[nobe-l] Fwd: [BANA-Announce] BANA Fall Meeting News

[David Andrews]

>
>Press Release
>
>November 30, 2011
>
>For Immediate Release
>
>CONTACT: Judy Dixon, Chair
>
>Braille Authority of <?xml:namespace prefix = 
>st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /> North America
>
>Phone: 202-707-0722, Email: jdix at loc.gov
>
>
>
>November Actions: BANA Elected New Chair,
>
>Approved New Member, and Voted on Revision of Braille Formats
>
>
>
>The Braille Authority of North America (BANA) 
>held its fall meeting on November 3–6, 2011, in 
>Baltimore, MD. The National Federation of the 
>Blind (NFB), a BANA member organization, hosted 
>the meeting, which included an Open Forum that 
>provided an opportunity for participants to 
>learn more about the workings of BANA and to 
>provide feedback to the Board about braille.
>
>
>
>During its three-day meeting, the BANA Board 
>reviewed and acted on semiannual reports from 
>its eighteen committees and deliberated issues 
>and challenges facing braille users and 
>producers. Notable actions by the Board included 
>the approval of an application of full BANA 
>membership by Horizons for the Blind; the 
>election of officers; and consideration of the 
>revision of the formats guidelines publication, 
>a monumental project undertaken by the Braille 
>Formats Technical Committee.  Additionally, BANA 
>welcomed two new Board Representatives – Ruth 
>McKinney from Braille Institute of America and 
>Susan Spicknall from National Braille Press.
>
>
>
>The newly elected BANA officers for 2012 are:
>
>  Chair: Frances Mary D’Andrea, representing the 
> American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), 
> replaces Judy Dixon who is completing a five-year tenure as BANA Chair;
>
>
>
>Vice Chair: Mary Nelle McLennan, representing 
>the American Printing House for the Blind (APH);
>
>Secretary: Jennifer Dunnam, representing the 
>National Federation of the Blind (NFB);
>
>Treasurer: Sue Reilly, representing the 
>California Transcribers and Educators of the 
>Blind and Visually Impaired (CTEBVI).
>
>
>
>Based on extensive review prior to the meeting, 
>the Board evaluated the proposed revision to the 
>Braille Formats publication. The previous 
>edition of these guidelines for making 
>structural decisions when transcribing was last 
>published in 1997. In an email vote completed in 
>mid-November, the BANA Board approved the 
>adoption of the Braille Formats: Principles of 
>Print to Braille Transcription, 2011. In the 
>coming months, after publishing preparations are 
>complete, the final document will be posted on 
>the BANA website and will be produced for 
>purchase. BANA recognizes the hard work and 
>remarkable commitment of the Braille Formats 
>Technical Committee in completing this complex project.
>
>
>
>In the months before the Board meeting, Horizons 
>for the Blind, a not-for-profit organization 
>located in Crystal Lake, IL, applied for full 
>membership in BANA.  After reviewing the 
>extensive application, the BANA Board approved 
>full membership for Horizons for the Blind and 
>welcomed them into the organization.
>
>
>
>BANA’s next meeting will take place in 
>connection with the National Braille 
>Association’s conference in St. Louis. The dates 
>of this spring meeting will be April 28 through 
>30, 2012, with the Open Forum scheduled for 
>Saturday, April 28. Additional details about the 
>spring meeting will be announced in the next few months.
>
>
>
>For additional resource information, visit 
><http://www.brailleauthority.org/>www.brailleauthority.org
>
>
>
>The mission and purpose of the Braille Authority 
>of North America are to assure literacy for 
>tactile readers through the standardization of 
>braille and/or tactile graphics. BANA promotes 
>and facilitates the use, teaching, and 
>production of braille. It publishes rules, 
>interprets, and renders opinions pertaining to 
>braille in all existing codes. It deals with 
>codes now in existence or to be developed in the 
>future, in collaboration with other countries 
>using English braille. In exercising its 
>function and authority, BANA considers the 
>effects of its decisions on other existing 
>braille codes and formats; the ease of 
>production by various methods; and acceptability to readers.
>
>
>
>
>
>
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