[Blindtlk] National Federation of the Blind Applauds Partnership Between K-NFB Reading Technology and Baker & Taylor

[Freeh, Jessica]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org





National Federation of the Blind Applauds Partnership
Between K-NFB Reading Technology and Baker & Taylor



Historic Partnership Will Make Millions of Books
  Available for Purchase by the Blind



Baltimore, Maryland (October 14, 2009): The National Federation of 
the Blind, the nation's leading advocate for access to information by 
the blind, today applauds the historic partnership between K-NFB 
Reading Technology, Inc., the world-renowned pioneer in reading 
technologies, and Baker & Taylor, Inc., the world's largest 
distributor of physical and digital books and entertainment 
products.  This five-year partnership will use K-NFB Reading 
Technology's soon-to-be-released electronic book reader to deliver 
the highest-quality digital book content to tens of millions of 
readers worldwide and harness Baker & Taylor's market leadership and 
relationships with 44,000 publishers and major book retailers in more 
than 120 countries.



Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, 
said: "We are thrilled that Baker & Taylor has joined forces with 
K-NFB Reading Technology.  This partnership, using pioneering e-book 
technology, will provide blind and other print-disabled people 
heretofore unprecedented access to the printed word.  Until now, the 
traditional consumer book market has been largely closed to the 
blind, leaving us with limited access to information.  Blind students 
are often left behind in coursework, unable to obtain books at the 
same time as their sighted peers.  With this groundbreaking new 
partnership, for the first time in history, commercial access to 
millions of books is about to become a reality for all blind people."



Ray Kurzweil, CEO of K-NFB Reading Technology, said: "This dynamic 
partnership will further my work of more than three decades with the 
National Federation of the Blind to make the printed word easily 
accessible to the blind.  With our growing repository of e-content, 
Baker & Taylor's market leadership, and our innovative book 
technology, blind people will have millions of books literally at 
their fingertips.  We expect this collaboration to revolutionize 
communication of knowledge throughout the world."



Under the broad partnership with Baker & Taylor, K-NFB Reading 
Technology's new e-reader with cutting-edge 3-D technology will 
present content in formats accessible to the blind and others with 
diverse reading needs, and will operate seamlessly on a variety of 
electronic devices, including personal computers, smart phones, and 
cell phones.



K-NFB Reading Technology, Inc., is a joint venture between Kurzweil 
Technologies, Inc., an innovator and pioneer in reading technologies 
and the creator of the first print-to-speech reading machine for the 
blind, and the National Federation of the Blind, the largest, most 
influential membership organization of blind people in the United States.





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About the National Federation of the Blind



With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind 
is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind 
people in the United States.  The NFB improves blind people's lives 
through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs 
encouraging independence and self-confidence.  It is the leading 
force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's 
blind.  In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the 
Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in 
the United States for the blind led by the blind.