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<div align="center"><b>Press Release<br>
</b></div>
<br>
<div align="center"><b>November 30, 2011<br>
</b></div>
<br>
<div align="center"><b>For Immediate Release<br>
</b></div>
<br>
CONTACT: Judy Dixon, Chair<br><br>
Braille Authority of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /> North
America<br><br>
Phone: 202-707-0722, Email: jdix@loc.gov<br><br>
<br><br>
<div align="center"><b>November Actions: BANA Elected New Chair,<br>
</b></div>
<br>
<div align="center"><b>Approved New Member, and Voted on Revision of
Braille Formats <br>
</b></div>
<br>
<b><i> <br>
</i></b><br>
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. <br><br>
<br><br>
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.<br><br>
<br><br>
The newly elected BANA officers for 2012 are: <br><br>
<b> Chair: Frances Mary D’Andrea</b>, representing the American
Foundation for the Blind (AFB), replaces Judy Dixon who is completing a
five-year tenure as BANA Chair;<br><br>
<br><br>
<b>Vice Chair: Mary Nelle McLennan</b>, representing the American
Printing House for the Blind (APH);<br><br>
<b>Secretary: Jennifer Dunnam</b>, representing the National Federation
of the Blind (NFB);<br><br>
<b>Treasurer: Sue Reilly,</b> representing the California Transcribers
and Educators of the Blind and Visually Impaired (CTEBVI).<br><br>
<br><br>
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 <i>Braille
Formats: Principles of Print to Braille Transcription, 2011</i>. 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.<br><br>
<br><br>
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.<br><br>
<br><br>
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.<br><br>
<br><br>
For additional resource information, visit
<a href="http://www.brailleauthority.org/">www.brailleauthority.org</a>
<br><br>
<i> <br>
</i><br>
<i>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. <br>
</i><br>
<i> <br>
</i><br>
<br>
<br><br>
_______________________________________________<br>
BANA-Announce mailing list<br>
BANA-Announce@brailleauthority.org<br>
<a href="http://www.brailleauthority.org/mailman/listinfo/bana-announce" eudora="autourl">
http://www.brailleauthority.org/mailman/listinfo/bana-announce</a>
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