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

Part2:Country studies

South Africa

Preferred situation

Description

A system that would deliver the goods in all aspects of need provision to the visually and print-impaired, particularly in the rural areas: Realistic funding to the Blindlib as the only library for the blind in the country so as to fulfill its mandate, including provision of playback equipment.

Free computer hardware and Internet access for all visually impaired people in the schools and in their homes and in community centres in rural areas. Sufficient public libraries with equal facilities, including adaptive technology, for visually impaired S. Functioning schools with skilled and qualified staff and well equipped production units. Country-wide Braille literacy units.

Funding

From government by means of extra taxes raised, a % of VAT, abolition or redistribution of VAT on all books

Who would deliver

Blindlib, public and specialist libraries

How would organisations work together

Blindlib would provide alternate format material, including digital delivery to public and education libraries. Public libraries would provide generous space, specialist staff and specialised equipment for digital download of books onto CD or as hardcopy Braille documents. Shelving space for an adequate collection of block loans of audio cassettes, CDs and Braille books. Education libraries would provide all schools with well-equipped school libraries and qualified school librarians as per public libraries above.

How the services would be delivered

By postal service or e-delivery from Blindlib to public and education (school) libraries; direct to the public in the public libraries and through the school library system.

Ideal level of service

The reality of the right book for the right person at the right time, a basic tenet for a literate nation. Full and equal access to information provided by a committed government by full funding to all organisations described above to provide the best level of service that money can buy.