By Mary Ellen Gabias

The Canadian Federation of the Blind (CFB) presents the following timeline and philosophical discussion of the history and future prospects for library services to print-disabled Canadians in the hope that the federal government and consumers of alternate format materials will encourage the implementation of a truly excellent public, accountable, and integrated model of service delivery.

Underlying Principles

Worldwide, less than 3% of written works are in a format that makes them accessible to those with print disabilities. Canada is the only G8 nation that lacks a national, publicly funded library service for those who are blind or have other print disabilities. Print-disabled Canadians have less access to adaptive equipment, rehabilitative programs and alternate format library materials than any of our sister nations, far less than our neighbours to the south.

Equitable information access is a Canadian Charter right. Equitable library services, like health and adaptive services, fall under provincial jurisdiction. While municipalities often dispense services, provinces have jurisdiction and responsibility for library service in Canada.

That is where public libraries come in. With over 2,500 service points servicing nearly every community in Canada, public libraries are ideally situated to deliver equitable library service. In addition, most libraries have at least one or more staff that have training or are familiar with adaptive equipment and alternate format materials. Technology has driven down the cost of producing alternate format reading materials and adaptive equipment. Even in these challenging fiscal days, it is entirely possible to operate an effective, cost-efficient national production and delivery system supporting equitable access to library materials for Canada’s print disabled.

Early History

Since the First World War, CNIB, a private charity, has operated a library for blind Canadians from its headquarters in Toronto, Ontario. CNIB’s mandate does not extend and it does not provide services to those who are not legally blind or those with other physical conditions that prevent them from reading standard print. Public libraries, including the Public Library Services Branch (now the Libraries and Literacy Branch) of the Province of British Columbia (PLSB/LLB), have for many years created recorded books for patrons with print disabilities, albeit in limited quantities compared to CNIB. Importantly though, Canadian public libraries generally recognize and serve all print-disabled consumers. The PLSB/LLB also provided copies of the books they produced, free of charge, to CNIB for its collection.

Production of alternate format books was both time consuming and expensive. The format for distribution was tape cassettes, which were time consuming to duplicate and prone to being damaged.

In order to get greater numbers of talking books into the hands of print-disabled people, libraries across the country entered into cooperative agreements with CNIB. Until 2008, and on a fee for service basis, CNIB participated in inter-library loans with public libraries and placed deposit collections in public libraries. This was known as the ‘Partners Program’. CNIB also sold books to public libraries.

Changing Technology Brings New Possibilities

In 2005/ 2006, the Canadian federal government gave CNIB a $6 million grant to digitize its collection. This was part of a $33 million fundraising campaign by CNIB at that time.

Digitized audio, electronic print publishing, and internet distribution were among the technologies that offered greater promise for truly accessible library collections than ever before.

The potential for this access, which consumers had never before even dreamed was possible, prompted calls for a Canada-wide strategy for service to print-disabled individuals. In response, in 2007, the federal government launched the Initiative for Equitable Library Access (IELA). IELA’s mandate, stated clearly in its name, was to further the goal of equitable library access for print-disabled Canadians.

During the years 2007 – 2010, print-disabled consumers of library service spoke out strongly in favour of a publicly funded, publicly run, and publicly accountable library service. Until Library Archives Canada (LAC) made it plain that it could not lead, print-disabled consumers expressed a strong preference for the Library of Canada to be the coordinating library entity. Many print-disabled consumers expressed a strong desire that CNIB no longer run the library for the blind.

Provincial governments were identified as key funding bodies for a pan-Canadian service solution. Representatives of provincial governments consistently expressed a strong desire to serve people with print disabilities and urged the service be structured and organized in a manner consistent with library practices and standards. Moreover, as the key funding bodies, provincial government expected to be in control of the governance of whatever entity emerged to administer the service.

In 2010, a consulting firm hired by LAC during the IELA deliberations, proposed that a separate Non-Government Organization (NGO) be established to act as a hub for coordinating specialized library service for print-disabled people. Several governance plans for this NGO were proposed. Provincial libraries raised issues of governance and funding responsibilities; consumers raised issues of accountability. No consensus in favour of this NGO could be built. Despite LAC’s intense promotion of the plan, it was regarded by many as little more than a means of continuing the status quo, since CNIB would remain in a control position within the proposed NGO – something consumers and libraries had clearly stated they found unacceptable. In 2010, the IELA process went out of existence without having resolved questions of coordination and structure of library programs.

CNIB Efforts to Control Future Structure of Library Service

During the IELA discussions, and after it became clear that the NGO concept was facing stiff opposition by the library and consumer communities, CNIB launched a public relations campaign it titled, ‘The Right to Read.’ The campaign was designed to convince provincial governments to pay dramatically increased fees to participate in the CNIB inter-library loan and deposit collection program, called the ‘Partners Program’. Though no major improvements in the program were proposed, participation cost rose in British Columbia from $25,000 per year to over $600,000. Like most jurisdictions that faced a similar hike, British Columbia declined to participate. CNIB has not been a significant provider of alternate format materials to public libraries since that time. Today, only a small handful of Maritime provinces depend on CNIB’s collection.

In April, 2010, CNIB announced that it would no longer sell books to public libraries in Canada, though it continues to sell books to libraries outside the country. During that time, CNIB insisted that libraries in provinces not paying its dramatically increased fees return all books on loan, even though the returned items were digital copies. Allowing libraries to keep them would have in no way reduced CNIB’s holdings. CNIB maintains computerized digital masters and burns a CD whenever a patron or library requests a book. CDs returned to CNIB are destroyed and new ones created on demand; not an environmentally responsible business model, nor one conducive to cost containment.

In 2011, the federal government provided CNIB corporation with yet another grant, this time of just over $7 million, to continue production of library materials in alternative formats (e.g., Braille, audio, large print, and electronic text), and also allow CNIB to modernize storage for its digital collection and infrastructure. CNIB used part of this money to hire a consultant who resurrected the hub concept and distributed a high level version to stakeholders, without suggesting concrete implementation strategies that would answer the concerns of consumers or librarians.

CNIB has used public funds to digitize its collection and yet it treats its collection as a private resource, rather than a public trust. As a consequence, the benefit of this use of taxpayers’ money to Canada’s print disabled is virtually lost.

Public Libraries Innovative Proposed Solution

In June, 2012, the Canadian Library Association (CLA) passed a somewhat ambiguous resolution expressing strong support for an accessible public library service, but leaving the possible role of private entities, like CNIB, undefined.

Provincial authorities have collaborated with local and national stakeholders to develop a strategy, beginning with the formation of the National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS) and the roll out of the Canadian Accessible Library System (CALS). CALS is a repository of presently over 20,000 alternate format items that can be downloaded by the print disabled (or trusted intermediaries working on their behalf) directly onto computer desktops and other reader devices. CALS is a distributed service model, leveraging local, national and international production, procurement and delivery partners. It is supported by Canada’s Provincial/Territorial Public Library Directors and endorsed by the Canadian Federation of the Blind (CFB). It is also a fine example of collaboration and network building, as it draws upon the expertise of government, education organizations, non-profit service groups and international stakeholders. Because all partners collaborate in the production and acquisition and share resources, this service delivery model is more robust and less prone to devastating system-wide funding and service cuts. By leveraging existing library resources, it avoids additional administrative layers inherent in the hub model.

For more information or to join the service, visit the National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS) at: https://nnels.ca