[blparent] braille harry potter and the cursed child now finally available

[dawn stumpner]

I had tried everything I could think of to get a copy of the most 
recent "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" book, but I kept 
striking out.  National Braille Press said they wouldn't have it 
this time because they were having trouble getting it for a 
reasonable price, etc.  Bookshare couldn't produce it because it 
is a play, and they have other rules than regular books.  NLS 
didn't know when / if it would be available.  I tried several 
other American organizations, but I came up with nothing.  I 
talked with the publishers of the book, and they referred me to 
some of the organizations that help the blind.  I tried to get 
the book directly from the Royal National Institute for the Blind 
in the UK, and they were friendly via email, but they don't 
accept online orders, so I had to call to make an order, but they 
are very under-staffed and I could never reach them even though I 
adjusted for the time change and called at various times 
throughout their work day.  I contacted a similar organization in 
Canada, and they had a recorded version, but they couldn't lend 
it to me because I'm not Canadian, and although they would sell 
it (for example to a library), it wasn't compatible with what 
they would have to run it.  I talked with a local organization 
that brailles, records, and buys books to lend out, and they 
tried to contact the British organization as well, but they were 
running into the same issues I ran into reaching a real person to 
place the order.  They were thinking about going through the 
process to get permission to braille the book, but now it will be 
available through National Braille Press after all.  You can make 
orders now, and the book will be ready around Thanksgiving, a few 
months later than the print one, but I'm relieved to be done with 
my quest.  It's $30 for a four-volume  	book when the previous 
ones were about $20 for a 
seven- to ten-volume 
book, so it's a bit 
pricier than the older 
ones, but I'm still 
excited.
   Dawn