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Funding and governance of library and information services for visually impaired people: international case studies
Part2:Country studies
The Netherlands
Models and responsibilities
Library services for both visually impaired and print impaired people will be incorporated in the public library sector from the first of January 2007. Front offices will be organised by the existing public libraries, with a special national office for immobile visually impaired (the current situation is provision through the libraries for the blind). Production of Braille and talking books will still be provided by Dedicon, a state-funded organisation specialising in the production of alternative format materials.
Services for educational purposes (the former Dutch Library for visual and print impaired students) will be separated and kept within Dedicon. Dedicon will also continue their services for study materials.
There are a number of charity foundations involved by providing funding to projects in this area, but they are not actively involved themselves in delivering services.
Some educational libraries offer additional services to those that Dedicon provides.
Universities and commercial organisations are involved in improving services on a project basis.
Centralisation of resources
Dedicon (formerly known as FNB Netherlands) is a non-profit organization in the Netherlands which provides access to information for persons with a visual or other print impairment. Dedicon co-ordinates and is responsible for numerous functions for the Dutch Libraries for the Blind. Its services include:
- Marketing activities
- International innovation activities (Research and Development)
- National branch ICT activities
- National branch public relations and information
- International representation
- Supervision of all national technical facilities (production, reproduction and distribution) of all reading formats (audio, large print, digital and braille) for all products (books, magazines, newspapers, material for educational and professional use, sheet music, internet)
Service provision - general
Public libraries will provide the first point-of-contact, and will rely on Dedicon for provision of materials. Dedicon is the largest service provider in the Netherlands, providing a wide range of materials
- Production of 1,200 talking book titles and 450 braille book titles per year (fiction)
- Production of CD-ROM copies and distribution of these to all registered clients of the Dutch Libraries for the Blind. pproximately 1.5 million CD-ROMs are duplicated each year (fiction and periodicals)
- Duplication and distribution of Braille books. Approximately 75,000 Braille volumes are produced each year
- Publishing talking newspapers and magazines on CD in DAISY or audio CD formats. There is currently a selection of over 300 different newspapers and magazines. Dedicon also produces under contract with companies (profit and non-profit) and governments (local, national)
- Production of electronically readable newspapers and magazines in XML format. At present there are over 200 electronically readable newspapers and magazines.
- Dedicon web portal for people with a reading disability. In addition to digital distribution of daily newspapers, magazines, educational and professional books Anderslezen.nl enables people with a visual impairment to communicate with each other over the network. Approximately 2000 people use this service.
- Production of educational, independent study and work related materials for students and professionals with a reading impairment. Dedicon produces on demand, any book or other manuscript needed for study or occupational use. Educational materials range from primary school to university level materials. Services are in braille, audio (DAISY), large print or in digital format.
- Production of tactile drawings used in study materials.
- Production of accessible sheet music in braille, in audio (using a specially developed method) and in large print, for individuals with a visual impairment.
Dedicon has also taken over responsibility for the specialist libraries dedicated to serving the visually-impaired.