Editorials & Other Articles

underpants

(182,778 posts) Fri Jun 13, 2014, 01:44 PM Jun 2014

Good news for the blind community - books (fair use) and currency readers

Two big things happened FOR the blind and low vision community this week.

In Authors Guild v HathiTrust the US Court of Appeals ruled that universities and large library collections (HathiTrust) can make full text of works accessible to the blind without having to obtain permission of the copyright holder. Millions of books can now be scanned and accessible to the blind.

Also, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing begins a pilot program this summer (full roll out in 2015) to distribute between 100,00 and 500,000 "currency readers". Blind people usually have their own system of folding or separating different denominations once they know what they are but initially handling currency (yes people rip them off) can be problematic. This is the result of a ADA lawsuit.

Books
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/06/another-fair-use-victory-book-scanning-hathitrust

Currency
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/consumerawareness/fl/Government-Helping-the-Visually-Impaired-lsquoReadrsquo-US-Currency.htm

2 replies

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Good news for the blind community - books (fair use) and currency readers (Original Post) underpants Jun 2014 OP

Wouldn't it be easier to make bills difference sizes DamnYankeeInHouston Jun 2014 #1

Well then there is that underpants Jun 2014 #2

DamnYankeeInHouston

(1,365 posts)

1. Wouldn't it be easier to make bills difference sizes

Reply to underpants (Original post)

Fri Jun 13, 2014, 02:03 PM

Jun 2014

depending on their deminsyiln like some other countries do ?

underpants

(182,778 posts)

2. Well then there is that

Reply to DamnYankeeInHouston (Reply #1)

Fri Jun 13, 2014, 02:08 PM

Jun 2014

The blind and low vision community makes up about 1% of the population. Just so you know the size of the community.

I would think that the vending machine people wouldn't be crazy about that - first thing off the top of my head.

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