   
Section of Libraries for the BlindAnnual Report 1995-1996MembershipBy December 31, 1996 the Section had 76 members. The Current Standing Committee members represent: Canada, Cuba, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and Australia (corresponding member).Works of the Standing CommitteeThe SC held it’s midwinter meeting in Toronto, Canada, in February 1996,hosted by the Toronto Metropolitan Reference Library and the CNIB Library. Organizer was Beth Hovius, Hamilton Public Library (corresponding member).At the IFLA General Conference in Beijing in August 1996 the Section held a half day open session under the theme National Strategies on Library Services to Print Disabled Persons, as well as a half-day workshop on digital audio - the next generation of talking books. At the divisional Open Forum Frederic Plain-Japy gave a paper on braille - the history and the future. Current working groups of the Section as follows:
The Braille Standard Committee held a meeting in at the CNIB Library in Toronto in November 1996, when draft guidelines for braille services in public libraries were worked out. The Digital Talking Book Standardization Working Group held a meeting prior to SC Midwinter Meeting in Toronto in February, which resulted in a draft of Guidelines for Digital Audio, which were approved of in Beijing. The Copyright issues have been discussed during SC meetings. InformationThe Section has published two issues of the Section Newsletter in 1996, in English and Spanish. The newsletter in both languages has also been printed in braille. Issue number 2/1996 was furthered to IFLA-Net.Editor of The Newsletter is Bruce E. Massis. The Chairman has been in charge of the printing and distribution. Fernando Martinez Garrido, ONCE, has been in charge of the Spanish translation. The braille editions have been printed by the Danish National Library for the Blind and Berit Bergström Konsulter AB as the financial aid the Section receives from IFLA does not cover the cost of a braille editon. Bruce E. Massis was appointed Information Officer of the Section at the SC Meeting in Beijing. Cooperation with the World Blind Union and the European Blind Union, 1996Beatrice Christensen Sköld (chairman) gave a paper about the Section and its work at a seminar on new talking books technology, arranged by the European Blind Union (EBU) in Copenhagen, January 25-26.Hiroshi Kawamura gave a paper in conjunction with the WBU conference on literacy held in Montevideo in March . Rosemary Kavanagh presented a paper about the section and its work at the WBU General Assembly in August. The chiar was invited as an observer at the WBU Woman’s Seminar in Almåsa, Sweden in June. The Chair was invited by the Ulverscroft Foundation to represent IFLA/SLB on the Ulverscroft Munford Award 1996 Judges Panel. The Panel met at Ulvercroft’s in October 1996 and decided unanimously to suggest that the Nigerwives Braille Production Centre in Nigeria be the award winner. Future ConferencesCopenhagen 1997The Section is going to hold a preseminar on information technology and the Visually impaired in Koege prior to the General Conference. The Danish National Library for the Blind is in charge of the organization.During the General Conference the section is going to hold a joint open session together with the Section of Libraries Serving Disadvantaged Persons. The theme is Libraries bridging information gaps. Amsterdam 1998The final decision about the Section’s program at the IFLA General Conference in Amsterdam 1998 will be taken by the Standing Committe at its midwinter meeting in Kyoto in March 1997.Training Seminar in South AfricaThe Section has been planning to hold a Training seminar on library services to the blind and visually handicapped, for library staff and producers in English speaking African countries in cooperation with the Regional Section:Africa and ALP, in Grahamstown, South Africa, in early 1998. However, the Southafrican Library recently has declined its former offer to house the seminar.
Stockholm March 13, 1997
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