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I believe that you are correct. It also doesn't matter how the
pages are bound -- or not.<br><br>
Libraries for the blind see individual post office differences all the
time -- and there is no simple answer except education.<br><br>
Dave<br><br>
At 03:03 PM 5/24/2019, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">I just did a Google search on
Shipping Free Matter and found the below. Given the below is current and
up to date, I think its saying I can ship Free Matter without needing a
special cert and I should not have been questioned the way I was. What do
you folks think?<br>
<br>
Link & text are below ...<br>
<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times">
<a href="https://pe.usps.com/archive/html/dmmarchive20030810/E040.htm">
https://pe.usps.com/archive/html/dmmarchive20030810/E040.htm</a><br>
</font> <br>
Domestic Mail Manual E040 Free Matter for the Blind and Other Physically
Handicapped Persons<br>
ARCHIVED DMM<br>
Contents Index<br>
<br>
E000 Special Eligibility Standards<br>
<br>
E040 Free Matter for the Blind and Other Physically Handicapped
Persons<br>
<br>
Summary<br>
<br>
E040 describes the standards under which mail may be sent to or from
blind or physically handicapped persons free of postage.<br>
<br>
1.0 Basic Information<br>
<br>
1.1General <br>
<br>
[8-8-02] Subject to the standards below, matter may be entered free of
postage if mailed by or for the use of blind or other persons who cannot
read or<br>
use conventionally printed materials due to a physical handicap. The
provisions of <br>
E040 apply to domestic mail only.<br>
<br>
1.2Mail Classification <br>
<br>
Matter mailed free under this standard is not considered part of any
particular class of mail and is not protected against postal inspection.
This matter<br>
is treated as First-Class Mail for the exclusive purposes of determining
appropriate standards for processing and delivery and for handling if
undeliverable.<br>
<br>
1.3Eligibility <br>
<br>
[8-8-02] The following persons are considered to be blind or unable to
read or use conventionally printed material due to a physical handicap
for purposes<br>
of this section:<br>
<br>
a. Certified participants in the Library of Congress National Library
Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS).<br>
<br>
b. Blind persons whose visual acuity, as determined by competent
authority, is 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting lenses, or
whose widest<br>
diameter of visual field subtends angular distance no greater than 20
degrees.<br>
<br>
c. Other physically handicapped persons certified by competent authority
as meeting one or more of the following conditions:<br>
<br>
(1) Having a visual disability, with correction and regardless of optical
measurement, that prevents the reading of standard printed material.<br>
<br>
(2) Being unable to read or unable to use standard printed material as a
result of physical limitations.<br>
<br>
(3) Having a reading disability resulting from organic dysfunction and of
sufficient severity to prevent their reading printed material in a normal
manner.<br>
<br>
(4) Meeting the requirements of eligibility resulting from a
degenerative, variable disease that renders them unable to read or use
conventional printed<br>
material because of impaired eyesight or other physical factors. These
persons are eligible during the time in which they are certified by a
competent<br>
authority as unable to read or use conventional materials.<br>
<br>
d. Eligible participants must be residents of the United States,
including the several states, territories, insular possessions, and the
District of Columbia,<br>
or American citizens domiciled abroad.<br>
<br>
1.4Certifying Authority <br>
<br>
[8-8-02] For purposes of this standard:<br>
<br>
a. The postmaster may extend the free matter privilege to an individual
recipient based on personal knowledge of the individual’s
eligibility.<br>
<br>
b. In cases of blindness, visual impairment, or physical limitations,
“competent authority” is defined to include doctors of medicine;
doctors of osteopathy;<br>
ophthalmologists; optometrists; registered nurses; therapists; and
professional staff of hospitals, institutions, and public or private
welfare agencies<br>
(e.g., social workers, caseworkers, counselors, rehabilitation teachers,
and superintendents). In the absence of any of these, certification may
be made<br>
by professional librarians or by any person whose competence under
specific circumstances is acceptable to the Library of Congress (see 36
CFR 701.10(b)(2)(i)).<br>
<br>
c. In the case of reading disability from organic dysfunction,
“competent authority” is defined as doctors of medicine and doctors
of osteopathy.<br>
<br>
1.5Qualifying Individuals <br>
<br>
[8-8-02] The USPS may require individuals claiming entitlement to the
free matter privilege to furnish evidence of eligibility consistent with
the standards<br>
in 1.3 and 1.4<br>
, or verify by other means that the recipients are eligible to receive
free matter.<br>
<br>
2.0 Matter Sent to Blind or Other physically Handicapped Persons<br>
<br>
2.1Acceptable Matter <br>
<br>
Subject to 2.2 , this matter may be mailed free:<br>
<br>
a. [8-8-02] Reading matter in braille or 14-point or larger sightsaving
type and musical scores.<br>
<br>
b. Sound reproductions.<br>
<br>
c. Paper, records, tapes, and other material for the production of
reading matter, musical scores, or sound reproductions.<br>
<br>
d. Reproducers or parts of them for sound reproductions.<br>
<br>
e. Braille writers, typewriters, educational or other materials or
devices, or parts thereof, used for writing by, or designed or adapted
for use of, a<br>
blind person or a person who has a physical impairment as described in
<br>
1.3 .<br>
<br>
2.2Conditions <br>
<br>
The matter listed in 2.1 must meet these conditions:<br>
<br>
a. The matter must be for the use of a blind or other physically
handicapped person.<br>
<br>
b. Either no charge, rental, subscription, or other fee is required for
this matter; or, if required, may not exceed the cost of the item.<br>
<br>
c. The matter may be opened and inspected by the USPS.<br>
<br>
d. [8-8-02] The matter contains no advertising. Advertising is defined
as:<br>
<br>
(1) All material of which a valuable consideration is paid, accepted, or
promised, that calls attention to something to get people to buy it, sell
it,<br>
seek it, or support it.<br>
<br>
(2) Reading matter or other material of which an advertising rate is
charged.<br>
<br>
(3) Articles, items, and notices in the form of reading matter inserted
by custom or understanding that textual matter is to be inserted for the
advertiser<br>
or the advertiser’s products in which a display advertisement
appears.<br>
<br>
(4) An organization’s advertisement of its own services or issues, or
any other business of the publisher, whether in display advertising or
reading matter.<br>
<br>
2.3Letters From Sighted <br>
<br>
Letters prepared in any form by sighted individuals, to be sent to a
blind or other physically handicapped person, or empty shipping materials
for mailing<br>
matter described in this section, may not be sent free and must bear the
full applicable postage.<br>
<br>
3.0 Matter Sent by Blind or Other physically Handicapped Persons<br>
<br>
3.1Acceptable Letters <br>
<br>
[8-8-02] Only letters in braille or in 14-point or larger sightsaving
type or in the form of sound recordings, and containing no advertising,
may be mailed<br>
free, and only if unsealed and sent by a blind or other physically
handicapped person as described in <br>
1.3 .<br>
<br>
3.2Other Letters <br>
<br>
Letters that are handwritten, or printed or typed in a type size smaller
than 14 points, may not be sent free. These letters must bear the full
applicable<br>
postage.<br>
<br>
4.0 Preparation<br>
<br>
4.1Basic Standards <br>
<br>
All matter mailed under this standard:<br>
<br>
a. Must be marked “Free Matter for the Blind or Handicapped” in the
upper right corner of the address side.<br>
<br>
b. Must meet the minimum and maximum dimensions in C010 and C700 ,
respectively.<br>
<br>
c. Is subject to the mailability standards in C020 and C030 .<br>
<br>
4.2Special Services <br>
<br>
Insurance is the only special service that can be added to mail sent
under this standard. The fee for insurance must be paid by the
sender.<br>
<br>
DMM Issue 58 (8-10-03)<br>
<br>
ARCHIVED DMM<br>
<br>
ARCHIVED DMM</blockquote><div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br />
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