Hello listers, Hello listers, This is another call for volunteers to help translate material for the new IBRC Braille book bank. We have had a good deal of responce from individuals but there are more books and materials out there than we have folks to translate. the more help we can get with this project the greater the number and variety of offerings this new resource will have. If you wish to help please E-mail me privately so wwe can get you started. further information about this project appears below. I hope to hear from you soon. The International Braille Research Center, (Ibrc), a project of the National Federation of the Blind, announces its plans to construct an exciting new Internet Resource for Braille users. During the coming year the IBRC plans to build an on-line Braille Book Depository. The depository will contain material in grate Ii Braille. These materials can be read on-line or can be downloaded and produced in Hard Copy Braille or read with a Braille-aware device such as a paperless Braille Display or a Braille notetaker such as the Braille-n Speak. It will also be possible to access the titles contained in the Braille Book Depository using speech. This resource will supplement other collections of on-line Braille materials such as that being established by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, (NLS.) The NLS beta tested this concept earlier this near and plans to expand its offerings. For the first year or so many of the selections will be literary titles but we also plan to add specialty materials as time and resources permits. To assist in the development of this depository we would like the following types of assistance: 1. Translators: Books, magazines, and other types of information will be gathered from Internet sites such as Project Gutenberg, and from other sources and translated in to electronic Grade ii Braille. Those wishing to help with translation will be sent titles via either snail mail or e-mail: and will be expected to return them when translation is completed. These title will then be placed in the depository. To volunteer to translate materials please contact Peter Donahue, the Project Coordinator, and Webmaster for the Braille Book Depository at the address, phone number, and e-mail address given below: Peter Donahue 100 Lorenz Road APT. 1205 San Antonio, Texas 78209 Phone: (210) 826-9579 e-mail: [log in to unmask] If you want to volunteer to help translate books in to Braille please let us know what types of material you like to read so we can send you books that will be of interest to you. In addition this will also help us develop a cross section of materials that will be of interest to many blind people the World over. This should be a fun and enjoyable project to carry out and we want to help make it so for those who will help with the translation of materials in to Braille. Also please let us know if you want to receive material for translation via E-mail or snail mail. 2. Sources of Material in Grade II format: It is our belief that a certain amount of material already exists in Grade II Format and we would like to include it in the depository. If you know of any sources of materials available in electronic Grade II Format please let us know where it can be found so we can download it for placement in the depository or you can send us the URLS where this information is located so we can link to it. If you have any materials in electronic Grade II Format and would like them to be added to the depository please send them to us via snail mail or via e-mail at the addresses given above. Electronic Grade II Braille files usually can be identified by their extensions. The most commonly used Braille file extensions are .brf, and. brl. These materials can include, but are not limited to literary titles, appliance manuals, computer and software manuals, Crafts books, how-to titles, cook books, maps, Braille graphics, text books, music scores just about anything you can imagine and would like to contribute to this resource. We will accept contributions from anywhere in the World thus giving this project an international scope. 3. Financial Assistance: Since there are many types of materials that could be included in a resource such as this we would like to be able to pay for translation of materials as well as for the general maintenance of the BRAILLE Book Depository. Any and all contributions to this project are welcomed and should be sent to the following address: Dr. T.V. Cranmer President, International Braille Research Center Office 4424 Brookhaven Avenue Louisville, Kentuckey 40220 WHEN will it be on-line: We plan to launch the site and make it available to the blind community as soon as we have a minimum of at least 100 titles in Grade II, Braille but an enthusiastic response, and contributions of materials already in Grade Ii Format will boost this number significantly. You can learn more about the activities of the International Braille Research Center by visiting: http://www.braille.org. This new and exciting resource promises to revolutionize the availability of Braille to the blind World-wide in the next millennium and represents a cutting-edge solution to access to material in Braille. With this new venture we're headed for the future and the future is now! The power of the dream The faith in things unseen The courage to embrace your fear No matter where you are To reach for your own star To realize the power of the dream "The Power of the Dream" "Celine Dion" Peter donahue