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

Part2:Country studies

The Netherlands

Materials provision

Braille

Original materials supplied: This depends on the book category; Dedicon buy the original fiction titles in inkprint (although they try to obtain the digital files recenty). Study material is either sent to us by the school (primary school) or the client (tertiary) or we obtain the digital file or inkprint from the publisher (secondary)

Conversion: Dedicon’s production department converts the text to Braille, if possible directly from the digital file, if not the text is scanned and then converted.

On-demand: Fiction is produced for stock, it is the librarian who decides which titles are to be produced. Study material is produced on demand, it is the client who decides which school books and other study material he needs for his education

Stock: For fiction it is the librarian who decides what to produce, using the same principles as librarians in public libraries (a balance between popular titles and titles for a smaller audience) An extra restriction is the maximum of only 500 titles per year

Targets for range/depth/speed: See above; for speed Dedicon sets their own targets. The most popular titles are very quickly available in Braille, other titles can take a few weeks to a few months to produce. For study material it is the client who indicates when he needs his books and Dedicon meet this deadline if possible

Audio Daisy

Original materials supplied: The original materials are bought from the publisher in ink print or sent to Dedicon (same procedure as Braille production); Newspapers and magazines are obtained from the publisher

Conversion: Dedicon produce audio books in their studios with the help of many volunteers. A number of titles are produced by employees on the payroll

On-demand: The procedure is the same as Braille production. Newspapers and magazines are produced for stock and distributed on subscription

Stock: The procedure is the same as in Braille production

Targets for range/depth/speed: The procedure is the same as in Braille production

Supplied in alternative formats

how supplied: purchase from other production units

who supplies: Commercial producers or production units of other libraries for the blind who may sell.

Basis for decision to acquire: Through a Book Selection Policy.

Targets for range/depth/speed: ----.

Dedicon transformed their text production to Daisy XML last year. The hybrid version (text and audio combined in one product) is in development and not really an available product at this moment

Dedicon had produced audio only in Daisy format since 2004: there is no cassette service.

A committee of experts (librarians) chooses titles: 50% of titles are chosen this way. The remaining 50% is requested by the clients.

Production and distribution

Dedicon: 3,500 audio books produced annually; Total talking book collection 115,000.

Another smaller producing organisation, CBB, produces 500 talking books and Braille magazines.

• Dedicon detailed data on production, distribution and other services
• 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. Approximately 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.
• The 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.