Unfortunately it's for US residents. It looks rather good in principal,
although the range is obviously small at present and includes many
older, out of copyright, classic texts (which I presume that non US
resident can download, as you don't have to be a member).
I note that this service does also include other reading difficulties,
not just VI:
"Qualifying disabilities include visual impairments and blindness,
reading disabilities, and physical impairments that make it difficult or
impossible to read printed books".
-- much as the UK Copyright exception proposals should but don't.
But perhaps something will be available over here: "we expect to
cooperate with libraries for the disabled in different countries to the
extent permitted by local law." -- another reason for making sure that
the law over here will include other reading difficulties apart from VI.
Regards
Ian Litterick
iANSYST Ltd Email [log in to unmask]
Fen House, Fen Road, CAMBRIDGE, CB4 1UN, UK.
Tel (+44) (0) 1223 42 01 01.
Fax (+44) (0)1223 42 66 44.
FREEPhone from UK only 0500 14 15 15.
http://www.dyslexic.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of GIBBERD DEBORAH
Sent: 28 February 2002 11:32
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: subscription access to US scanned books
Thought others might like to know about this service, which could
be useful for certain students - getting good academic material
relies on it also being used by VI college students in the US.
A new American website, Bookshare.org, will allow blind people
and people with visual impairments to share books that they've
scanned.
Inspired by Napster, Bookshare falls under a 1996 amendment to
the copyright law that allows certain organisations to distribute
literary works in specialised formats exclusively for use by disabled
people.
The site requires written proof of disability, and it encrypts each
book, electronically stamping it so it can be traced.
The service costs fifty US dollars a year or an equivalent amount of
time volunteering on the site.
The Association of American Publishers, wary of possible
copyright violations will be closely watching the experiment to
make sure the protections work.
More: www.bookshare.org
Deborah Gibberd
Disability & Dyslexia Centre Co-ordinator
Tel:020 8331 8212
Fax:020 8331 8604
Dreadnought Building
Maritime Greenwich Campus
Old Royal Naval College
Greenwich SE10 9LS
London SE10 9LS
--------------------------------------------------------
iANSYST Ltd, Fen House, Fen Road, Cambridge, CB4 1UN
(UK) 01223 420101, www.dyslexic.com
--------------------------------------------------------
|