[Dtb-talk] Librarian of Congress Says Blind Have Right to Access E-books

[David Andrews]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

cdanielsen at nfb.org

Librarian of Congress Says Blind Have Right to Access E-books
National Federation of the Blind Commends Copyright Ruling
Baltimore, Maryland (July 27, 2010): The National Federation of the 
Blind, the oldest nationwide organization of blind Americans and the 
leading advocate
for access to digital information by the blind, commented today on 
the renewal of a ruling from the Librarian of Congress that allows 
the circumvention
of digital rights management (DRM) technology by blind people seeking 
equal access to e-books.  The ruling states that one of the 
circumstances in which
circumvention of technology that limits access to copyrighted works 
is not a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is: 
"literary works
distributed in ebook format when all existing ebook editions of the 
work (including digital text editions made available by authorized 
entities) contain
access controls that prevent the enabling either of the book's 
read-aloud function or of screen readers that render the text into a 
specialized format."

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, 
said: "The National Federation of the Blind commends the Librarian of 
Congress for recognizing
the right of blind Americans to obtain equal access to the 
information contained in digital books.  It is the position of the 
National Federation of the
Blind that blind people have the right to access content for which 
they have paid or which they have otherwise legally obtained, just 
like all other readers.
We are pleased that the Librarian of Congress sees matters in the 
same way.  The e-book industry, however, has largely failed to 
recognize our rights.
The Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, Sony Reader, and other 
e-book reading devices and applications still remain inaccessible to 
us, and we have yet
to see accessible e-book readers and content from those who have 
promised them.  At this time, Apple products that can access the 
company's iBooks are
the only mainstream e-book devices accessible to blind readers.  The 
National Federation of the Blind will continue to use every means at 
our disposal
to secure the right of blind Americans to access the same books at 
the same time and at the same price as all other consumers.  We will 
stand for nothing
less."

###

About the National Federation of the Blind

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind 
(NFB) 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.



                         David Andrews:  dandrews at visi.com
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