[nabs-l] Can't believe this about braille

[Ari Damoulakis]

Hi everyone
I've just seen something that makes me feel quite appalled and sad. I
can't believe how much you guys have to pay simply to get or have a
book in braille? I know that now many people use electronic and audio,
and from what I hear many people don't even learn braille, but I
actually really love braille, I love reading actual braille, and not
just electronic (one line at a time I just can't stand), but paper. I
love to hold a propper braille book, page through it, feel it and read
it, especially for example if it is a book for learning a language or
even a textbook. I know you can listen to your work with jaws etc, but
I often just love actually reading. For me braille is such a  lovely
thing!
Anyway why I am writing is because I find it terrible how much you
guys are paying for braille books, its incredibly sad. I was looking
on the internet for whether there are braille books available to help
me learn some French, and I couldn't believe the prices you guys have
to pay, I saw for example on APH web site a book for 300 or 400
dollars just for the book. I had actually heard of this before, a
friend of mine wanted to find some braille maths books and he couldn't
believe it was nearly 700 dollars, but I put it down to the fact that
maybe it was just because maths is more difficult to do in braille.
But when I saw this I couldn't believe it, even for just normal books
you guys have to actually pay such high prices? I know you have to
maybe pay transcribers and things, but I can't understand why these
organisations can't get electronic files or just scan and print the
books? I'm not talking about complex things like maths that I don't
know if you can scan things like that, but normal books? Here even if
I give a book in to get transcribed, OK it sometimes takes about 6
months or even a year, but I never have to pay such incredible prices
like what you guys are, and if I'm lucky enough to find an electronic
version it costs even less. Frankly, I find it really sad and tragic
and I think I can now understand why many people there just aren't
bothering to learn how to read braille, because what is the point if
you are having to pay such high prices for books? I know you guys have
a great library but what happens if there are books you really want in
braille or would just like to have brailled? If these are the prices
that you are having to pay just for the pleasure of being able to read
1 book in braille this is just so terrible!
Ari