Newsletter IFLA Libraries Serving Persons with Print Disabilities Section 2011/2 The IFLA/LPD Newsletter is issued twice a year. Editors: Minna von Zansen Celia Library, Finland E-mail: minna.vonzansen@celia.fi www.celia.fi Jenny Craven National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Manchester, UK E-mail: cravenj@btinternet.com The Newsletter is available at www.ifla.org/en/lpd Content Welcome from Chair TIGAR Roars (Gently) Out of the Gate! Outreach to Latin America Tallinn Pre-Conference Update IFLA LPD Blog - Please Send Us Your News! International Copyright - SCCR 23 Meeting Ulverscroft/IFLA Best Practice Awards Standing Committee Members Welcome from Chair At the IFLA conference this year at San Juan it became clear that our excellent chair Julie Rae had to say goodbye to her work for the standing committee and that we had to choose a new chair from our midst. Now of course a tangible silence filled the room when we asked around the table who would like to take over from Julie. Everybody, including myself, tried to hide under the table and pretended not to be eligible. Being a chair does indeed present an interesting challenge in itself. Following in Julie’s footsteps adds a whole dimension of expectations, and realizing that we live in crucial times as far as cross-border lending is concerned, does indeed put some extra pressure on the job ahead. So it was only after a clever and emotional appeal from one of our Japanese members that I began to see the light. With a strong and experienced secretary, Francois Hendriks from South Africa, at my side, two all-round information officers (Minna von Zansen and Kari Kummeneje), and not least, the many experts and active members on the committee, I feel confident enough to sign on for the coming 2 years. As I am writing this, the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright is rounding up its 23rd meeting and has hopefully reached a consensus on a legal instrument that would allow for worldwide cross border traffic of in-copyright accessible works that are made exclusively for the print disabled. In this issue you will find an update on that topic. Of course this international legal instrument (the Treaty for the Blind), is key to the first strategic goal of our section: creating a global accessible library from which we can share and lend out all the works that are in our collections. Together with IFLA’ s core committee on copyright and legal matters (CLM) we have provided input to this important international development. At the IFLA website, you can find many interesting articles on the work of the CLM (http://www.ifla.org/en/clm). Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best possible outcome. In the meantime and on a more practical level a TIGAR is growing up in our midst. TIGAR is a three year project which aims at safe and legally sound ways to share accessible works internationally. I have been informed that a first pack of 100 daisy audio books have been exchanged between the Canadian and the Danish Library for the Blind through the central hub at WIPO HQ in Geneva. A historical first step indeed! I hope that many will follow on this Tigar’s trail. Accessibility of information and reading is our passion. We strive to overcome the barriers that printed or electronic information might create for those who cannot read from print. Most of us are now aware of the fact that a print disability does not only occur through loss of eyesight. We know that dyslexia can present devastating obstacles to the process of learning to read and write. To many librarians and teachers, dyslexia is still a challenge with lots of insecurities on how to diagnose, treat or adapt to. Our section has conducted a preliminary survey on whether our members provide services to persons with dyslexia. Together with our natural neighboring section Library Services to People with Special Needs (LSN) we have applied for IFLA funding to help us re-write the guidelines on accessible library services for the dyslexic. The existing guidelines are now more than 10 years old and in need of a revision. This coming August, preceding the IFLA conference, we are organizing a two-day satellite conference in Tallinn (Estonia) on Reading for the Young. Presentations will include state of the art information and examples on how to best serve young people who try to adapt to a world of printed information. I am very excited about these developments and prospects. I find it an honor to serve the section as the new chair and hope to facilitate and coordinate the many excellent initiatives that are bringing a truly accessible world a little closer. Best regards, Koen Krikhaar. LPD Chair TIGAR Roars (Gently) Out of the Gate! The Trusted Intermediary Global Accessible Resources project - TIGAR , a collaborative initiative under the auspices of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Stakeholders’ Platform, has the primary objective to increase the amount of accessible materials available worldwide; and more specifically, to provide access to copyright-protected works in accessible formats for people with print disabilities across national borders. A Steering Committee, composed of representatives from the Trusted Intermediary (TI) and rightsholder (RH) communities and WIPO, is responsible for ensuring this mandate is accomplished, while operational implementation of TIGAR is the responsibility of a 3-person project management team, reporting to the Steering Committee. The project management team coordinates activities with participating TIs and RHs. Since the project launched in November 2010, the project team has been working on the pre-requisite ‘ground work’; importantly, developing and achieving consensus for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which defines the terms and conditions for a ‘Fast Track’ implementation of TIGAR. This MOU will eventually be replaced by a more robust copyright licensing arrangement or other depending on the eventual outcome of discussions at the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) meetings in Geneva regarding an international copyright framework. To date, TI organizations from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Switzerland and South Africa, and nineteen international and national rightsholders are participating in TIGAR, and others currently in discussion expect to sign the MOU before year-end. Subject matter experts from TI and RH organizations were identified and collectively make up TIGAR’s Requirements Specifications Group which, under the direction of the project management team, is undertaking various parallel initiatives key to TIGAR’s successful implementation. For example, the Group is currently investigating marketplace product options for global ‘search, discovery and access’; considering metadata required by TIs and end-users for search and discovery, covering both MARC and ONIX) data formats and standards; and addressing technical matters leading to a plausible TIGAR technology solution. Looking ahead, the project will continue to expand the number of TI and RH organizations participating in TIGAR while progressing development efforts. These developments include a mechanism to provide access to information regarding ‘works in progress’ (WIPs); determination of how TIs will want to receive and RHs provide publishers’ files including related security and technical considerations; addressing exportation matters; sourcing other content providers; determining reporting requirements; and more. But before getting too far ahead, it is worth noting that a major milestone was achieved for TIGAR in October when the first digital books were transferred successfully -- between Braillenet, (France), acting as a supplying TI, and CNIB (Canada) and Nota (Denmark), acting as consuming TIs -- over the file transfer (uploading and downloading) facility provided by WIPO! Additionally, exchange of books in accessible formats under the MOU amongst TIs in Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France and South Africa is planned for December 2011. So the TIGAR starts to roar… For more information about the TIGAR project and how to participate, please visit the TIGAR website at http://www.visionip.org/tigar/en/. Margaret McGrory, CNIB, Canada Outreach to Latin America On Friday the 12th of August, 2011 at 2 PM, the LPD Section hosted a meeting in the Galería Histórica of the National Library of Puerto Rico in San Juan to provide information and outreach about the Section to colleagues serving the print disabled in Latin America. Earlier in the year, invitations were sent in Spanish and Portuguese to numerous libraries and organizations serving persons with print disabilities in over 20 countries in Central and South America and the Caribbean. The Section wanted to use the opportunity of the 77th IFLA Congress taking place in the Americas as a way to promote outreach in the region... Present at the gathering in the National Library were Juliana Lazarim, the director of the Louis Braille Library, Saõ Paulo, Brazil; Alpídio Rolón, President, National Federation of the Blind of Puerto Rico; Lydia Usero, Vice President, National Federation of the Blind, Evelyn Torres, Head of the Regional Library for the Blind of Puerto Rico; Ígri Enriquez Rodriguez, Former Head, Regional Library for the Blind, of Puerto Rico. (Arriving on a late flight, Arsenia Miranda from the Foundation for Global Democracy and Development of the Dominican Republic was unable to reach the meeting but attended the other LPD Sessions). A number of organizations also expressed interest in the meeting, but due to funding and travel constraints were unable to attend - including the Dorina Norwill Institute of Brazil; the Department of Education of Brazil; the Salon Tiflológico of the National Library of Mexico; the National Library of Cuba; the Bolivian Institute of the Blind; the National Institute of the Blind in Colombia; and Libros Hablados of Venezuela. Julie Rae, the former Chair of the LPD Section, provided an overview of the work of the Section, including the sharing of information and best practices between libraries serving the print disabled community. Julie also briefed attendees about developments in the TIGAR Project and the WIPO treaty negotiations. Hiroshi Kawamura, President of the DAISY Consortium, provided information about DAISY 4/ EPUB 3 and the work of the DAISY. A number of the Standing Committee members also provided brief overviews of the services provided to patrons in their respective nations. After a question-and-answer session, Josefina Gómez de Hillyer, the National Librarian of Puerto Rico, graciously provided refreshments and gave a behind-the-scenes tour of the National Library and General Archives of Puerto Rico. In addition, thanks to the efforts of former LPD Chair Julie Rae, funding from the Stichting IFLA Foundation was obtained that permitted attendees of the meeting to attend the IFLA Congress as observers. The meeting was an important first step in establishing a dialogue with the countries of Latin America. However, the response was disappointing given the amount of organizations that were contacted. Hopefully, alternate channels of communications can be explored so that funding issues will not hamper dialogue and libraries and organizations serving the visually impaired, the physically disabled and those unable to read conventional print around the world. If anyone reading our newsletter - whether in Latin America or elsewhere - wants more information about the work of the Section, please feel free to drop me an email at dafe@loc.gov David Fernández-Barrial, NLS, Library of Congress, USA Tallinn Pre-Conference Update Theme: Let’s Read! Reading and Print Disabilities in Young People Dates: 8-9 August 2012 Location: Nordic Hotel Forum, Tallinn, Estonia This conference is organized by IFLA LPD www.ifla.org/lpd in cooperation with the Estonian Reading Association and the Estonian Library for the Blind www.epr.ee/sisu/index.php?lang=2 The conference will highlight the importance of delivering library services for children and teens with print disabilities, such as dyslexia or visual impairment and show how to improve services through co-operation and partnership with schools and reading associations. This conference is of interest to librarians (working with specialized library services and in public libraries), teachers, and persons working in dyslexia and related organizations, as well as other professionals working with kids with print disabilities. A call for papers has been issued: http://conference.ifla.org/ifla78/calls-for-papers-satellite Pre-conference website: http://www.nlb.no/en/ifla/ Please check back for registration details and program updates! Minna von Zansen, Member of Steering Committee IFLA LPD Blog - Please Send Us Your News! Just a reminder that IFLA has now enabled the Section to have its own blog, which is live at: http://blogs.ifla.org/lpd/ This makes it easier for us to post any news items that are relevant to Libraries for Print Disabled Persons or about accessibility issues more widely - and of course also for you to subscribe to news items using the RSS feeds. If there is news from your country that you think other libraries should know about (upcoming conferences, new projects and collaborations or new services launched...) please let me know in an email to jon.hardisty@rnib.org.uk. We can also set people up with a username for the blog part of the site so you can post your own news items directly: again, please do drop me a line to discuss! Jon Hardisty, Senior Librarian Royal National Institute of Blind People International Copyright - SCCR 23 Meeting In 2009, the WBU’s proposal for a WIPO Treaty for Improved Access for Blind, Visually Impaired and other Reading Disabled Persons was tabled at WIPO’s Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) meeting in Geneva by Brazil, Ecuador and Paraguay, later joined by Mexico. In June 2011 at SCCR 22, significant progress was reached with the ‘Consensus document on an international instrument on limitations and exceptions for persons with print disabilities’ presented by Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, and the United States of America. Essentially, four hitherto separate proposals (the World Blind Union, the European Union, the African Group and the USA), were replaced by one document. WIPO delegates had reached agreement on a single text, viewed by many as significant. Two action points were tabled for the November SCCR 23 meeting in Geneva: to finalize the text of the international instrument; and to determine if that instrument will be a binding Treaty or a non-binding Recommendation. The next step then would be to bring the ‘single text’ document to the SCCR 23 meeting for a discussion of substantive issues including the form this international framework would take – a treaty, as proposed by the WBU, or ‘soft law’. At SCCR 23 the comments and suggestions from delegates for changes to the ‘single text’ document were numerous. In the end, the Committee adopted a “Working Document on an International Instrument on Limitations and Exceptions for Persons with Print Disabilities (SCCR/23/7), prepared by the Secretariat, which will serve as a draft text for further deliberation at the next SCCR meeting in 2012. Update provided by Margaret McGrory, CNIB, Canada Ulverscroft/IFLA Best Practice Awards The Ulverscroft Foundation and the IFLA Libraries Serving Persons with Print Disabilities Section are pleased to announce the outcome of the bids for funding from the 2011 programme. The Ulverscroft Foundation had made 10,000 Pounds GB available for awards to library workers to assist the development of library services for print disabled people worldwide and to foster cooperation between library services serving these persons. The following awards have been made: - Marianne Kraack, Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind, New Zealand. £4,300 for a two week visit to Celia Library in Finland to study developments in technology and the use of DAISY protocols and how they can be used to deliver DAISY files to geographically remote areas, - Jelena Lesaja, Croatian Library for the Blind . £1,810 to visit the NOTA Library in Copenhagen and understand how the Danish approach to dyslexia could be implemented in Croatia and to attend a Conference in Copenhagen during the visit - Kristina Janc of the Narodna in Univerzitetna Knjižnica (National & University Library) Slovenia. £1,240 to visit the RNIB National Library for the Blind, UK with the aim of establishing a national library for the blind in Slovenia - Megan Gilks of the RNIB UK and Marieke Belt of Loket aangepast-lezen, The Netherlands. £2,500 for a two-week exchange visit to explore ways of marketing their services, in particular DAISY, by sharing ideas and practical experience. The judges for the award were David Owen, Chair of the Ulverscroft Foundation, Allan Leach, Trustee Ulverscroft Foundation and Dick Tucker, formerly Deputy Director of the Force Foundation Worldwide. David Owen said there had been more applications this time, and that had made the Judges’ job more difficult. However, they were pleased to be able to award funding to four excellent proposals to implement or enhance projects for print disabled people throughout the world. For further details about the award please contact: Joyce Sumner, Secretary, Ulverscroft Foundation j.sumner@ulverscroft.co.uk www.foundation.ulverscroft.com Latest Revision: Dec 2011 Copyright © International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions www.ifla.org Standing Committee Members Chair: Koen Krikhaar, Manager, Library Services, Dedicon. Secretary/Treasurer: Francois Hendrikz, Director, South African Library for the Blind Joint Information Co-ordinator: Minna von Zansen, Service Manager, Celia Library. Joint Information Co-ordinator and Treasurer: Kari Kummeneje, Head of Lending Department, The Norwegian Library of Talking Books and Braille. Galina Sergeevna Elfimova, Head Librarian, Russian State Library for the Blind. Sanja Frajtag, Director, Croatian Library for the Blind. Jon Hardisty, Senior Librarian, RNIB. Keun Hae Youk, Chief Librarian, Korean Braille Library. Dr. Thomas Kahlisch, Director, Deutsche Zentralbücherei für Blinde zu Leipzig. Hiroshi Kawamura, Technical Advisor, Information and Culture Center for the Blind. Bitte Kronkvist, Swedish Library of Talking Books and Braille. Margaret McGrory, Vice President & CIO and Managing Director, CNIB Library. Misako Nomura, Director, Information Center, Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities. Sanela Osmanagic, Assistant Manager, The Library for the Blind and the Visually Impaired in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ju Ok Park, Deputy Director, The National Library Support Center for the Disabled, the National Library of Korea. David Fernández-Barrial, Foreign Language Librarian. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) Library of Congress, U.S. Geert Ruebens, Director, Flemish Library for Audio books and Braille. Elena Zakharova, Deputy Director, Russian State Library for the Blind. Special advisers: Helen Brazier, Head, National Library Service, RNIB. Courtney Deines-Jones, Principal and Founder, The Grimalkin Group. Christopher Friend, Chair of WBU Global Right to Read Campaign, Programme Development Advisor, Sightsavers International. Joint Editor LPD Newsletter: Jenny Craven, Information Specialist, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, UK.