[nabs-l] IMPROVED ACCESS TO DIGITAL DOWNLOAD BOOKS FOR BLIND AND LOW VISION U.S. CITIZENS

[David Andrews]

IMPROVED ACCESS TO DIGITAL DOWNLOAD BOOKS FOR BLIND AND LOW VISION 
U.S. CITIZENS

[This announcement is displayed in text only for accessibility with 
Braille Notetakers. A web version is available at:
http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/about_us/press_releases/2009_press_releases/improved_access_to_digital_download_books]

Longueuil, May 25, 2009

On April 30, the National Library for the Blind and Physically 
Handicapped (NLS), a division of the Library of Congress in the 
United States, entered the
first phase of its transition to a digital playback system, as well 
as releasing an upgraded version of its pilot download website. 
Beginning with the
testing of 5,000 digital players by NLS patrons in their homes, NLS 
is preparing to launch full-scale production and distribution of 
26,000 machines per
month this year, ensuring continued access to reading materials for 
more than 500,000 registered users.

New to the NLS program is a state of the art online component, called 
the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) site. This new site for 
blind and physically
handicapped patrons of NLS now provides better than ever access to 
digital audiobooks and magazines. The BARD digital books and 
magazines are in the ANSI/NISO
Z39.86 2002 format, the specification for navigable digital talking 
books. Readers may press buttons on the NLS digital talking-book 
player and compatible
players to jump from chapter to chapter, section to section or page 
to page. This ability to quickly navigate the book structure, 
combined with the high-quality
human recording, make the new digital NLS download books one of the 
most significant advancements in the provision of talking books for 
blind and low vision
people.

"The high quality navigable digital books from the new NLS BARD 
service represent a major advancement in access to books, magazines, 
and electronic braille
for Americans who are unable to read print due to blindness, low 
vision, or physical disability", says Gilles Pepin, CEO of HumanWare. 
"With BARD, NLS
brings its library into the home of its patrons. Not only do NLS 
patrons now have access to thousands of digital books but they can 
find their book of
interest and download it in minutes independently and from the 
comfort of their home computer."

HumanWare manufactures the popular Victor Reader Stream, a DAISY NISO 
compatible digital talking-book player designed in collaboration with 
the National
Federation of the Blind (NFB), which several thousand NLS patrons 
already use to play the new digital NISO books. The NLS digital books 
on the BARD site
are protected by encryption and compatible digital book players must 
be authorized by NLS for eligible patrons to play the books.

The ability to press buttons on the Victor Reader Stream to easily 
jump between chapters, pages, or magazine articles, like the NLS 
digital talking-book
player, provides a rich audiobook reading experience never before 
experienced by audiocassette readers. For reference books such as 
cookery books the user
can even enter a page number from the table of contents on the Stream 
telephone-style number pad and the playback will move immediately to 
that page. With
the NLS player, Victor Reader Stream, and the NLS BARD books, users 
now have immediate access to thousands of books and can navigate them 
just like they
would navigate the equivalent print book's structure.

The new BARD download audiobook and magazine service is available 
free of charge to eligible blind and physically handicapped 
individuals in the US. and
to citizens living abroad, who have access to a computer and 
high-speed Internet connection, and who have a free NLS digital 
talking-book player or own
an authorized compatible digital talking-book player such as 
HumanWare's Victor Reader Stream. To learn more about the new BARD 
service visit
https://nlsbard.loc.gov/

About HumanWare

HumanWare is the global leader in assistive technologies for vision, 
including products for the blind and visually impaired. HumanWare's 
products include
BrailleNote, the leading productivity device for blind people in 
education, in business and in their personal lives; the Victor Reader 
product line, the
world's leading digital talking book players; and myReader2, the new 
version of HumanWare's unique "auto-reader" for people with low 
vision. For more information
visit
www.humanware.com

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IMPROVED ACCESS TO DIGITAL DOWNLOAD BOOKS FOR BLIND AND LOW VISION U.S.

CITIZENS

[This announcement is displayed in text only for accessibility with

Braille Notetakers. A web version is available at:

http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/about_us/press_releases/2009_press_releases/improved_access_to_digital_download_books]

Longueuil, May 25, 2009

On April 30, the National Library for the Blind and Physically

Handicapped (NLS), a division of the Library of Congress in the United

States, entered the first phase of its transition to a digital playback

system, as well as releasing an upgraded version of its pilot download

website. Beginning with the testing of 5,000 digital players by NLS

patrons in their homes, NLS is preparing to launch full-scale production

and distribution of 26,000 machines per month this year, ensuring

continued access to reading materials for more than 500,000 registered

users.

New to the NLS program is a state of the art online component, called

the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) site. This new site for

blind and physically handicapped patrons of NLS now provides better than

ever access to digital audiobooks and magazines. The BARD digital books

and magazines are in the ANSI/NISO Z39.86 2002 format, the specification

for navigable digital talking books. Readers may press buttons on the

NLS digital talking-book player and compatible players to jump from

chapter to chapter, section to section or page to page. This ability to

quickly navigate the book structure, combined with the high-quality

human recording, make the new digital NLS download books one of the most

significant advancements in the provision of talking books for blind and

low vision people.

"The high quality navigable digital books from the new NLS BARD service

represent a major advancement in access to books, magazines, and

electronic braille for Americans who are unable to read print due to

blindness, low vision, or physical disability", says Gilles Pepin, CEO

of HumanWare. "With BARD, NLS brings its library into the home of its

patrons. Not only do NLS patrons now have access to thousands of digital

books but they can find their book of interest and download it in

minutes independently and from the comfort of their home computer."

HumanWare manufactures the popular Victor Reader Stream, a DAISY NISO

compatible digital talking-book player designed in collaboration with

the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), which several thousand NLS

patrons already use to play the new digital NISO books. The NLS digital

books on the BARD site are protected by encryption and compatible

digital book players must be authorized by NLS for eligible patrons to

play the books.

The ability to press buttons on the Victor Reader Stream to easily jump

between chapters, pages, or magazine articles, like the NLS digital

talking-book player, provides a rich audiobook reading experience never

before experienced by audiocassette readers. For reference books such as

cookery books the user can even enter a page number from the table of

contents on the Stream telephone-style number pad and the playback will

move immediately to that page. With the NLS player, Victor Reader

Stream, and the NLS BARD books, users now have immediate access to

thousands of books and can navigate them just like they would navigate

the equivalent print book's structure.

The new BARD download audiobook and magazine service is available free

of charge to eligible blind and physically handicapped individuals in

the U.S. and to citizens living abroad, who have access to a computer

and high-speed Internet connection, and who have a free NLS digital

talking-book player or own an authorized compatible digital talking-book

player such as HumanWare's Victor Reader Stream. To learn more about the

new BARD service visit
https://nlsbard.loc.gov/

About HumanWare

HumanWare is the global leader in assistive technologies for vision,

including products for the blind and visually impaired. HumanWare's

products include BrailleNote, the leading productivity device for blind

people in education, in business and in their personal lives; the Victor

Reader product line, the world's leading digital talking book players;

and myReader2, the new version of HumanWare's unique "auto-reader" for

people with low vision. For more information visit
www.humanware.com


David Andrews and white cane Harry.