Libraries Expand Availability of CNIB Resources

Libraries in Nova Scotia and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind Library have established a partnership arrangement that will make reading material more readily available to Nova Scotians with print disabilities.

The partnership, known as VISUNET CANADA, includes all public, university and community college libraries in the province.

The electronic network also extends access to the CNIB’s Library resources to all print-disabled Nova Scotians. Formerly, access to the CNIB library was available only to those with visual impairment.

“Libraries in Nova Scotia are committed to providing equal access to information and cultural resources for all,” said Education Minister Jane Purves. “This agreement opens a new world of information and reading pleasure to many print-disabled Nova Scotians.”

A growing network of libraries across Canada offers the VISUNET CANADA Partners Program. The program provides print-disabled library users with access to the CNIB Library collection of over 50,000 titles in alternate formats such as braille, audio, descriptive video and electronic text. Users can search and place holds from an online catalogue, and access full-text versions of books, encyclopedias and many other digital materials, as well as many daily newspapers and magazines using the telephone or the Internet.

“We look forward to working with libraries in Nova Scotia to deliver this program effectively,” said Dennis McCormick, district manager and staff member in the N.S.-P.E.I. Division of the CNIB. “I know this will be a benefit to print-disabled Nova Scotians and to the almost 4,000 blind and visually impaired persons being served by the CNIB in Nova Scotia. As a consumer of CNIB library services and a regular user of public libraries, I know this partnership will enhance our access to information.”

The program is available to all Nova Scotia residents who are print-disabled because of blindness, visual impairment, physical disability or a learning disability.

Participating libraries in Nova Scotia include 75 regional public libraries, Acadia University’s Vaughan Memorial Library, and Novanet libraries, which include 12 university libraries and 14 community college libraries. Initially, all services will not be available at all library locations. Over the next several months, planning will be under way on how to provide the most appropriate technology to take full advantage of the benefits of this partnership.

Contact your nearest library to find out about registering for this new service.