Section of Libraries for the Blind

Medium Term Programme 1998-2001

Scope

The Section is thus concerned with the implementation of service goals, standardization of material, problems of copyright, bibliographic control, technical standards, free transmission of postal and tele-communications 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.

Goals, 1998-2001 - Action Plans, 1998-1999 (Results)

Goal 1

Action:

1. In cooperation with the Core Programme on Advancement of Librarianship in the Third World (ALP) and the Section of Regional Activities: Africa, arrange a training seminar for English speaking African countries.

   Result:

   The Training Seminar was held in Grahamstown, South Africa, 17-19 February 1999. The Section's application to ALP was turned down as the Regional Section didn't give priority to this seminar. However, the local organizers (The South African Library for the Blind, managed to get sponsorship from firms like Swets, that traditionally sponsor IFLA General Conferences. Another kind of sponsorship was that suppliers of devices for the blind had been invited to exhibit in conjunction with the Seminar.

Goal 2

Actions:

1. Forward the guidelines on braille to IFLA's Professional Board.

   Result:

   The Guidelines were approved by the Professional Board during the General Conference in Amsterdam in August 1998. They were published in IFLA Journal 5/6 1998 and are also available on IFLA-net. The Section also received project money from the professional board in order to publish the Guidelines. Furthermore the Guidelines were announced at the UNESCO Conference in Paris, December 1998.

2. Establish guidelines for talking book services

   Result:

   The work has not started yet. Statement of Principles for Digital Talking books were discussed during the midwinter meeting 1999.

Goal 3

Result:

Action:

1. A working group within the Standing Committee will follow the developments and advocate mainstream industry standards where appropriate and applicable. Furthermore the working group will evaluate projects in this field.

   Result:

   A working group with this aim has been formed and is reporting the latest developments at each SC meeting.

Goal 4

Actions:

1. A working group will investigate and clarify questions of copyright regulations regarding electronic text and digital audio as well as older formats such as braille and talking books on analogue cassettes.

   Result:

   A working group has been formed. Copyright has been discussed at each SC meeting. Members have been encouraged to lobby among politicians in their native countries.

2. A working group within the SC shall look after postal regulations, as free postal distribution of special format material is fundamental for library services to the visually impaired.

   Result:

   No working group was formed. The Chair acted on behalf of the New Zealand Welfare Council of the Blind as the distribution by free postal services (cecogramme) was threatened in that country. The Chair wrote to the Government of New Zealand and got a response that at least for the coming year the distribution of talking books would be free of charge. The Chair has met the president of the World Blind Union and discussed possibilities of joint actions. However the meeting did not lead to anything. The SC therefore commissioned the Chair to approach the President of the Universal Postal Union pointing out how vital the free flow of alternate format material for the blind is.

Goal 5

Result:

Goal 6

Actions:

1. Make the International Directory of Libraries for the Blind accessible on Internet.

   Result:

   The Directory is hosted by the Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities (JSRD), http://www.jsrd.or.jp

2. Update the Directory on interlibrary loan resources for alternate material for the visually handicapped.

   Result:

   JSRD started to update the Directory in February 1999.

Goal 7

Actions:

1. In cooperation with the Section of Libraries Serving Disadvantaged Persons arrange a satellite meeting prior to the IFLA General Conference in Amsterdam.

   Result:

   The Satellite Meeting was replaced by a joint workshop during the General Conference.
   At the midwinter meeting 1999 the SC decided to write a source book for interlending, a project in cooperation with FORCE.

Goal 8

Provide information about the work of the Section and the Standing Committee to those interested in library services to the blind and other print handicapped.

Actions:

1. Publish two issues of the Section's Newsletter each year, in English and in Spanish. Printed versions as well as in braille and on diskette. Forward machine readable versions to IFLA-Net for inclusion. (Ongoing)

   Result:

   Newsletter in English and Spanish has been published as planned. One member of the SC has translated the Newsletter into Russian and distributed it to all libraries for the Blind in Russia.

2. Continue to update the Directory of Libraries and Printing Houses for the Blind and make it available on IFLA-NET and other sites on Internet.

   Result:

   See 6.1 and 6.2. IFLA-NET has been contacted in order to make a link to www.dinf.ch

3. Continue to publish and update section brochures in English, German/Russian, French and Spanish.

   Result:

   A new English brochure was published in march 1999. At the SC meeting in February 1999 it was decided that the new version of the brochure should also be translated into French, German and Russian by SC members and that the Spanish organization ONCE should be approached for the Spanish translation.

Goal 9

Actions:

1. Improve the cooperation with the World Blind Union and other international organizations representing the print handicapped, regarding such issues as copyright, standards of talking books and braille etc.

   Result:

   The SC met with the President of the World Blind Union at it's Midwinter Meeting in Toronto (February 1998). The Chair was invited to be present at the WBU Literacy Committee meting in Amsterdam in conjunction with the IFLA General Conference. The Chair of the WBU Literacy Committee has been invited to speak at the Open Session of the Section at the Bangkok Conference.

2. Arrange a meeting with the president of the WBU in Toronto in conjunction with the midwinter meeting of the Standing Committee.

   Result:

   See 9.1.

April 28, 1999