Section of Libraries for the Blind

Annual Report:
September 1, 1998 - August 31, 1999

Scope of statement of Section: The Section of Libraries for the Blind concerns itself with library services for the blind and other print handicapped readers. The main purposes of the Section are to promote national and international cooperation in this field, and to encourage research and development in all aspects of this area, thus improving the access of information for the blind and other print handicapped persons.

The Section is thus concerned with the implementation of service goals, standardisation of material, problems of copyright, bibliographic control, technical standards, free transmission of postal and telecommunications or any means of distribution of material, and the identification of the locations of special format collections and activities for the blind and other print handicapped readers.

Membership

74 (August 1999)

Officers

Information Co-ordinator

The Chair

Meetings

The Standing Committee held its traditional midwinter meeting at the South African Library for the Blind in Grahamstown, South Africa, February 15-16, 1999. Number of attendants: 9 SC Members and 4 Observers.

During the General Conference in Bangkok, August 20-28, The two Standing Committee meeting were attended by 14 SC members (both incoming and outgoing) and 6 observers.

Among items discussed were: Metadata; A Source book for Interlending; programme for upcoming IFLA conferences and establishment of new working groups within the Section and updating of the International Directory of Libraries for the Blind.

Projects

A new project "Handbook in interlending for libraries for the Blind", in cooperation with the organisation Force, was approved of at the SC Meeting in Bangkok.

Publications

Two IFLA/SLB Newsletter were published during this period. Issue number 2/1998 was also translated into Russian and Spanish. Galina Diyanskaja of the Russian State Library for the Blind translated and distributed the Russian version. Due to Galina's unexpected death in April 19, issue number 1/1999 of our Newsletter was not translated into Russian. The Spanish Organisation ONCE translated the Newsletter into Spanish, while the Swedish Library of Talking Books and Braille (TPB) distributed this version mainly to libraries in Latinamerica.

New versions of the Section leaflet both in English and in French were printed during the summer 1999. The French translation was done by Marie-Pierre Tallec. The Swedish Library of talking books and Braille subsidised the printing of both leaflets.

"Guideline for Library Services to Braille Users" have been published in print and braille. The Guidelines are also available on IFLA-net.

The following Seminar papers were presented during The African Seminar "Library Services to blind and Print Handicapped Readers" in Grahamstown, South Africa, February 17-19, 1999:

Setting up low cost audio transcription centres to support blind people. A model of service

by Stephen King and Wendy Davis, Royal National Institute for the Blind

Digital Library/Audio

by Susanne Seidelin, Head of Audio Production, Danish National Library for the Blind

DAISY. The digital talking book - from project to reality at the Swedish Library of talking Books and Braille (TPB)

By Kjell Hansson, Director, Swedish Library of Talking Books and Braille (TPB)

The Virtual Library for Blind and Visually Impaired citizens of the World

By Rosemary Kavanagh, Executive Director, CNIB Library for the Blind, Toronto, Canada

Web-based Access to Audio Books for Blind and Print handicapped Readers

By Richard Foss and Adrian Woodhead, Computer Science Department, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa

Braille Library Services for the Blind in Zambia

By N. Kabyema, Director, Zambia National Library and Cultural Centre for the Blind

Computerised braille in Zimbabwe

By Sr Catherine Jackson, OP, Dorothy Duncan braille Library and transcription Service, Harare, Zimbabwe

Braille Production in Uganda. Meeting the ever rising demand for braille

By Edward Kasolo Kimuli, Director Uganda National Institute of Social Education (UNISE), Kampala, Uganda

A National Library Program for the Blind in Botswana

By Faith D.O. Macheng, Co-ordinator of Library Services for the Disabled, Botswana National Library Service

The papers can be obtained from Blindlib, SA Library for the Blind, P.O. Box 115, Grahamstown, 6140, Southafrica, Telephone: +27-46-622 7226, Fax: +27-46-622 7650, E-mail:blindlib@iafrica.com

During the preseminar "Bridging the gap in the provision of Library Services and Literacy Support for the Blind in realising the Information Age" in Penang, Malaysia, August 18-20, 1999, the following papers were presented:

Section Activities and Developments in the Area of libraries for the Blind

Key Note Address
By Beatrice Christensen Sköld, Chair of IFLA Section of Libraries for the Blind

A Handful of Leaves: Library Services for the Blind in Thailand

By Prayat Punongong and Bryan Roderick Hamman, The Christian Foundation for the Blind in Thailand

The New National Library for the Blind in the Philippines: A Status Report

By Randy Weisser, Director, Resources for the Blind, Manila, Philippines

Mobile Library Service for the Blind and visually Handicapped in Thailand

By Nongnath Chairat (Mrs), Lecturer, Department of Library Science, Faculty of Humanities, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand

Sabah State library: Reaching out to the Print Handicapped

By Wong Vui Ying, Librarian, Sabah State Library, Malaysia

The Open Media - Open Learning Project

By Birgitta Brown, Chief Librarian, Library of Pedagogy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Support Services for Students in Higher Education: The Austrian Way

By Bruno Sperl, Leader of Department for International Project, Karl-Franzens-University, Graz, Austria

DAISY in Japan; Sigtuna Project and the Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities

By Hiroshi Kawamura, Director, Information Center, Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities

DAISY/TIPS. Production of Daisy titles using A/D conversion at the Swedish Library of Talking Books and Braille (TPB)

By Kjell Hansson and Lars Sönnebo, The Swedish Library of Talking Books and Braille (TPB), Sweden

Digital Talking Books. Delivery Systems and the Future

By Chris Day, Assistant Director, TCS Division, Royal National Institute for the Blind, UK

The Training Workshop on Computerised braille Production in ASEAN

By Tetsuji Tanaka, Director, Japan Braille Library, Tokyo

The Role of the Malaysian Braille Press in the promotion of computerised braille Production

By Wong Yoon Loong, Chairman of Committee on Library and Information Service and Christina Anne Lau Mei Kheng, Manager Malaysian Braille Press, National Council for the Blind, Malaysia

The Digital Library - Prospects for Developing Countries

By Dick Tucker, Project Co-ordinator, the FORCE Foundation, The Hague, Netherlands

Braille Production the DAISY Way

By George Kerscher, Research Fellow, Project Manager to the DAISY Consortium, Montana, USA

How to make tactile pictures understandable to the blind reader

By Yvonne Eriksson, Ph.D., The Swedish Library of talking Books and Braille (TPB)

Presentation of Tactile Materials: The Need for Research

By John Gill, Chief Scientist, Royal National Institute for the Blind. London, UK

The Papers are available on IFLA.net http://www.ifla.org

The following Conference papers presented at the 65th Conference in Bangkok, were published in Booklet 3, Division of Libraries Serving the General Public:

National Policies for Library Services to Visually Impaired and other Printhandicapped Children

By Beatrice Christensen Sköld, R&D Co-ordinator of The Swedish Library of Talking Books and Braille (TPB), Chair of IFLA Section of Libraries for the Blind

RVIB library & information services - services to children

By Gillian Gale, Jillian Morley and Linley Wallis, Royal Victorian Institute, Victoria, Australia

Libros braille para niños ciegos - mucho más que sies puntos

By Norma Toucedo, Fundación Braille, Montevideo, Uruguay, WBU Liaison Officer to IFLA Section of Libraries for the Blind

The papers are available on IFLA's website: http://www.ifla.org

Conference Programmes

African Seminar: Library Services to Blind and print Handicapped Readers 17-19 February 1999:

16 February (Tuesday) Arrival

13h00-16h00 Registration
19h00 Opening of Exhibition - Mayor: Ms Nonthuthu Faku

AUDIO

17 February (Wednesday) Chairperson: Professor Tooru Kurihara (Tsukuba College of Technology), Japan

08h00-09h30 Registration
09h30-10h00 Opening - Dr William Rowland (Executive Director SANCB; Second Vice President World Blind Union) and Beatrice Christensen Sköld (Chairperson IFLA/SLB) Intention of Conference
10h00-10h45 Paper 1:From a low budget Audio Library to a digital Audio Library - Stephen King (Director Technical Consumer Services Div. RNIB) England
10h45-11h00 Discussion
11h00-11h30 Tea
11h30-12h15 Paper 2: Digital Audi/Audio - Susanne Seidelin (Head of Audio Production DBB), Denmark
12h15-12h30 Discussion
12h30-13h30 Lunch
13h30-14h15 Paper 3: Digital Audio Book Production - Kjell Hansson (Project Manager, TPB), Sweden
14h15-14h30 Discussion
14h30-14h45 Tea
14h45-15h30 Paper 4:The Virtual Library - Rosemary Kavanagh (Executive Director, CNIB Library for the Blind), Canada
15h30-15h45 Discussion
15h45-16h30 Paper 5: Web based access to Audio books for blind and print Handicapped readers - Dr Richard Foss (Senior Lecturer, Computer Science Depart., Rhodes University) South Africa
16h30-16h45 Discussion
18h30 traditional supper and out of Africa evening

BRAILLE

18 February (Thursday) Chairperson: Christopher Day (Asst. Director TCS Division RNIB), England

08h30-9h15 Paper 6: Braille Library Services in Zambia - Ngenjo Kabyema (Director, Zambia National Library for the blind); Zambia
09h15-09h45 Discussion
09h45-10h30 Paper 7 Computerised Braille Production in Zimbabwe - sr. Catherine Jackson OP (Co-ordinator of the Dorothy Duncan Braille Library), Zimbabwe
10h30-11h00 Discussion
11h00-11h15 tea
11h15-12h00 paper 8: Library Services to blind students at tertiary institutions in South Africa- Grace Motshologane (Director, Disabled Students unit, university of the North, Sovenga) South Africa
12h00-12h30 Discussion
12h30-14h00 Lunch
14h00-14h45 Paper 9: Braille production in Uganda - Edward Kimuli (Director, UNISE), Uganda
14h45-15h15 Discussion
15h15-15h30 tea
15h30-16h15 Paper 10: National Library Program for the Blind in Botswana - Faith Macheng (Co-ordiantor, Library Services for the Disabled, Botswana National Library Service)
16h15-16h45 Discussion
18h30 Potjiekos and Steel Band

19 February (Friday) Chairperson: Hiroshi Kawamura (Director, Information Center and International Relations Division of Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities)

09h00-10h00 Country Reports (5 minute reports from attending countries);
Host - BLINDLIB report (National library policy)
10h00-10h15 Tea
10h15-12h00 Visit to Blindlib
12h00 Departure of delegates

IFLA/SLB Pre-conference on Bridging the Gap in the Provision of Library Services and Literacy Support for the Blind in Realising the Information Age, Penang, 18-20 August 1999

Venue: Penang, Bayview Beach Resort, Batu Ferringhi Beach, 111 00 Penang, Malaysia. Tel. +60 4-8812123, Fax No. +60 4-8812955

Fees: USD 400 Including 5 star accommodation for 3 nights

PROGRAMME

Wednesday, August 18

09.00 Study Tour to Alma Primary School for the Blind
13.00 Lunch
14.30 Registration
16.00 Visit to Tropical Fruit Farm
19.30 Beach Barbecue

Thursday, August 19

08.30 Registration

09.30 Opening Ceremony

Welcome Speech by Ivan Ho Tuck Choy, Executive Director, National Council for the Blind, Malaysia

Speech by Ms. Primalani M. Kukanesan, Representative

Keynote Address by Ms Beatrice Christensen Sköld, Chairperson of IFLA Section of Libraries for the Blind (IFLA/SLB) - SLB's professional activities and an overview of interesting project taking place in our member libraries

Choir presentation by children of the Alma Primary School for the Blind

11.00 Session 1: Library services for the Blind: Experiences from the Region

Convenor: Ivan Ho Tuck Choy, Executive Director, national Council for the Blind, Malaysia

Prayat Punongong, president, The Christian Foundation for the Blind in Thailand:
A handful of leaves

Albert Toh, Head of Library Services, Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped:
Library Services - the Singapore Experience

Randy Weisser, Director, Resources for the Blind, Philippines:
The new National Library for the Blind in the Philippines

13.45 Session 2: Mobile Libraries

Convenor: Thelma H. Tate, Chair of IFLA Round Table of Mobile Libraries, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA

Mrs Nongnath Chairat, Lecturer of Srinakharunwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand:
Mobile Library Service for the Blind and visually Handicapped in Thailand

Wong Vui Ying, Librarian, Sabah State Library:
Sabah State Library: Reaching out to the Print Handicapped

14.30 Session 3: Latest trends in the Library Services for the Blind

Convenor Dick Tucker, FORCE, Netherlands

Birgitta Brown, Chief Librarian City Library of Gothenburg:
Open Media - Open learning

Bruno Sperl, Leader of Department for International Projects, University of Graz, Austria:
Support Services for Students in Higher Education: The Austrian Way

Friday, August 20

08.30 Session 4: The Digital Talking Book.

Convenor: Rosemary Kavanagh, Director, Canadian National Institute for the Blind Library

Hiroshi Kawamura, Director, Information Center and International Relations Division, Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities:
DAISY in Japan; Sigtuna Project and the Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities.

Kjell Hansson, Swedish Library of Talking Books and Braille, TPB:
Production of DAISY titles using A/D conversion at the Swedish Library of Talking Books and Braille (TPB)

Chris Day, Royal National Institute for the Blind, UK:
Digital Talking Books: Delivery Systems and the Future

11.00 Session 5: Computerised Braille Production

Convenor: Stephen King, Royal National Institute for the Blind, UK

Tetsuji Tanaka, Director Japan Braille Library:
The Training Workshop on Computerised Braille Production in ASEAN

Christina Anne Lau, Manager, Malaysian Braille Press:
The Role of the Malaysian Braille Press in the Promotion of Computerised Braille Production

12.00 Session 6: The Digital Library Concept

Convenor: Chris Day, Royal National Institute for the Blind, UK

Dick Tucker: The Digital Library - prospects for developing countries.

George Kerscher, Recording for the Blind & Dyslectics:
Recording for the Blind & Dyslectics: Braille Production the DAISY Way

14.00 Session 7: Tactile Material

Convenor: Rainer Witte, Deutsche Blindenstudienanstalt, Marburg, Germany

Dr. Yvonne Eriksson, Swedish Library of Talking Books and Braille (TPB):
How to make tactile pictures understandable to the blind reader.

Dr. John Gill, Royal National Institute for the Blind, UK:
Presentation of Tactile materials: The Need for Research

15.00 Session 8: Conclusions

Convenor: Stephen King, RNIB

Panel Discussion: The User's Point of View

Norma Toucedo, World Blind Union: Introduction

Plan of Action (Stephen King)

17.00 Closing remarks

Hiroshi Kawamura, IFLA's Section of Libraries for the Blind

Wong Yoong Loong, National Council for the Blind, Malaysia

65^th IFLA Council and General Conference, 1999

Open Session

Theme: Library Services to Visually Impaired Children.

Attendants: Approximately 40 people.

Beatrice Christensen Sköld, The Swedish Library of Talking Books and Braille:

National Policies for Library Services to Visually Impaired and other Printhandicapped Children

Gillian Gale, Jillian Morley and Linley Wallis, Royal Victorian Institute, Victoria, Australia:

RVIB library & information services - services to children

Norma Toucedo, Fundación Braille, Montevideo, Uruguay:

Libros braille para niños - mucho más que sies puntos

Other Events

May 10, 1999 the Chair give a paper called "Is there a need for repository libraries for the blind and other printhandicapped people?" at an international conference arranged by IFLA/UAP Core Programme and the Repository Library of Kuopio, Finland. The Conference proceeding have been published by IFLA/UAP.

Relationship with other bodies

The Section has been is co-operating with FORCE, especially in regard to the preseminar in Penang and the planned Handbook for interlending. The Section continues to co-operate with World Blind Union through Norma Toucedo, Chair of WBU Literacy Committee.

Author

Beatrice Christensen Sköld, Chair

Date

September 15, 1999