[blindlaw] Do Digital Law Books?

Thu Dec 17 15:03:39 UTC 2015

I never had any trouble with getting my books from the publishers.  I
almost always got the books before the class actually started as well.
My school required professors to let the book store know 4 weeks
before the semester started which books they would be using, and I
found that I had plenty of time to get the books with just waiting
until the required text lists were available from the book store.  It
probably helped though that the person in charge of ADA accomidations
at my law school had direct communications with the specific people
from each publisher of law texts who would actually be providing the
PDF copies.  I never had a problem with poore copies either.  I
certainly think they could have been done better for easier
navigation, but the quality of the text was nearly perfect every time.
I would usually run the PDF files through an OCR, Kurzweil in my case,
and also put them onto my victor streem so that I had several options
in the end for accessing and reading the materials no matter where I
was.  Having them on my stream and about half way through law school,
also on my phone in Ibooks allowed me to even read on the subway just
like many other classmates.  I found the page numbering in the PDF
files matched the numbering in the print books, so I never had major
trouble figuring out where the correct pages or chapters were.  I
would still definitely consider using an OCR program, and looking into
how to read PDF files on your phone.  I believe the navigation in the
original PDF was always more difficult than when I used Kurzweil or
Ibooks, or my stream to read.
I still used my scanner often to scan materials outside of the text
book, but my professors were also very good about emailing clean
copies of everything to me as well.  I did make sure to open a line of
communication with all my professors at the start of each semester,
and I believe this really helped me when it came to accessing other
materials outside of the text.  I rarely, if ever, used a reader
because it is just not a method I have ever particularly liked, but I
did make sure I had that option available if necessary.  My school was
also very willing to scan anything for me anytime I needed it.  When I
had a 200 page book which my professor had written, but which had not
yet been published, they scanned the entire thing for me, and emailed
the files to me.
Your school is the one who is supposed to send in the request for the
books in electronic format, so you should talk to them ahead of time
to see what experience they have in getting books from publishers, and
how long it usually takes them to get the book from each publisher.

On 12/16/15, Nightingale, Noel via blindlaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> One can also file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S.
> Department of Education if being denied access to a university's programs
> and activities.  The complaint can be filed on-line at www.ed.gov/ocr.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Don Padou
> via blindlaw
> Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2015 1:15 PM
> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Don Padou
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Do Digital Law Books?
>
> Hi Anita;
>
> When I was in law school the Dean of Students also served as a sort of
> coordinator for providing accommodations under the ADA.Every semester I
> told her the classes that I was taking and the books that I needed.She
> wrote to the publishers and the publishers provided PDF format books.
>
> Sometimes the books came as one flarge ile and sometimes there was a
> separate file for each chapter.Sometimes the PDF was emailed to me and
> sometimes I received a CD.It depended on the length of the book.
>
> Only one publisher ever gave us grief: North Carolina Academic Press.I
> was never able to get an electronic version of my contracts book and had
> to use a scanned version.
>
> The Dean required me to show a receipt demonstrating that I actually
> bought the books.The ADA does not require the publishers to give you
> free books.I sold the hard copy books to a sighted class mate each
> semester.
>
> There is a problem to be aware of.It can take several weeks for the
> publisher to provide the PDF books.You are best served by getting your
> request in early.Sometimes that means that you have to pester the
> professor to tell you what books you need.
>
> If your law school doesn't do a good job of providing you with PDF books
> in a timely manner then don't waste time.Pressure them quickly.You are
> in law school for a short period of time and it will affect your
> career.You cannot afford to fall behind in a class because you don't
> receive a book until two months into the semester.
>
> In other words, don't hesitate to get an ADA lawyer.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Don Padou
>
>
>
> On 12/15/2015 12:55 PM, Anita Keith-Foust via blindlaw wrote:
>>
>>
>> I have been conspicuously absent for a few months. Of course, I am coming
>> back with some questions about digital format law books.
>>
>>
>>
>> Has anyone had any luck with getting the publisher to provide digital
>> copies
>> of books? Or, do I have to look forward to my books being butchered?
>>
>>
>>
>> Please let me know.
>>
>>
>>
>> Thank you.
>>
>>
>>
>> Anita Keith-Foust
>>
>> 919-430-1978
>>
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-- 
Thank You
Shelley Palmadessa
shelleyrichards9 at gmail.com