“Google will give blind people access to 10 million books”
22 Feb 2010
18 February 2010: The National Federation of the Blind expressed support for the proposed Google Books Settlement Agreement with authors and publishers during a hearing at a New York federal court. Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National
Federation of the Blind, told the court that the proposed settlement
should be approved because it will provide access to millions of books
for blind Americans.
Dr. Maurer said in part: “Digital books are quickly becoming the norm. This should be good news for the blind. Digital information can easily be presented in auditory, large print, or refreshable Braille formats. However, despite the simplicity of building accessibility provisions into digital management products, many of the manufacturers of the technology have refused to consider doing so. On the other hand, Google will give us access to 10 million books. In the process of doing this, Google will help to make the point that access to information for all is achievable and desirable. . . "
The terms of the agreement between Google, the Authors Guild, the American Association of Publishers, and five individual publishing companies expressly allow Google to provide the e-books it offers users “in a manner that accommodates users with print disabilities so that such users have a substantially similar user experience as users without print disabilities.”
Dr. Maurer said in part: “Digital books are quickly becoming the norm. This should be good news for the blind. Digital information can easily be presented in auditory, large print, or refreshable Braille formats. However, despite the simplicity of building accessibility provisions into digital management products, many of the manufacturers of the technology have refused to consider doing so. On the other hand, Google will give us access to 10 million books. In the process of doing this, Google will help to make the point that access to information for all is achievable and desirable. . . "
The terms of the agreement between Google, the Authors Guild, the American Association of Publishers, and five individual publishing companies expressly allow Google to provide the e-books it offers users “in a manner that accommodates users with print disabilities so that such users have a substantially similar user experience as users without print disabilities.”