International report on library and information services for visually impaired people Part 3.

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Site Search IFLA This section Home	Libraries for the Blind Section Rightscom Funding and governance of library and information services for visually impaired people: international case studies Part 3: Appendices Contents Appendix A Appendix B IFLA Libraries for the Blind Section Your details: Which part of the questionnaire should you answer? Section A - National Context Definitions Factual information and trends Public library facts and figures Legal and policy support General social inclusion policies Gaps between policy and practice Policy trends Copyright Social and cultural attitudes Provision of library services for Visually Impaired People Governance, roles and responsibilities Scenarios Funding Please tell us the approximate percentage of total funding provided by: Measuring success How is success measured? Supply of alternative format materials Converted from existing text Braille: Audio - standard cassette and CD: Audio - digital (for download or streaming): DAISY audio: Daisy combined text and audio: Who usually decides which titles are to be converted to an accessible format (percentage)? Supplied in an alternative format Co-operation of publishing industry Barriers to provision of services Ideal system Section B - Public Libraries Definitions Public library facts and figures Legal and policy support General social inclusion policies Gaps between policy and practice Policy trends Social and cultural attitudes Provision of public library services for Visually Impaired People Governance, roles and responsibilities Scenarios Funding Please tell us the approximate percentage of total funding provided by: Measuring success How do public libraries measure success? Supply of alternative format materials Converted from existing text Braille: Audio - standard cassette and CD: Audio - digital (for download or streaming): DAISY audio: Daisy combined text and audio: Who usually decides which titles are to be converted to an accessible format (percentage)? Supplied in an alternative format Co-operation of publishing industry Barriers to provision of services Ideal system Services What services do public libraries in your country provide specifically for Visually Impaired People? Books for leisure/recreation/informal learning: Educational books and materials: Newspapers: Magazines: Official publications/public information: What other services do you provide to Visually Impaired People? What are the most popular content and services provided by public libraries for Visually Impaired People? Access Are the services available: Other services Section C - Education Libraries Definitions Legal and policy support General social inclusion policies Gaps between policy and practice Policy trends Social and cultural attitudes Provision of education library services for Visually Impaired People Governance, roles and responsibilities Scenarios Funding Please tell us the approximate percentage of total funding provided by: Measuring success How do education libraries measure success? Supply of alternative format materials Converted from existing text Braille: Audio - standard cassette and CD: Audio - digital (for download or streaming): DAISY audio: Daisy combined text and audio: Who usually decides which titles are to be converted to an accessible format (percentage)?: Supplied in an alternative format For example, large print, standard audio CDs or cassettes: Co-operation of publishing industry Barriers to provision of services Ideal system Services What services do education libraries in your country provide specifically for Visually Impaired People? Books for leisure/recreation/informal learning: Educational books and materials: Newspapers: Magazines: Official publications/public information: What other services do you provide to Visually Impaired People?: How do education libraries work with other organisations to provide services (for example specialist libraries for visually impaired people) User fees Access Are the services available: Other services Section D - Libraries Specialising in Providing Materials to Visually Impaired People Definitions Legal and policy support Gaps between policy and practice Policy trends Social and cultural attitudes Provision of specialist library services for Visually Impaired People Governance, roles and responsibilities Scenarios Funding Measuring success How do specialist libraries for Visually Impaired People libraries measure success? Supply of alternative format materials Converted from existing text Braille: Audio - standard cassette and CD: Audio - digital (for download or streaming): DAISY audio: Daisy combined text and audio: Who usually decides which titles are to be converted to an accessible format (percentage)?: Supplied in an alternative format Co-operation of publishing industry Barriers to provision of services Ideal system Services What services do specialist libraries for Visually Impaired People in your country provide? Books for leisure/recreation/informal learning: Educational books and materials: Newspapers: Magazines: Official publications/public information: What other services do you provide to Visually Impaired People? User fees Access Are the services available: Other services Submitted to: IFLA/BL/MLA steering group Version: Final Date: 8 May 2007 Rightscom Ltd, Lincoln House, 75 Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7HS, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 20 7620 4433. http://www.rightscom.com/ Appendix A The Brief This study, commissioned by the British Library, the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, England, and IFLA Libraries for the Blind Section, aims to compare different approaches to the funding and governance of library and information services for visually impaired people, and to find out what impact these factors have on outcomes. The consultant will be expected to look at policies and practice in the UK, USA, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Lithuania or Croatia, Australia or New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. The study should include a literature search. It should examine Cultural and social policy and infrastructural context within which library and information services for visually impaired people are provided (current status and relevant history) Who provides library services to blind and partially sighted people in each country The type of organisations involved, e.g. voluntary, public or private sector, their governance, funding and relationships with other providers, including the publishing industry The scope of service provided (audience, offerings etc), how it is promoted, access, and costs Back to Contents Appendix B The Questionnaire IFLA Libraries for the Blind Section Library services for Visually Impaired People Note to respondents: if you have any relevant documents that answer some of these questions please send them to us at vipstudy@rightscom.com, or insert a hyperlink to the document or relevant web page against the question to which it provides an answer, or partial answer. Your details: Name: ----. Organisation: ----. Job title: ----. Address: ----. Email: ----. Telephone: ----. Fax: ----. Back to Contents Which part of the questionnaire should you answer? If you are able to give information about the situation regarding library services for Visually Impaired People in your country as a whole please answer Section A. If you would like to give information about services for Visually Impaired People in public libraries in your country please answer Section B. If you would like to give information about resources for Visually Impaired People in education libraries (primary, secondary and tertiary) ) in your country please answer Section C. If you would like to give information for libraries specialising in providing materials to visually impaired people in your country please answer Section D. (This includes all specialist libraries, even if you deliver through other libraries and do not deal directly with the public) If you would like to provide information about particular libraries and are able to provide information about the national situation in your country then please answer Section B, C or D and then answer Section A. You may not be able to answer all the questions in the section you choose: please answer as many as you can and return the questionnaire: it will still be very useful. Back to Contents Section A - National Context Section A - National Context Please answer this Section if you are able to give information about the situation regarding library services for Visually Impaired People in your country as a whole. Please insert your answers into this file. Definitions What definitions of "visual impairment" does your country use? Do you think these definitions are inclusive enough? If not, what definition would you suggest? How do you think the definitions in use affect the measures of how many Visually Impaired People there are in your country (for example, over-estimating or under-estimating them)? What definitions of "print impairment" does your country use? What is the relationship between services for visually impaired people and print impaired people in your country? (For example, are they provided by the same organisations or from the same budget?) What do you think will happen to the relationship between services for the visually impaired and for the print impaired in your country over the next five years? Please make any comments you think are relevant on the position of print impaired people when you are answering any of the questions Back to Contents Factual information and trends What is the difference between the standards libraries use when deciding if someone is a visually-impaired reader, and the standards that your government uses to determine the number of visually-impaired people? What impact does any difference have on estimates of the number of people classified as visually impaired? Is the geographical distribution of Visually Impaired People different from that of the population generally? Is there any accepted information about the numbers/percentage of visually impaired readers in your country? If so how many are they? Is there any accepted information about the numbers/percentage of print impaired readers in your country? If so how many are they? Back to Contents Public library facts and figures Is the number of public libraries growing or declining? Are libraries concentrated in urban areas or distributed across all parts of the country? In your view, are public libraries in your country well funded, adequately funded, or under-funded? What is the trend in public library services? (for example, have services expanded or been cut back in the last 5 years?) In your view, are public libraries in your country well-used or under-used by the population generally? Which demographic groups are the most frequent and least frequent users? Back to Contents Legal and policy support General social inclusion policies Is there a general right of equal access to education for disabled people? To what level of education (school, university etc)? Is there a general right of equal access to buildings, products and services for disabled people? Do cultural policies recognise the right of disabled people to take part in cultural life? Are there any specific rights to library services and reading materials for Visually Impaired People? Are there any similar rights for sighted people with a print impairment? Are these rights specified in primary legislation, court decisions or both? Back to Contents Gaps between policy and practice Are there significant gaps between policy on services for Visually Impaired People and actual support and services they receive? Why do you think these gaps exist? Back to Contents Policy trends What local and national initiatives have taken place or are taking place in providing library services and other services for Visually Impaired People? Is policy or practice changing in this area and if so, why? Back to Contents Copyright What copyright exemptions/exceptions exist for reading materials for Visually Impaired People? Are there any exemptions/exceptions for print-impaired people? Back to Contents Social and cultural attitudes Do Visually Impaired People generally expect the same access to reading materials and level of service as sighted people? If not, what do they expect? Does this expectation vary according to age of onset of sight loss or any other factors? Do many Visually Impaired People have a good network of family and friends who help them get access to reading materials or not? Back to Contents Provision of library services for Visually Impaired People Governance, roles and responsibilities Which government ministry or department makes the key decisions about library services for Visually Impaired People (for example Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, Ministry for Social Welfare)? If more than one, how is the responsibility divided? Which organisations are involved in providing library services for visually impaired people in your country? General public libraries Specialist libraries for the blind Educational libraries Charities, voluntary organisations or non-governmental organisations Other specialist organisations, please specify Other, please specify Do these organisations have clear roles and responsibilities in providing or funding library services to Visually Impaired People? How do their roles and responsibilities overlap? How have their roles and responsibilities changed recently? How do you expect them to change in the next few years? How far are Visually Impaired People involved in the leadership and operations of specialist organisations providing services? Back to Contents Scenarios Please write a few sentences on as many of these scenarios as you can. It will help us to understand much better the most important practical and emotional issues that users and libraries face in each country. For the scenarios you choose, please try to include information such as: Where would they need to go or who would they need to contact and how? What steps would the library have to take to deliver the material they asked for? What would other organisations do to help the library? A range of formats available (large print, Braille, traditional audio and Daisy audio or Daisy text and audio) Please describe the typical experience of a VIP in your country who tries to obtain: A work of fiction A new work of fiction A reference work A newspaper A magazine A school textbook A children's book A scientific journal An academic book Back to Contents Funding What is the total funding in your country for library services for Visually Impaired People (from all sources)? What is the funding per VIP? Who provides the funding? Please tell us the approximate percentage of total funding provided by: National or Federal Government Which ministry or ministries? State or provincial government Local or municipal government Third sector (charities, voluntary organisations etc) Which third sector organisations? Libraries' own fundraising activities? Other e.g. international funding Has funding been: increasing, decreasing, remaining static? Is the funding adequate? If no, how does it compare with what you believe is necessary to provide a good service? Approximately how much more do you believe is needed to provide a good service to visually impaired people in your country? Back to Contents Measuring success Who (if anyone) measures how successful your country is in providing services for Visually Impaired People? Who decides what measures are used? Who sets targets, if any? How is success measured? Proportion of Visually Impaired People reached by services Cost to public or charitable funds Cost to users Range and depth of material available Speed of supplying item What users think of the service Other How often are targets changed or raised? How successful are you according to your own targets? Does anyone in your country also provide services for people such as dyslexics who do not have visual impairments but are print-impaired people? Are these services different to the ones povided for Visually Impaired People? Back to Contents Supply of alternative format materials Converted from existing text Braille: How are the original materials provided? Who converts the text to Braille? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Audio - standard cassette and CD: How are original materials provided? Who converts the text to audio? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Audio - digital (for download or streaming): How are original materials provided? Who converts the text to audio? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents DAISY audio: How are original materials provided? Who converts the text to DAISY format? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Daisy combined text and audio: How are original materials provided? Who converts the text to DAISY format? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Who usually decides which titles are to be converted to an accessible format (percentage)? Committee of experts chooses titles: % of titles Winners of literary prizes/reviews: % of titles On demand by the clients: % of titles Other (please specify): % of titles Back to Contents Supplied in an alternative format For example, large print, standard audio CDs or cassettes How are materials in alternative formats provided? Who provides them? If they are acquired for stock, how are decisions made on what to acquire? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Co-operation of publishing industry Is the publishing industry involved in the provision of alternative formats? What % of total output of books is available in alternative formats (approximately)? What % of total output of magazines are easily available in alternative formats (approximately)? What % of total output of newspapers are easily available in alternative formats (approximately)? What % of total output of educational materials are available in alternative formats (approximately)? What % of total output of official publications and public information is easily available in alternative formats (approximately)? Which type of output would you like to increase most? Please tell us about any special initiatives such as large digitisation projects if they have not already been mentioned Back to Contents Barriers to provision of services What are the most important barriers to the provision of services e.g. copyright, funding levels? Which barrier would you most like to take away? If there were absolutely no constraints If you were constrained by reality Back to Contents Ideal system What would the ideal system for your country look like? Where would the money come from? Who would deliver the services? How would public libraries, education libraries and specialist libraries for visually impaired people work together? How would services be delivered to the end-user? What would constitute the ideal level of service? Thank you very much for taking the time to complete the questionnaire. Please email it to: vipstudy@rightscom.com Back to Contents Section B - Public Libraries Section B - Public Libraries Please answer this Section if you would like to give information about resources for Visually Impaired People in public libraries in your country. Please insert your answers into this file Definitions What definitions of "visual impairment" do public libraries in your country use? Do you think these definitions are inclusive enough? If not, what definition would you suggest? How do you think the definitions in use affect the measures of how many Visually Impaired People there are in your country (for example, over-estimating or under-estimating them)? What definitions of "print impairment" do public libraries your country use? What is the relationship between services for visually impaired people and print impaired people in public libraries in your country? (For example, are they provided by the same organisations or from the same budget?) What do you think will happen to the relationship between services for the visually impaired and for the print impaired in your country over the next five years? Please make any comments you think are relevant on the position of print impaired people when you are answering any of the questions What is the difference between the standards public libraries use when deciding if someone is a visually-impaired reader, and the standards that your government uses to determine the number of visually-impaired people? What impact does any difference have on estimates of the number of people classified as visually impaired? Back to Contents Public library facts and figures How many public libraries are there in your country? Is the number growing or declining? How many library books are there per head of population? How many people are there per library (average: please include all the population, not just library users) Are libraries concentrated in urban areas or distributed across all parts of the country? In your view, are public libraries in your country well funded, adequately funded, or under-funded? What is the trend in public library services? (for example, have services expanded or been cut back in the last 5 years?) In your view, are public libraries in your country well-used or under-used by the population generally? Which demographic groups are the most frequent and least frequent users? Back to Contents Legal and policy support General social inclusion policies Are there any specific rights to public library services and reading materials for Visually Impaired People? Are there any similar rights for sighted people with a print impairment? Are these rights specified in primary legislation, court decisions or both? Back to Contents Gaps between policy and practice Are there significant gaps between policy on services for Visually Impaired People and actual support and services they receive from public libraries? Why do you think these gaps exist? Back to Contents Policy trends What local and national initiatives have taken place or are taking place in providing public library services for Visually Impaired People? Is policy or practice changing in this area and if so, why? Back to Contents Social and cultural attitudes Do Visually Impaired People generally expect the same access to reading materials and level of service through public libraries as sighted people? If not, what do they expect? Does this expectation vary according to age of onset of sight loss or any other factors? Do many Visually Impaired People have a good network of family and friends who help them get access to reading materials or not? Back to Contents Provision of public library services for Visually Impaired People Governance, roles and responsibilities Which government ministry or department makes the key decisions about public library services for Visually Impaired People (for example Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, Ministry for Social Welfare)? If more than one, how is the responsibility divided? Which organisations other organisations involved in providing library services for visually impaired people in your country do public libraries work with? Other general public libraries Specialist libraries for the blind Educational libraries Charities, voluntary organisations or non-governmental organisations Other specialist organisations, please specify Other, please specify Do these organisations have clear roles and responsibilities in providing or funding library services to Visually Impaired People? How do their roles and responsibilities overlap? How have their roles and responsibilities changed recently? How do you expect them to change in the next few years? How far are Visually Impaired People involved in the leadership and operations of specialist organisations providing services? How far are Visually Impaired People involved in making decisions about services that public libraries should provide? Back to Contents Scenarios Please write a few sentences on as many of these scenarios as you can. It will help us to understand much better the most important practical and emotional issues that users and libraries face in each country. For the scenarios you choose, please try to include information such as: Where would they need to go or who would they need to contact and how? What steps would the library have to take to deliver the material they asked for? What would other organisations do to help the library? A range of formats available (large print, Braille, traditional audio and Daisy audio or Daisy text and audio) Please describe the typical experience of a VIP in your country who tries to obtain: A work of fiction A new work of fiction A reference work A newspaper A magazine A school textbook A children's book A scientific journal An academic book Back to Contents Funding What is the total funding in your country for public library services for Visually Impaired People (from all sources)? What is the funding per VIP? Who provides the funding? Please tell us the approximate percentage of total funding provided by: National or Federal Government Which ministry or ministries? State or provincial government Local or municipal government Third sector (charities, voluntary organisations etc) Which third sector organisations? Libraries' own fundraising activities? Other e.g. international funding Has funding been: increasing, decreasing, remaining static? Is the funding adequate? If no, how does it compare with what you believe is necessary to provide a good service? Approximately how much more do you believe is needed for public libraries to provide a good service to visually impaired people in your country? Back to Contents Measuring success Do public libraries measure how successful they are in providing services for Visually Impaired People? Who decides what measures are used? Who sets targets, if any? How do public libraries measure success? Proportion of Visually Impaired People reached by services Cost to public or charitable funds Cost to users Range and depth of material available Speed of supplying item What users think of the service Other How often are targets changed or raised? How successful are they according to their own targets? Back to Contents Supply of alternative format materials Converted from existing text Braille: How are the original materials provided? Who converts the text to Braille? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Audio - standard cassette and CD: How are original materials provided? Who converts the text to audio? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Audio - digital (for download or streaming): How are original materials provided? Who converts the text to audio? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents DAISY audio: How are original materials provided? Who converts the text to DAISY format? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Daisy combined text and audio: How are original materials provided? Who converts the text to DAISY format? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Who usually decides which titles are to be converted to an accessible format (percentage)? Committee of experts chooses titles: % of titles Winners of literary prizes/reviews: % of titles On demand by the clients: % of titles Other (please specify): % of titles Back to Contents Supplied in an alternative format For example, large print, standard audio CDs or cassettes How are materials in alternative formats provided? Who provides them? If they are acquired for stock, how are decisions made on what to acquire? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Co-operation of publishing industry Is the publishing industry involved in the provision of alternative formats? What % of total output of books is available in alternative formats (approximately)? What % of total output of magazines are easily available in alternative formats (approximately)? What % of total output of newspapers are easily available in alternative formats (approximately)? What % of total output of educational materials are available in alternative formats (approximately)? What % of total output of official publications and public information is easily available in alternative formats (approximately)? Which type of output would you like to increase most? Please tell us about any special initiatives such as large digitisation projects if they have not already been mentioned Back to Contents Barriers to provision of services What are the most important barriers to the provision of services e.g. copyright, funding levels? Which barrier would you most like to take away? If there were absolutely no constraints If you were constrained by reality Back to Contents Ideal system What would the ideal system for your country look like? Where would the money come from? Who would deliver the services? How would public libraries, education libraries and specialist libraries for visually impaired people work together? How would services be delivered to the end-user? What would constitute the ideal level of service? Back to Contents Services What services do public libraries in your country provide specifically for Visually Impaired People? Books for leisure/recreation/informal learning: Large format print Audio on standard CD or cassette (delete as appropriate) DAISY audio DAISY combined text and audio Braille Streaming audio Downloadable audio Other (please say what) Back to Contents Educational books and materials: Large format print Audio on standard CD or cassette (delete as appropriate) DAISY audio DAISY combined text and audio Braille Streaming audio Downloadable audio Other (please say what) Back to Contents Newspapers: Weekly audio summary Daily on-line delivery of formatted XML files Other (please say what) Back to Contents Magazines: Large format print Audio on standard CD or cassette (delete as appropriate) DAISY audio DAISY combined text and audio Braille Streaming audio Downloadable audio Other (please say what) Back to Contents Official publications/public information: Large format print Audio on standard CD or cassette (delete as appropriate) DAISY audio DAISY combined text and audio Braille Streaming audio Downloadable audio Other (please say what) Back to Contents What other services do you provide to Visually Impaired People? Online access Training in Braille Training in use of alternative formats and equipment Training in use of computers Loan of standard consumer equipment such as CD players and cassette players (please specify) Loan of specialist equipment for VIPs such as Braille readers or bars, Daisy players or specialist audio players (please specify) Personal transcription Other (please say what) Back to Contents What are the most popular content and services provided by public libraries for Visually Impaired People? User fees Do Visually Impaired People pay for any of the materials or services? How is the level of fee decided? Is the level of fee a barrier to users? Back to Contents Access Are the services available: only in the library building only direct to the user both? If direct, how are books, tapes or discs delivered and returned? How long will a user normally have to wait for an item he or she has ordered? Back to Contents Other services Do public libraries also provide services for people such as dyslexics who do not have visual impairments but are print-impaired people? Are these services different to the ones they provide for Visually Impaired People? Thank you very much for taking the time to complete the questionnaire. Please email it to: vipstudy@rightscom.com Back to Contents Section C - Education Libraries Section C - Education Libraries Please answer this Section if you would like to give information about services for Visually Impaired People in education libraries (primary, secondary or tertiary) in your country. If you would like to provide information about particular library services and are able to provide information about the national situation in your country then please answer Section B, C or D and then answer Section A. Please insert your answers into this file Definitions Are you providing information for: Primary Secondary Tertiary All levels of education What definitions of "visual impairment" do education libraries in your country use? Do you think these definitions are inclusive enough? If not, what definition would you suggest? How do you think the definitions in use affect the measures of how many Visually Impaired People there are in your country (for example, over-estimating or under-estimating them)? What definitions of "print impairment" do education libraries in your country use? What is the relationship between services for visually impaired people and print impaired people in education libraries in your country? (For example, are they provided by the same organisations or from the same budget?) What do you think will happen to the relationship between services for the visually impaired and for the print impaired in your country over the next five years? Please make any comments you think are relevant on the position of print impaired people when you are answering any of the questions What is the difference between the standards education libraries use when deciding if someone is a visually-impaired reader, and the standards that your government uses to determine the number of visually-impaired people? What impact does any difference have on estimates of the number of people classified as visually impaired? Back to Contents Legal and policy support General social inclusion policies Is there a general right of equal access to education for disabled people? To what level of education? Are these rights specified in primary legislation, court decisions or both? Back to Contents Gaps between policy and practice Are there significant gaps between policy on services for Visually Impaired People and actual support and services they receive from education libraries? Why do you think these gaps exist? Back to Contents Policy trends What local and national initiatives have taken place or are taking place in providing education library services for Visually Impaired People? Is policy or practice changing in this area and if so, why? Back to Contents Social and cultural attitudes Do Visually Impaired People expect the same access to reading materials and level of service through education libraries as sighted people? If not, what do they expect? Does this expectation vary according to age of onset of sight loss or any other factors? Back to Contents Provision of education library services for Visually Impaired People Governance, roles and responsibilities Which government ministry or department makes the key decisions about the provision of educational materials and education library services for Visually Impaired People (for example Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, Ministry for Social Welfare)? If more than one, how is the responsibility divided? Which organisations other organisations involved in providing library services for visually impaired people in your country do education libraries work with? General public libraries Specialist libraries for the blind Other educational libraries Charities, voluntary organisations or non-governmental organisations Other specialist organisations, please specify Other, please specify Do these organisations have clear roles and responsibilities in providing or funding library services to Visually Impaired People? How do their roles and responsibilities overlap? How have their roles and responsibilities changed recently? How do you expect them to change in the next few years? How far are Visually Impaired People involved in the leadership and operations of specialist organisations providing services? How far are Visually Impaired People involved in making decisions about services that education libraries should provide? Back to Contents Scenarios Please write a few sentences on as many of these scenarios as you can. It will help us to understand much better the most important practical and emotional issues that users and libraries face in each country. For the scenarios you choose, please try to include information such as: Where would they need to go or who would they need to contact and how? What steps would the library have to take to deliver the material they asked for? What would other organisations do to help the library? A range of formats available (large print, Braille, traditional audio and Daisy audio or Daisy text and audio) Please describe the typical experience of a VIP in your country who tries to obtain: A reference work A periodical A school textbook A scientific journal article or volume An academic book Please add any other observations about obtaining specific educational materials, for example maps or data. Back to Contents Funding What is the total funding in your country for education library services for Visually Impaired People (from all sources)? What is the funding per VIP? Who provides the funding? Please tell us the approximate percentage of total funding provided by: National or Federal Government Which ministry or ministries? State or provincial government Local or municipal government Third sector (charities, voluntary organisations etc) Which third sector organisations? Libraries' own fundraising activities? Other e.g. international funding Has funding been: increasing, decreasing, remaining static? Is the funding adequate? Yes/no If no, how does it compare with what you believe is necessary to provide a good service? Approximately how much more do you believe is needed for education libraries to provide a good service to visually impaired people in your country? Back to Contents Measuring success Do education libraries measure how successful they are in providing services for Visually Impaired People? Who decides what measures are used? Who sets targets, if any? How do education libraries measure success? Proportion of Visually Impaired People reached by services Cost to public or charitable funds Cost to users Range and depth of material available Speed of supplying item What users think of the service Other How often are targets changed or raised? How successful are they according to their own targets? Back to Contents Supply of alternative format materials Converted from existing text Braille: How are the original materials provided? Who converts the text to Braille? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Audio - standard cassette and CD: How are original materials provided? Who converts the text to audio? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Audio - digital (for download or streaming): How are original materials provided? Who converts the text to audio? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents DAISY audio: How are original materials provided? Who converts the text to DAISY format? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Daisy combined text and audio: How are original materials provided? Who converts the text to DAISY format? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Who usually decides which titles are to be converted to an accessible format (percentage)?: Committee of experts chooses titles: % of titles On demand by the clients: % of titles Other (please specify): % of titles Back to Contents Supplied in an alternative format For example, large print, standard audio CDs or cassettes: How are materials in alternative formats provided? Who provides them? If they are acquired for stock, how are decisions made on what to acquire? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Co-operation of publishing industry Is the publishing industry involved in the provision of alternative formats? What % of total output of books is available in alternative formats (approximately)? What % of total output of educational materials are available in alternative formats (approximately)? What % of total output of official publications and public information is easily available in alternative formats (approximately)? Which type of output would you like to increase most? Please tell us about any special initiatives such as large digitisation projects if they have not already been mentioned Back to Contents Barriers to provision of services What are the most important barriers to the provision of services e.g. copyright, funding levels? Which barrier would you most like to take away? If there were absolutely no constraints If you were constrained by reality Back to Contents Ideal system What would the ideal system for your country look like? Where would the money come from? Who would deliver the services? How would public libraries, education libraries and specialist libraries for visually impaired people work together? How would services be delivered to the end-user? What would constitute the ideal level of service? Back to Contents Services What services do education libraries in your country provide specifically for Visually Impaired People? Books for leisure/recreation/informal learning: Large format print Audio on standard CD or cassette (delete as appropriate) DAISY audio DAISY combined text and audio Braille Streaming audio Downloadable audio Other (please say what) Back to Contents Educational books and materials: Large format print Audio on standard CD or cassette (delete as appropriate) DAISY audio DAISY combined text and audio Braille Streaming audio Downloadable audio Other (please say what) Back to Contents Newspapers: Weekly audio summary Daily on-line delivery of formatted XML files Other (please say what) Back to Contents Magazines: Large format print Audio on standard CD or cassette (delete as appropriate) DAISY audio DAISY combined text and audio Braille Streaming audio Downloadable audio Other (please say what) Back to Contents Official publications/public information: Large format print Audio on standard CD or cassette (delete as appropriate) DAISY audio DAISY combined text and audio Braille Streaming audio Downloadable audio Other (please say what) Back to Contents What other services do you provide to Visually Impaired People?: Online access Training in Braille Training in use of alternative formats and equipment Training in use of computers Loan of standard consumer equipment such as CD players and cassette players (please specify) Loan of specialist equipment for VIPs such as Braille readers or bars, Daisy players or specialist audio players (please specify) Personal transcription Other (please say what) What are the most popular content and services provided by education libraries for Visually Impaired People? Back to Contents How do education libraries work with other organisations to provide services (for example specialist libraries for visually impaired people) User fees Do Visually Impaired People pay for any of the materials or services? How is the level of fee decided? Is the level of fee a barrier to users? Back to Contents Access Are the services available: only in the library building only direct to the user both? If direct, how are books, tapes or discs delivered and returned? How long will a user normally have to wait for an item he or she has ordered? Back to Contents Other services Do education libraries also provide services for people such as dyslexics who do not have visual impairments but are print-impaired people? Are these services different to the ones they provide for Visually Impaired People? Thank you very much for taking the time to complete the questionnaire. Please email it to: vipstudy@rightscom.com Back to Contents Section D - Libraries Specialising in Providing Materials to Visually Impaired People Section D - Libraries Specialising in Providing Materials to Visually Impaired People Please answer this section if you would like to give information for libraries specialising in providing materials to visually impaired people in your country. Please insert your answers into this file Definitions What definitions of "visual impairment" do specialist libraries for Visually Impaired People in your country use? Do you think these definitions are inclusive enough? If not, what definition would you suggest? How do you think the definitions in use affect the measures of how many Visually Impaired People there are in your country (for example, over-estimating or under-estimating them)? What definitions of "print impairment" do specialist libraries in your country use? What is the relationship between services for visually impaired people and print impaired people in specialist libraries in your country? (For example, are they provided by the same organisations or from the same budget?) What do you think will happen to the relationship between services for the visually impaired and for the print impaired in your country over the next five years? Please make any comments you think are relevant on the position of print impaired people when you are answering any of the questions What is the difference if any between the standards specialist libraries for Visually Impaired People use when deciding if someone is a visually-impaired reader, and the standards that your government uses to determine the number of visually-impaired people? Back to Contents Legal and policy support Gaps between policy and practice Are there significant gaps between policy on services for Visually Impaired People and actual support and services they receive from specialist libraries for Visually Impaired People? Why do you think these gaps exist? Back to Contents Policy trends What local and national initiatives have taken place or are taking place in providing specialist libraries for Visually Impaired People? Is policy or practice changing in this area and if so, why? Back to Contents Social and cultural attitudes Do Visually Impaired People generally expect the same access to reading materials and level of service as sighted people? If not, what do they expect? Does this expectation vary according to age of onset of sight loss or any other factors? Do many Visually Impaired People have a good network of family and friends who help them get access to reading materials or not? Back to Contents Provision of specialist library services for Visually Impaired People Governance, roles and responsibilities Which government ministry or department, if any, makes the key decisions about specialist library services for Visually Impaired People (for example Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, Ministry for Social Welfare)? If more than one, how is the responsibility divided? Which other organisations involved in providing library services for visually impaired people in your country do specialist libraries work with? General public libraries Other specialist libraries for the blind Educational libraries Charities, voluntary organisations or non-governmental organisations Other specialist organisations, please specify Other, please specify Do these organisations have clear roles and responsibilities in providing or funding library services to Visually Impaired People? How do their roles and responsibilities overlap? How have their roles and responsibilities changed recently? How do you expect them to change in the next few years? How far are Visually Impaired People involved in the leadership and operations of specialist organisations providing services? How far are Visually Impaired People involved in making decisions about services that specialist libraries for Visually Impaired People should provide? Back to Contents Scenarios Please write a few sentences on as many of these scenarios as you can. It will help us to understand much better the most important practical and emotional issues that users and libraries face in each country. For the scenarios you choose, please try to include information such as: Where would they need to go or who would they need to contact and how? What steps would the library have to take to deliver the material they asked for? What would other organisations do to help the library? A range of formats available (large print, Braille, traditional audio and Daisy audio or Daisy text and audio) Please describe the typical experience of a VIP in your country who tries to obtain: A work of fiction A new work of fiction A reference work A newspaper A magazine A school textbook A children's book A scientific journal An academic book Back to Contents Funding What is the total funding in your country for specialist libraries for Visually Impaired People from all sources)? What is the funding per VIP? Who provides the funding? Please tell us the approximate percentage of total funding provided by: National or Federal Government Which ministry or ministries? State or provincial government Local or municipal government Third sector (charities, voluntary organisations etc) Which third sector organisations? Libraries' own fundraising activities? Other e.g. international funding Has funding been: increasing, decreasing, remaining static? Is the funding adequate?: Yes/no If no, how does it compare with what you believe is necessary to provide a good service? Approximately how much more do you believe is needed for specialist libraries for Visually Impaired People to provide a good service to visually impaired people in your country? Back to Contents Measuring success Do specialist libraries for Visually Impaired People measure how successful they are in providing services for Visually Impaired People? Who decides what measures are used? Who sets targets, if any? How do specialist libraries for Visually Impaired People libraries measure success? Proportion of Visually Impaired People reached by services Cost to public or charitable funds Cost to users Range and depth of material available Speed of supplying item What users think of the service Other How often are targets changed or raised? How successful are they according to their own targets? Back to Contents Supply of alternative format materials Converted from existing text Braille: How are the original materials provided? Who converts the text to Braille? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Audio - standard cassette and CD: How are original materials provided? Who converts the text to audio? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Audio - digital (for download or streaming): How are original materials provided? Who converts the text to audio? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents DAISY audio: How are original materials provided? Who converts the text to DAISY format? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Daisy combined text and audio: How are original materials provided? Who converts the text to DAISY format? Is this done on-demand? If conversion is done for stock: how are decisions made on what to convert? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Who usually decides which titles are to be converted to an accessible format (percentage)?: Committee of experts chooses titles: % of titles Winners of literary prizes/reviews: % of titles On demand by the clients: % of titles Other (please specify): % of titles Back to Contents Supplied in an alternative format For example, large print, standard audio CDs or cassettes: How are materials in alternative formats provided? Who provides them? If they are acquired for stock, how are decisions made on what to acquire? What targets are there for range, depth and speed? Back to Contents Co-operation of publishing industry Is the publishing industry involved in the provision of alternative formats? What % of total output of books is available in alternative formats (approximately)? What % of total output of magazines are easily available in alternative formats (approximately)? What % of total output of newspapers are easily available in alternative formats (approximately)? What % of total output of educational materials are available in alternative formats (approximately)? What % of total output of official publications and public information is easily available in alternative formats (approximately)? Which type of output would you like to increase most? Please tell us about any special initiatives such as large digitisation projects if they have not already been mentioned Back to Contents Barriers to provision of services What are the most important barriers to the provision of services e.g. copyright, funding levels? Which barrier would you most like to take away? If there were absolutely no constraints If you were constrained by reality Back to Contents Ideal system What would the ideal system for your country look like? Where would the money come from? Who would deliver the services? How would public libraries, education libraries and specialist libraries for visually impaired people work together? How would services be delivered to the end-user? What would constitute the ideal level of service? Back to Contents Services What services do specialist libraries for Visually Impaired People in your country provide? Books for leisure/recreation/informal learning: Large format print Audio on standard CD or cassette (delete as appropriate) DAISY audio DAISY combined text and audio Braille Streaming audio Downloadable audio Other (please say what) Back to Contents Educational books and materials: Large format print Audio on standard CD or cassette (delete as appropriate) DAISY audio DAISY combined text and audio Braille Streaming audio Downloadable audio Other (please say what) Back to Contents Newspapers: Weekly audio summary Daily on-line delivery of formatted XML files Other (please say what) Back to Contents Magazines: Large format print Audio on standard CD or cassette (delete as appropriate) DAISY audio DAISY combined text and audio Braille Streaming audio Downloadable audio Other (please say what) Back to Contents Official publications/public information: Large format print Audio on standard CD or cassette (delete as appropriate) DAISY audio DAISY combined text and audio Braille Streaming audio Downloadable audio Other (please say what) Back to Contents What other services do you provide to Visually Impaired People? Online access Training in Braille Training in use of alternative formats and equipment Training in use of computers Loan of standard consumer equipment such as CD players and cassette players (please specify) Loan of specialist equipment for VIPs such as Braille readers or bars, Daisy players or specialist audio players (please specify) Personal transcription Other (please say what) What are the most popular content and services provided by specialist libraries for Visually Impaired People? Back to Contents User fees Do Visually Impaired People pay for any of the materials or services? How is the level of fee decided? Is the level of fee a barrier to users? Back to Contents Access Are the services available: only in the library building only direct to the user through another organisation (e.g. public library) two or more of these? If direct, how are books, tapes or discs delivered and returned? How long will a user normally have to wait for an item he or she has ordered? Back to Contents Other services Do specialist libraries Visually Impaired People also provide services for people such as dyslexics who do not have visual impairments but are print-impaired people? Are these services different to the ones they provide for Visually Impaired People? Thank you very much for taking the time to complete the questionnaire. Please email it to: vipstudy@rightscom.com Back to Contents
Latest Revision: 14 August 2007 Copyright © International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions www.ifla.org