[nfbwatlk] Message from President Maurer re NLS and Digital Talking Books

Sun Apr 22 23:30:59 CDT 2007

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

-------------- next part --------------
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