FREDERICTON (GNB) – New Brunswick is the first province to integrate access to the digital content of the CNIB Library with its own online catalogue, announced Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Danny Soucy.

The access is through the New Brunswick Public Library Service.

“New Brunswickers can now discover the CNIB Library's collection of more than 80,000 digital audio books, electronic braille books and other materials,” said Soucy. “In the past, only CNIB clients in New Brunswick who were blind or partially sighted could access these resources, but over the last year we have been collaborating with them to improve service and ensure access for all New Brunswickers with a print disability.”

Persons with print disabilities cannot read standard print due to a vision impairment, physical disability or a learning disability. An estimated 75,000 New Brunswickers have such a disability.

“New Brunswick is leading the way as the first province to directly link their provincial online catalogue with the CNIB Library,” said Pamela Gow-Boyd, executive director, Atlantic Canada CNIB. “Our partnership builds awareness of the library services available and serves as an example for other provinces and municipalities.”

Last December, the department announced, as a pilot project, the availability of a collection of CNIB's DAISY talking books in the Bathurst public library. The service will expand to have DAISY books available throughout all New Brunswick public libraries by 2014.

Access to the CNIB Library collection and services is made possible through a partnership between the provincial government and CNIB. The Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour provided CNIB with a $92,541 grant in 2013 to assist in funding the CNIB Library and give New Brunswickers with print disabilities direct access to its specialized collections through their local public library.  

LINK:

●    New Brunswick Public Library Service


31-07-13