Check http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html for list archives
Hello all,
Such a "panic" would not be caused by NLS simply providing an explanation of
what the situation is. While I understand that they may not be able to tell
us everything, at leasta brief glimpse into the proverbial bureaucratic mind
would be helpful. Unless there is some kind of "national security
issue,"--isn't everything one?--there is no reason why NLS should be so
silent. Let me suggest that many blind people who appear to be "panicking"
are simply doing so because of an arrogant, off-handed manner in which NLS
appears to be treating the community. It's the "follow us without question"
model that gawls me. While I would typically agree that patience in these
cases is the best method to employ, this situation warrants something more.
A simple petition to request web-braill return isn't sufficient. I, for
one, am more upset at the treatment that blind community is facing. I would
rather have an apology from MR. Cilke and an explanation then flood them
with requests to restore. It is obvious that web-braille is going to return
in some form or another. The silence does make me wonder what form that
will take; and I have my suspicions as well. But the strategy here is
completely wrong.
Pratik
Pratik Patel
Director, CUNY Assistive technology Services (CATS)
The City University of New York
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Visually Impaired Computer Users' Group List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jack and Seetbriar
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2006 7:19 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VICUG-L] Web Braille Petition
Check http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html for list archives
I can only sit here and shake my head.. It is simply not possible for me
to
express how profoundly I dis-agree with you both... So I'm not even going
to try...
--
Jack
mailto:[log in to unmask]
On Tue, 16 May 2006, David Poehlman wrote:
> Check http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html for list archives
>
>
> ....and lest some of you beleive Mike and I are in collusion on this, I
just
> now saw this message. I canonly say though that I agree and Thanks Mike
for
> posting.
>
> On May 15, 2006, at 12:36 PM, Michael Barber wrote:
>
> Check http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html for list archives
>
>
> I have seen that many people are hitting the "Panic Button" because of
> the notice which appeared last week regarding the discontinuation of the
> Web Braille Site. It's so bad that the President of a national
> organization has already written an article which will appear in their
> June publication.
> I, for one, am not one who is hitting the panic button. I believe that
> something must have happened which is requiring the temporary closure of
> the site while some things are attended to. I do think, however, NLS
> could have done a better job with their notice. I think they should
> have added the word temporary in the notice so people wouldn't get the
> wrong idea. I'm guessing somebody may have hacked the site or
> something, but I don't know for sure.
> Below is something I saw from another List. Included in this posting
> is a note from Frank Kurt Cylke, and even though it's short, I think it
> got right to the point.
>
>
> Dear Mr. Cylke,
> I know that you don't know me, so please forgive my barging into your
> inbox. I got your address from someone who passed it along on an e-mail
> discussion
> list pertaining to the use of the BrailleNote note-taker.
> I'm writing to you this evening to tell you that I was quite surprised
> and
> disappointed yesterday to find that the Web Braille service is shut
> down.
> The
> Web Braille service has been my primary source of electronic Braille
> books
> for the past six years, and, as an avid reader, I can tell you that the
> removal
> of the service was a shocking blow. It will be sorely missed by all of
> us
> throughout the country who have derived immense pleasure from being able
> to freely download books whenever we get the urge to read. Thus I'm
> compelled to write to you this evening, as others undoubtedly will,
> imploring NLS to consider reinstating the service. If that's not
> possible, for technical or security reasons, it is my sincere hope that
> a suitable
> alternative, with an even greater wealth of reading material, will be
> provided
> as soon as possible.
> Sincerely,
> Tom Lange
>
>
> Mr. Cylke kindly replied:
>
> Mr. LANGE: Web-braille will be back soon. Thank you for your thoughtful
>
> message. Kurt Cylke ... P.S. Please feeel free to "barge in" anytime.
> Kurt
> Cylke
>
> Frank Kurt Cylke, Director
> National Library Service for the
> Blind and Physically Handicapped
> Library of Congress
> Washington, DC 20542
>
> 202-707-5104
> Fax 202-707-1690
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Visually Impaired Computer Users' Group List
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Judi Piscitello
> Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006 10:27 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [VICUG-L] Web Braille Petition
>
>
> Check http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html for list archives
>
>
> Reasons to sign the online petition (link below article) and to
> encourage AFB, NFB and other organizations to advocate as well:
>
> The Mosen Explosion (Blog)
> Friday, May 12, 2006
>
> The Demise of Web Braille
>
> By Jonathan Mosen
>
> Since it became known that the US Library of Congress's National Library
> Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) was closing Web
> Braille apparently on a temporary basis, there has been much speculation
> as to why. At the time of posting, the only official comment I have read
> from NLS is that the sight has been closed for security reasons and that
> they hope the closure will be short lived.
>
> My immediate thoughts on this are threefold.
>
> Firstly, I hope that members of both consumer organisations are not just
> writing to NLS, which they certainly should be doing, but also writing
> to the leadership of their consumer organisation to ask for the maximum
> possible advocacy effort on this matter. When it has come to issues such
> as promoting Braille and access to blindness services, both
> organisations have a good track record of burying what differences exist
> and working together for the common good of all Americans. I sincerely
> hope that advocating strenuously for the return of Web Braille is an
> issue that falls into this category. Both organisations have gifted
> blind advocates who serve Americans well. Let's hope that talent can be
> pooled for the sake of this important issue.
>
> Secondly, blind Americans are tax payers too. A service they have come
> to depend on and value has been taken away from them, with very little
> explanation. We need to know more about the nature of the security
> concern. Does the security concern relate to the potential to back
> translate Braille material? Are accounts compromised in some way? Is it
> something else? We don't yet, as far as I am aware, know why the service
> was suddenly pulled, and we need to. Surely a Government department
> funded by US taxes has a duty to be much more forthcoming with
> information. Blind people can speculate all they like on the reasons,
> but that speculation is unhelpful and merely adds to the confusion. The
> first step to understanding the shut-down is to be informed as to the
> reasons for it. Again, if there is an issue, there are many gifted blind
> technology experts who'd be glad to lend their expertise to the problem.
>
> Thirdly, while I support wholeheartedly the endeavours of each and every
> person who seeks to have this service restored, I would urge those
> affected by the Web Braille shut-down to take a moment to reflect on how
> much they value the service, and how many people throughout the world
> cannot access a similar service. Special format material is a precious
> and scarce resource. It seems to me a tragedy that, with the shortage
> of special format material that exists as compared with the millions of
> titles available to sighted people in print, more isn't done to minimise
> duplication of effort in
> special format production, and to facilitate the sharing of that
> material.
>
> Mechanisms need to exist for greater sharing of special format material
> between countries which have similar copyright laws. For example, my
> view is that those outside of the US, living in countries with copyright
> laws that support the provision of special format material by prescribed
> organisations without having to seek the permission of the copyright
> holder, should be able to access Web Braille for a fee. Web Braille is
> paid for by US tax dollars, and it is not my view that non-US blind
> citizens should somehow enjoy a free ride off the US tax payer. It's
> interesting to note though that given the huge foreign aid budget of
> many western countries, the US included, allowing a few blind people
> outside of the US to access the service would be a mere drop in the
> bucket, particularly if the processing was handled by an appropriate
> blindness agency in the country in question. US citizens should also
> have reciprocal rights in countries where similar services are
> available.
>
> All of us as blind people know how frustrating it can be to get access
> to what we want to read. If the will truly existed, ways could be found
> to better facilitate the sharing of special format material. It's the
> right thing to do, and it is an area where the US is uniquely positioned
> to lead the way. It would mean that five or six copies of the same book
> would no longer need to be produced in different countries, which is a
> shameful nonsense and a waste of resources.
>
> So let's hope an explanation is forthcoming, the consumer organisations
> work together to get the service restored, and that US citizens use this
> down time to think about how it is for many blind people around the
> world, and perhaps develop a bit of compassion as a result.
>
> Oh and a final thought. Please spare a thought for blind people working
> for NLS right now. I have no doubt it's not easy when one would like to
> be more forthcoming to one's fellow blind people, but for whatever
> reason cannot be.
>
> http://jmosen.livejournal.com/244287.html
>
>
> Please help us restore Web Braille by signing the online petition at:
>
> http://www.PetitionOnline.com/braille/petition.html
>
>
> VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
> Send comments on list operation to
> [log in to unmask]
> VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
> http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html
> Signoff: [log in to unmask]
> Subscribe: [log in to unmask]
>
>
> VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
> Send comments on list operation to
> [log in to unmask]
> VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
> http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html
> Signoff: [log in to unmask]
> Subscribe: [log in to unmask]
>
>
> VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
> Send comments on list operation to
> [log in to unmask]
> VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
> http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html
> Signoff: [log in to unmask]
> Subscribe: [log in to unmask]
>
VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
Send comments on list operation to
[log in to unmask]
VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html
Signoff: [log in to unmask]
Subscribe: [log in to unmask]
VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
Send comments on list operation to
[log in to unmask]
VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html
Signoff: [log in to unmask]
Subscribe: [log in to unmask]
|
