Ya gotta wonder:
Last Thursday, subscribers to the National Library Service's Web Braille site found this announcement when they logged in:
"Because of technical and security difficulties, Web Braille will be unavailable in the near future. NLS regrets the inconvenience and will provide further information as soon as possible."
The public still can't find out what's happening or why.
No; it's not "national security." But still, awfully high-handed.
And no explanation we could find anywhere. No media coverage at all that I've been able to find.
"imagine going to your favorite library or bookstore and finding it closed until further notice with no warning given beforehand," says a reader. "Further, imagine you live in a small town and your favorite source of reading material is almost your only source."
Web Braille offers access to thousands of electronic braille books for downloading. It's a service provided by the Library of Congress's "National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped."
Earlene Hughes over at the blog Earlene's Audio Paradise is talking up the petition drive.
I suppose they're worried over at NLS that some illegal blind people might be wanting to get their fingers on those free digital Braille editions of books. Ya know, ones who haven't signed up to be "eligible."
Like most programs "for the blind and handicapped," Web Braille, while free, is available only to "eligible" people -- blind readers -- who must register for the service through their local library affiliate of the NLS. It is almost impossible to learn about the existence of the Web Braille service fromtheir site; it seems, as with many government programs for blind and disabled people, there's an effort to keep the user base small.
Finally, after poking about, one can find the Web Braille Factsheet, which provides no way to access the Web Braille site itself. "The Web-Braille site is password-protected, and all files are in an electronic form of contracted braille, requiring the use of special equipment for access," says the Factsheet page.
From petitioners' comments:
I am hearing impaired and do not use audio books of any form. Web braille revolutionized the way I read and I thanked God the day I first signed up for it. I'm able to read anywhere now, and I don't have to worry about the limited space I have in which to store hardcopy braille books. The loss of Web braille will be keenly felt by many, such as myself, if it isn't brought back.
and
At the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind, our students use WebBraille every day. We have seen huge leaps in student interest in reading and resultant test scores. Please do not take this valuable resource away...
and
To take it away is like taking away colors to a sighted person, you need them and we need this...
and
NLS's decision to discontinue web braille is more than a mere "inconvenience" to Americans who are blind," said one peitioner. "It significantly blocks access to information as enjoyed by sighted persons and erodes equity of access which is every American's right. What happened to this Administrations's avowed commitment to "no child left behind" ? And what happened to all the hard-won gains under the ADA, the FCC and other Governmental regulations? ...
Read more petitioners' comments,