Vision Health
(Globe & Mail insert)
CNIB's world-famous library goes digital
The CNIB Library has more than 60,000 titles in braille and audio formats, and the world's second-largest collection of sheet music in braille
When Microsoft chair Bill Gates was honoured by The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) last August in Toronto, the event signalled the start of a new century of service to people who are blind and visually impaired.
Mr. Gates's commitment to providing fully accessible digital information services earned him one of only three Louis Braille Gold Medals ever awarded.
Microsoft Canada is contributing $2.5-million to the $33-million digital conversion of the CNIB Library for the Blind. CNIB Library services are provided at no cost to more than three million Canadians who are blind, visually impaired or print disabled.
It's a group deprived of information, as only 3 per cent of all print material is available in alternative formats.
"The CNIB is facing a technological crisis right now," stresses Margaret McGrory, executive director of the CNIB Library for the Blind. "The technology we use to distribute our books is completely obsolete. We don't really have a choice. To be able to continue to serve our clients, we need to switch to a digital platform."
Scheduled to be completed in 2007, the library project will rapidly create any title in braille, large print, electronic formats or on compact discs. "The first phase is to build the digital electronic repository," Ms. McGrory says.
"This is the only library in the world that is undergoing this conversion and we are being watched by other international libraries for the blind." In fact, 175 libraries around the world are watching the CNIB.
One of the most significant achievements will be the creation of a Children's Discovery Portal, sponsored by Microsoft Canada. The Discovery Portal will allow blind and visually impaired young people on-line access to the CNIB database of books and magazines, accessible games and an interactive community section.
The key focus for Microsoft Canada's community outreach is helping
children
and youth reach their potential, making the CNIB's project a perfect fit.
And Microsoft's support goes beyond the financial. Microsoft Canada
president Frank Clegg is chair of the CNIB digital library campaign.
"When we finish this revolutionary project, the database we are
creating will be one of the largest in Canada," says Mr. Clegg, who
also credits Corus Interactive, Navantis and Rogers as key partners in the
undertaking.
The technology involved is being created for the CNIB by supporting
high-technology organizations, including IBM Canada.
"I've learned as much or more from working on this project than anything I've ever done in my life," Mr. Clegg announces.
The CNIB Library is the only library for the blind among G8 nations that does not receive government funding.
With more than 60,000 titles in braille and audio formats, and the world's second-largest collection of sheet music in braille, last year the CNIB Library produced and distributed 1.8 million books to clients across the country. Hundreds of volunteers are involved in the library's Toronto, Montreal and Winnipeg recording studios, where books have been recorded on four-track analogue cassettes since the mid-1970s. These talking books are distributed by Canada Post at no charge to CNIB clients coast to coast. Although these cassettes have been a staple for more than 25 years for people who are visually impaired, the cassette supply is quickly drying up. As well, reel-to-reel tapes and machines that play back audio books are no longer manufactured. The aging equipment is inefficient, costly to service and in constant need of repairs.
The digital library will produce digital talking books that can be downloaded through the Internet, or available on CD.
Through this digital format, readers can "flip through" a book, bookmark a chapter or page, or track down a quote or passage.
For a visually impaired population that reads an average of 60 books a year, far more than the Canadian public, the benefit of these advances will be immeasurable.
"Technology and information will change lives," declares Jim Sanders, CNIB president and chief executive officer.
"We are creating a world-class braille and audio library and a world-class distribution system of visual and technical information that you can't buy commercially."
For the digitizing effort, the CNIB continues to seek contributions from individuals and organizations across Canada in a campaign called "That all may read ..."
The goal is to double the present number of titles, convert cassette tapes to audio CDs, provide access to more than 40 newspapers and magazines and create much greater on-line access.
CNIB clients readily attest to the impact of improved information access.
"I get braille, I get talking books and the library has all these
titles," says 11-year-old Tim Peters of Stoney Creek, Ont., who
demonstrated a model
of the Discovery Portal to Mr. Gates in August.
"My favourite type of book is science-fiction adventure stories." The Grade 6 pupil is eager to download his favourite genre and other books directly into his computer from the digital CNIB Library for the Blind. "Now I'll be able to get help with my school projects and research just like the other kids in my class," he says.
Aaron Marsaw, a blind lawyer in Hamilton who is on the CNIB Ontario division board of directors, says CNIB library staff have been exemplary in making the services accessible, but that digitization is a need whose time has come.
"With all of the books on cassette or braille, they have to be shipped back and forth, while nowadays most people have computers," he notes. "For a novel, I could listen on audiotape. But for a reference book you need to be able to jump around and that's what digital will make possible." "When you're in a digital world," concludes Ms. McGrory, "you're virtually everywhere."
