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

Part2:Country studies

Canada

"Service providers and producers of alternative format materials

"…Most public libraries have small collections of commercially produced audio, large print books and CNIB produced books on tape. Collectively public libraries across Canada hold thousands of audio books and large print books. But collections vary greatly and the range of available titles is very limited.

"Canada's largest bilingual library service for people who are blind or visually impaired is the Canadian National Institute for the Blind Library for the Blind (CNIB Library). The CNIB Library relies on charitable donations and on 700 volunteers to produce books in alternative formats. Typically, the CNIB Library has produced between 2,000 and 2,500 audio and Braille titles a year.

"The CNIB Library, because of its mandate and charitable status as well as limited financial resources, directly serves only library users who are blind or visually impaired. In 1999 CNIB Library launched the Visunet Canada Partners Program that offers libraries and library consortia in Canada the opportunity to access the CNIB Library collection for an annual fee to serve members of their community who are unable to read print for reasons other than a visual impairment. However, the reach of this program has been limited.

"In Quebec, new Braille titles are produced either by Institut Nazareth et Louis-Braille (INLB) or by various private producers. Existing Braille books are also purchased from European agencies. Audio books are produced in French by La Magnetotheque. Since 1995 most library services to blind and vision-impaired francophones in Quebec have been delivered through the INLB and La Magnetotheque. As of that date, CNIB entrusted the circulation of its French analogue audio collection (excluding periodicals) to INLB. The CNIB also circulates French digital audio magazines and books directly to francophones across Canada. In 2001, INLB and La Magnetotheque were combined into one single program: the Service quebecois du livre adapte (SQLA), this being a temporary measure and a transitional step toward the transfer of all library services to the new Bibliotheque nationale du Quebec (BNQ) in May 2005.

"The Montreal Association for the Blind produces alternative formats and provides services to anglophones living in Quebec.

"In British Columbia (BC) there was an Audiobook Program funded by the Public Library Services Branch until 2002 when the provincial government cancelled the funding. Due to public outcry from libraries and library users with print disabilities, the BC government offered a one-time grant of $200,000 to Inter-LINK to provide this service. Inter-LINK is a public library federation in the lower mainland and while funding is only in place for five years it is producing 50-60 titles per year with the assistance of fundraising and funds from Inter-LINK member libraries.

"Many provinces including BC, Ontario, and Manitoba provide alternative format material for post secondary students. Some provinces provide services only to students from elementary through high school, and mandates for providing services for learning disabled students vary from province to province. However, all members of the Canadian Association of Educational Resource Centres for Alternate Formats (CAER) provide interlending services to each other.

"In addition, most individual post-secondary institutions across Canada provide local services to their students. Larger university services such as the Crane Resource Centre at the University of British Columbia also loan materials extensively to other institutions. The level of production services varies considerably from requiring students to do their own self-productions to standardized products in a range of alternative formats, including Braille, tactile graphics, audio, digital audio, DAISY, e-texts, MP3, and large print formats.

"There are also commercial agencies that will produce personal, business or government information in alternative formats for a fee.

"While these programs and services help to serve the needs of Canadians with print disabilities, they are not fully integrated and have been unable to provide an equitable level of service. It has been estimated that only 2-5% of published information in English and 1-2% of published information in French is available in alternative formats.

"For over 25 years, LAC has maintained a national union catalogue of alternative format materials as part of the larger National Union Catalogue (AMICUS). The catalogue is freely accessible on the Internet and provides mainstream access to materials in Canadian libraries, including alternative formats."

The role of CNIB

CNIB is a registered charitable organization. CNIB directly serves anyone with vision loss, and through partnerships or sales can extend services to those with other print disabilities (indirect service). Many (but not all) public libraries can also serve people with vision loss, in addition to the wider print-disabled population. For many library systems, the public library may partner with CNIB and/or purchase from CNIB's talking and print Braille book sales collection in order to serve people locally.

Service provision - education

Elementary to high school

Services are provided by the provinces, and vary.

Post-secondary

Services are provided by some provinces, but others only provide for school students. Most tertiary institutions themselves provide services for their own students and there is interlending (see general description above).

The National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) published a report in May 2005, entitled "Access to Academic Materials for Post-Secondary Students with Print Disabilities" [http://neads.ca/en/about/projects/atam/].

It made a number of recommendations:

• Post-secondary students with all types of print disabilities should have access to academic materials for their studies in a format or formats of their choice.
• Materials provided must be made available in a timely manner to ensure that students who cannot use standard print can pursue college and university education on a level playing field, with equal access to all the tools of learning.
• Publishers should make their books readily available in accessible, useable, complete electronic formats, at a reasonable price.
• Initiatives such as the National Network for Equitable Public Library Service for Canadians with Print Disabilities, which includes the development of a Clearinghouse for making publishers electronic files available to alternate format producers, be supported in order to improve access to information for Canadians.
• In this regard, changes to Canada's copyright legislation are required so that the needs of those who cannot read regular print are acknowledged and accommodated.
• Students with disabilities are entitled to a complete version of the book, and all information that is available in the printed version including text as well as graphs, charts, tables, etc.
• While there is a need to establish professional standards of quality production of alternate format texts and other learning materials in Canada, this should not create an impediment to timely delivery. For that reason, disability service centres and libraries on college and university campuses should have sufficient resources, staff, and technology to continue to produce materials in a variety of formats and of different types - as required by individual students - in-house.
• In fact, there is a need for greater resources that allow academic materials to be professionally produced by those organizations that have the capacity and the expertise.
• Professionally produced books and other learning materials in all formats should be made more widely available for sharing between schools, libraries, provinces and jurisdictions.
• Professors, teachers and instructors must be willing to support the learning needs of all of their students, including those with print disabilities. Reading lists and academic requirements for each course of study must be established with sufficient leadtime to allow materials to be rendered accessible to students in formats of choice at the beginning of each semester.
• Accessibility does not end with required readings. Students with print disabilities must be able to participate in all aspect of campus life and must have access to other types of materials, including course calendars, handbooks and campus newspapers.
• Professors and instructors must become more understanding of and familiar with the requirements of students with print disabilities in their classrooms. Depending upon the school, this may necessitate the delivery of faculty training/workshop sessions involving students and disability service centre staff.
• The Internet is being used by post-secondary institutions and faculties for course work. University and college websites must be fully accessible, in particular for those who use screenreading software.
• Technology can level the playing field and allow students with disabilities to compete and succeed in a post-secondary environment. Students who require alternate format materials must have access to the best, most appropriate technology - both hardware and software ? at an affordable price. The equipment must be made available to students in their homes and also in campus disability service centres, libraries and all computer labs.
• To make full use of technologies, students with print disabilities must be provided with professional training in the use of their equipment.
• Students are often put in a position where they have to produce course materials in alternate formats themselves. This can be time-consuming and exhausting and can take away from much - needed study time. Students with disabilities must have their academic materials provided in a format of their choice from a reliable source.
• Often the biggest barrier to access to post-secondary education for students with disabilities is adequate funding to attend school considering disability related costs. The Canada Student Loans Program and provincial student financial assistance programs must continue to support students with disabilities through the Canada Study Grants and similar provincial bursary programs in terms of funding for equipment and services costs relating to access to academic materials in formats of choice.