[nfbwatlk] Fw: Action Needed: Urge Congress to Support the Talking Book Request

Tue May 1 23:52:42 CDT 2007

BlankFellow Federationists:

I realize that you've seen this message before. However, it is *vitally* 
important that we contact Senators Murray and Cantwell along with the 
member of the House of Representatives that represents each of us to 
inform them of the importance of the NLS talking book program, to 
correct the disinformation currently being propounded by the Government 
Accountability Office (GAO) (see below) regarding the conversion to 
digital talking books and to urge Senators Murray and Cantwell and our 
representatives to support funding for the NLS digital conversion 
project and to urge them to ask the members of the Senate and House 
Appropriations Committees and the members of the Legislative Branch 
subcommittees of these appropriations committees to approve funding for 
the digital conversion.

Please read the material below in its entirety and act accordingly. If 
we want our talking book program to continue, we must act *now!*

Michael Freeman, President
National Federation of the Blind of Washington

----- Original Message ----- 
From: McCarthy, Jim
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Sent: Friday, April 27, 2007 1:36 PM
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. 
I am attaching 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 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, 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

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.

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Fellow Federationists:

I realize that you've seen this message before. However, it is *vitally* important that we contact Senators Murray and Cantwell along with the member of the House of Representatives that represents each of us to inform them of the importance of the NLS talking book program, to correct the disinformation currently being propounded by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) (see below) regarding the conversion to digital talking books and to urge Senators Murray and Cantwell and our representatives to support funding for the NLS digital conversion project and to urge them to ask the members of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees and the members of the Legislative Branch subcommittees of these appropriations committees to approve funding for the digital conversion.

Please read the material below in its entirety and act accordingly. If we want our talking book program to continue, we must act *now!*

Michael Freeman, President
National Federation of the Blind of Washington

----- Original Message -----
From:
mailto:JMcCarthy at NFB.ORG McCarthy, Jim
To:
mailto:undisclosed-recipients: undisclosed-recipients:
Sent:
Friday, April 27, 2007 1:36 PM
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.

I am attaching 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 3
rd
, 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

R
ep. 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

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.

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