rightscom

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

Part2:Country studies

South Africa

Barriers

Blindlib

Funding because we cannot employ the levels and number of skilled staff needed to produce what we would like to, which in fact we should be producing

Copyright which is onerous and time consuming at present is detrimental to fast delivery of materials, but is being addressed

Stellenbosch University

Funding levels is the most important barrier. Copyright also impacts on availability of materials, since much effort needs to be duplicated in transcription into alternative formats, as work already done in the US cannot simply be imported electronically and reproduced in SA.

Barrier most wished to remove

Blindlib

Funding

• Generous financial support from government as this would allow us to be adequately staffed, equipped and housed (we are running out of space).
• Sufficient financial support for the employment of enough skilled staff to deliver the service and production our clients are entitled to plus the equipment needed for the envisaged output.