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From: Al.Hoffman@f143.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Al Hoffman)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Mags In ASCII
Message-ID: <12760@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 17 Jul 90 19:26:11 GMT
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Index Number: 9157

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Well, for the later part of the msg about the NLS.

You can order (in print,) catalogs of NLS books, such as Westerns,
etc.  I think this is really stupid myself, but what can ya say.
Most of NLS's reading population is in the age group over 50, and
for the most part they don't read braille.  They read for
"pleasure," and they often are just passing time with the
material.  They aren't likely to use a catalog with everything,
especially in braille, or even worse on a computer.  There is I
think a new data-base for the regional libraries to use that allows
them to findc books for clients, but this is not really the way
lo\ibraries are supposed to work is it?

I may get into hot water with NLS people here, but it seems that
some more attention could be paid to the users who are blind and
have been for a long enough period of time that they are used to
blindiness, and know many of the ins and outs of information
retrieval, media, and cost.  With hat in mind, catalogs should be
provided on disk in a database form, and more research should be
done to determine the books that are sorely lacking.

For the most part I feel that NLS does their job better than most
all other government organizations, I get a free pile of reading
materials constantly, even if its not always what I really want.
Its still more than any place else.  I look at the half empty cup,
but still appreciate the water left me in the desert.

  

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