2009 Conference Archive

PRESENTATION A3

UNLOCKING THE INFORMATION

Tony Iezzi
Manager Information Access Services, Vision Australia, VIC

A person who is print disabled doesn't get to read the newspapers, magazines, books and other printed materials that sighted people take for granted everyday. In fact only 3-5% of all print based material is accessible to many people in the community. For many, the only way they are informed is by listening to selected news stories being broadcast. There are many more articles published each day than one hears through the broadcast media.

Vision Australia is working with other public libraries to make print based information accessible to people with a print disability. By using the i-access Online service, members can access audio books and magazines, Braille books, newspapers and other publications. This collection offers mainly DAISY formatted titles allowing greater accessibility for readers.

The devices freely loaned to members can be used in conjunction with other online services presented by all public libraries.

The paper will describe this new service and also outline a number of related trials of new technologies aimed at making information more accessible to library members in the home and on the road.

The ultimate aim is increase publisher awareness of the value of an accessible single source file concept and to work towards a time when agencies such as Vision Australia Library won't ultimately need to exist, to make information accessible.

Aims:

Increase the accessability of information to the print disabled community and publisher awareness.

Methods:

Developing technologies that are accessible and tested through a range of formal and informal trials by Vision Australia

Results:

Very high level of acceptance by the community. Increasing range of commercial devices and software available catering to the need.

Conclusion:

It's great and people love it!