--Forwarded Message--
Marc Maurer, President
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
Phone: 410-659-9314
Fax: 410-685-5653
[log in to unmask]
www.nfb.org
April 19, 2007
SENT VIA E-MAIL
TO THE STATE PRESIDENTS OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
Dear Colleagues:
For the past several years we have been hearing from the Library
of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped about the development of the new Digital Talking
Book. The plan has been for Digital Talking Book machines to
become available in 2008. The NLS program has been creating
digital books which can be distributed for use with the Digital
Talking Book machines that will become available next year.
Although some people have urged that this program be accelerated,
the NLS program has pursued the development of this alteration so
that flash memory technology could be used. Part of the reason
for the schedule that has been adopted is that the cost of flash
memory technology has been very high until recently. By the time
Digital Talking Books are to be issued to library patrons, the
cost of providing reading matter on flash memory cards will be
within reasonable limits and cost-effective.
In accordance with this long anticipated transition to
Digital Talking Book technology, the NLS program is now seeking
an appropriation to fund the first year of this transition.
Cassette machines are no longer being manufactured, and the parts
for cassette machines will become obsolete within the next few
years. Consequently, it is urgent that the change to the new
Digital Talking Book format be made. Unless funding for the new
program is included in appropriations this year, the program
cannot be put in place next year. Some individual members of
Congress have been raising questions about the need for this
change, the wisdom of the NLS personnel in developing the new
format, or alternatives that may be available for reading digital
books in the commercial marketplace.
I have met with officials of the NLS program to talk about
the Digital Talking Book development for at least the last five
years. I have examined the documentation from the library
dealing with the Digital Talking Book development. I have
discussed with NLS officials and others the needs of the program,
and I have been unable to learn of any reasonable alternative to
the Digital Talking Book format being proposed. Some people have
suggested the use of CD technology, but knowledgeable
technologists indicate that CD technology is nearing the end of
its innovative cycle. By giving you all of this background, I am
letting you know that somebody appears to want to stop the
transformation of talking books to the new digital format. I
urge all of you to get information to the members of the
subcommittees in the House of Representatives and Senate to tell
them how much this program is needed. The subcommittees dealing
with this matter are the House Legislative Branch subcommittee
and the Senate Legislative Branch appropriations subcommittee.
The chairperson of the subcommittee in the House of
Representatives is Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, and the chairperson
of the subcommittee in the Senate is Mary Landrieu. These
subcommittees are part of the appropriations committee both in
the House of Representatives and the Senate. The chairperson for
the Appropriations committee (a democrat) is David Obey and the
ranking republican (minority party) is Jerry Lewis. The
chairperson in the Senate (a democrat) is Robert Byrd and the
ranking republican (the minority party) is Thad Cochran. I urge
you to write to your Representatives and to your Senators telling
them that the appropriation for the Digital Talking Book program
and the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped is vitally important to the blind of the nation. I
urge you to send copies of your letters to the chairpersons of
these committees. I urge you to get these letters to the members
of Congress by e-mail or fax. Mail delivered by the postal
service is always held up these days because the postal service
scans all mail for foreign substances. The members of the
subcommittees for the House of Representatives and the Senate are
listed here along with contact information. This action is
urgently needed now. Please let me know if you get either
positive or negative responses from members of Congress.
Cordially,
Marc Maurer, President
National Federation of the Blind
Please either fax your letters or call the office of the Senator
or Representative to find out how best to transmit, and to whom
to address, your correspondence.
Senate Committee on Appropriations:
Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-WV), Chair
311 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax (202) 228-0002
Phone (202) 224-3954
Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS), Ranking Minority Member
113 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax (202) 224-9450
Phone (202) 224-5054
For the Senate Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch:
Sen. Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA), Chair
724 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax (202) 224-9735
Phone (202) 224-5824
Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-IL)
309 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax (202) 228-0400
Phone (202) 224-2152
Sen. E. Benjamin Nelson (D-NE)
720 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax (202) 228-0012
Phone (202) 224-6551
Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO), Ranking Minority Member
521 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax (202) 224-6471
Phone (202) 224-5941
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
455 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax (202) 228-3398
Phone (202) 224-4944
For the House Committee on Appropriations:
Rep. David R. Obey (D-WI), Chair
2314 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-3240
Phone (202) 225-3365
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA), Ranking Minority Member
2112 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-6498
Phone (202) 225-5861
For the House Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch:
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Chair
118 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-8456
Phone (202) 225-7931
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)
2444 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-9817
Phone (202) 225-2661
Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM)
1410 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 226-1331
Phone (202) 225-6190
Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA)
1713 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-2699
Phone (202) 225-2631
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)
1714 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-1968
Phone (202) 225-6631
Rep. C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD)
1730 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-3094
Phone (202) 225-3061
Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN), Ranking Minority Member
1436 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-3494
Phone (202) 225-3271
Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL)
1424 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-9249
Phone (202) 225-6201
Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-CA)
2410 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Fax (202) 225-5444
Phone (202) 225-2511
________________________________
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