[Fopbc] Fwd: National Federation of the Blind Endorses Google Books Settle...
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Fri Sep 11 02:57:28 UTC 2009
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-----Original Message-----
From: Freeh,Jessica <JFreeh at nfb.org>
To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org
Sent: Thu, Sep 10, 2009 7:07 pm
Subject: [blindkid] National Federation of the Blind Endorses Google Books
Settlement Before Congress
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_ (mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org)
National Federation of the Blind
Endorses Google Books Settlement Before Congress
Urges Justice Department to Support Settlement
Washington, DC (September 10, 2009): The National Federation of the Blind,
the nation's oldest and largest organization of blind people and the
leading advocate for access by the blind to digital information, testified
before the House Judiciary Committee today that the proposed settlement between
Google and authors and publishers regarding the Google Books project should
be approved. The Google Books settlement will make millions of titles
available to the blind and other Americans with print disabilities, providing
more access to the printed word than the blind have had in all of human
history.
Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, told
the House Judiciary Committee: "The Google settlement is, for the blind and
many others, the next step in the democratization of knowledge. That
process began with the introduction of the printing press and then, for the
blind, with the invention of Braille. Now technology is available that
transcends the traditional limitations of both print and Braille, promising to make
millions of titles available to the blind in Braille or any other format of
our choice. The narrow business interests of Google's competitors must not
be allowed to block Americans who cannot read print from all of the
opportunities that greater access to written knowledge will make available to
them. It is time for the doors of the world's great libraries to be opened and
welcome to everyone."
The National Federation of the Blind also urged the United States
Department of Justice, which is reviewing the terms of the settlement, to support
the agreement.
"The Google Books settlement is a major step forward in advancing the
civil rights of blind Americans and others who cannot read print because it
substantially increases our opportunities for education and employment,"
President Maurer said. "The Justice Department, which is tasked with protecting
the civil rights of all Americans, should respect the agreement of the
parties to the settlement and allow its access provisions to be fully
implemented. In doing so, the government will send a strong message that it values
the participation of the blind in society and believes that we should have
access to all of the information to which our sighted friends and colleagues
have access."
###
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