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Funding and governance of library and information services for visually impaired people: international case studies

Part2:Country studies

The Netherlands

Rights and attitudes

Rights are enshrined in legislation and also via court decisions.

Public buildings have to be adjusted to guarantee equal access. Products and services are not included in a general right. They do encourage participation, but again it is not covered by law.

Visually impaired people are entitled to equipment like Braille bars, Daisy players, etc. under Dutch Health legislation. Postal services are free of charge. Under specific circumstances dyslexic people are entitled to Daisy players.

The users' organisations do expect the same access. Many elderly people are quite content with what they are offered. Of course younger people needing study material do demand everything they need in accessible format.

Many visually impaired people have a good network of family and friends who help them get access to reading materials. Many of them have personal networks, but many of them want to access information without depending on other people. Probably the same number of people (mostly the elderly) do not have a personal network.