr. Cylcke at the 
convention about this! <g>

Mike Freeman

On Fri, 12 May 2006, Moerke Jennifer wrote:

> Fellow Listers,
>
>  I found something that we should probably keep an eye on. While looking through my LiveJournal, I noticed a post that Jonathan Mosen contributed. Here's what it says:
>
>  The Demise of Web Braille
> Since it became known that the US Library of Congress's National Library
> Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) was closing Web
> Braille apparently on a temporary basis, there has been much speculation as
> to why. At the time of posting, the only official comment I have read from
> NLS is that the sight has been closed for security reasons and that they
> hope the closure will be short lived.
>  My immediate thoughts on this are threefold.
>  Firstly, I hope that members of both consumer organisations are not just
> writing to NLS, which they certainly should be doing, but also writing to
> the leadership of their consumer organisation to ask for the maximum
> possible advocacy effort on this matter. When it has come to issues such as
> promoting Braille and access to blindness services, both organisations have
> a good track record of burying what differences exist and working together
> for the common good of all Americans. I sincerely hope that advocating
> strenuously for the return of Web Braille is an issue that falls into this
> category. Both organisations have gifted blind advocates who serve Americans
> well. Let's hope that talent can be pooled for the sake of this important
> issue.
>  Secondly, blind Americans are tax payers too. A service they have come to
> depend on and value has been taken away from them, with very little
> explanation. We need to know more about the nature of the security concern.
> Does the security concern relate to the potential to back translate Braille
> material? Are accounts compromised in some way? Is it something else? We
> don't yet, as far as I am aware, know why the service was suddenly pulled,
> and we need to. Surely a Government department funded by US taxes has a duty
> to be much more forthcoming with information. Blind people can speculate all
> they like on the reasons, but that speculation is unhelpful and merely adds
> to the confusion. The first step to understanding the shut-down is to be
> informed as to the reasons for it. Again, if there is an issue, there are
> many gifted blind technology experts who'd be glad to lend their expertise
> to the problem.
>  Thirdly, while I support wholeheartedly the endeavours of each and every
> person who seeks to have this service restored, I would urge those affected
> by the Web Braille shut-down to take a moment to reflect on how much they
> value the service, and how many people throughout the world cannot access a
> similar service. Special format material is a precious and scarce resource.
> It seems to me a tragedy that, with the shortage of special format material
> that exists as compared with the millions of titles available to sighted
> people in print, more isn't done to minimise duplication of effort in
> special format production, and to facilitate the sharing of that material.
>  Mechanisms need to exist for greater sharing of special format material
> between countries which have similar copyright laws. For example, my view is
> that those outside of the US, living in countries with copyright laws that
> support the provision of special format material by prescribed organisations
> without having to seek the permission of the copyright holder, should be
> able to access Web Braille for a fee. Web Braille is paid for by US tax
> dollars, and it is not my view that non-US blind citizens should somehow
> enjoy a free ride off the US tax payer. It's interesting to note though that
> given the huge foreign aid budget of many western countries, the US
> included, allowing a few blind people outside of the US to access the
> service would be a mere drop in the bucket, particularly if the processing
> was handled by an appropriate blindness agency in the country in question.
> US citizens should also have reciprocal rights in countries where similar
> services are available.
>  All of us as blind people know how frustrating it can be to get access to
> what we want to read. If the will truly existed, ways could be found to
> better facilitate the sharing of special format material. It's the right
> thing to do, and it is an area where the US is uniquely positioned to lead
> the way. It would mean that five or six copies of the same book would no
> longer need to be produced in different countries, which is a shameful
> nonsense and a waste of resources.
>  So let's hope an explanation is forthcoming, the consumer organisations work
> together to get the service restored, and that US citizens use this down
> time to think about how it is for many blind people around the world, and
> perhaps develop a bit of compassion as a result.
>  Oh and a final thought. Please spare a thought for blind people working for
> NLS right now. I have no doubt it's not easy when one would like to be more
> forthcoming to one's fellow blind people, but for whatever reason cannot be.
>
>  Does anyone have any information about this? I think that Jonathan's right. This does deserve some attention.
>
>  Respectfully,
>  Jedi
>
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