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

[Sophie Trist]

Ari, you know you can get braille books for free from your state 
library for the blind (well, at least I know Louisiana has one) 
or from the national library in Utah. That's where I got all my 
braille books before I sarted using my braillenote. While I'll 
say that electronic reading is a lot more convenient (braille 
books are so heavy and clunky) I do appreciate braille. Because 
electronics can break. I think that's what a lot of people don't 
realize. And if electronics break and you don't know as a backup, 
you're in deep trouble. Audio is no excuse for not learning 
braille. My personal belief is that just as all sighted kids must 
learn print, all of usmust learn braille. Sorry for the long 
rant, but the bottom line is, I agree with you, Ari. If a print 
book only costs $20-30, braille shouldn't cost that much more.

 ----- Original Message -----
From: Ari Damoulakis <aridamoulakis at gmail.com
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Fri, 1 Feb 2013 09:47:47 +0200
Subject: [nabs-l] Can't believe this about braille

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

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