Bee Aware scheme
The Bee Aware Scheme is a national initiative to promote the inter library loan of alternative format material on behalf of people with sight loss and other print disabled people. The scheme makes it possible for a reader to borrow stock from all over the UK just by visiting their nearest branch.
Administration of the scheme
If the borrower is not already a member of Calibre, RNIB National Library Service or TNAUK, a declaration form should be completed. A copy of this signed form should be retained for subsequent loans.
Every effort has been made to keep paperwork for the Bee Aware scheme to a minimum, and as a result, the participating agencies have agreed to accept the signature of the librarian or member of staff registering a VIP borrower, or dealing with the request. Doctors, Health Visitors, Social Workers and Rehabilitation Officers may also sign the form.
If applications are made to Calibre or RNIB National Library Service, and the borrower is not already a member of these agencies, a signed declaration form should be sent to the agency the first time a request is made. Subsequent requests do not require a declaration form.
If the request is being made to another public library authority or to an academic library, the following additional information should be included on the request:
‘VIP’
Format (Spoken Word, Braille, Moon etc.)
Your institution’s British Library Billing Account number
Your institution’s Cost Scheme/s (Conarls etc.)
If the request is being made to one of the participating agencies, the following additional information should be included on the request:
The Borrower Name
The agency name (if the borrower is already a member)
‘VIP’
Format (Spoken Word, Braille, Moon etc.)
Your institution’s British Library Billing Account number
Your institution’s Cost Scheme/s (Regional Scheme/Conarls etc.)
What are the costs?
The only cost involved in the scheme is the amount claimed by the responding (supplying) library to supply the loan. The responding library will claim the cost in line with their ILL policy, for example, the Regional rate, Conarls rate or current British Library rate, depending on the responding library’s reciprocal agreement/s. Libraries make their own policy decisions regarding reservation costs to VIP borrowers.
Articles for the Blind scheme
Alternative format material may be sent via the Post Office Service free of charge to and from a person with sight loss even if obtained through a library. To comply with Post Office regulations the borrower name and ‘Articles For The Blind’ must be on the parcel if the item has not been obtained from one of the agencies. Contact the Post Office for details. Items received from the agencies will be in distinctive re-usable (freepost) packaging. This packaging can be used to return the item post free via the Post Office Service.
Who is involved in Bee Aware?
Calibre Cassette Library (Participating Agency)
RNIB National Library Service (Participating Agency)
Share The Vision, STV (Participating Agency)
Talking Newspapers Association UK, TNAUK (Participating Agency)
Public libraries throughout the UK
Many academic and specialist libraries throughout the UK
Promoting the scheme
Please ensure that the scheme forms part of your institution’s social inclusion policies. Anybody can help to make sure that people with sight loss or print disabled people are aware that they may borrow alternative format material on inter library loan through their local library.
- Date: July 2009