Received this today (02/11/07) from the Rnib:

Thank you to all of you for being part of the "Where's my book?" campaign - the campaign to get children their school books in a format they can read.  As next week is Right to read week (5 November) I wanted to update you on the textbook campaign.

During Right to Read week we will be repeating our message that only four per cent of all books are ever made available in large print, audio, braille or electronically. We are calling for the celebration during 2008, the Year of Reading, to include people who can't read print.  The reason we're not focussing on textbooks this time is because there has been some progress with Government on this issue.

On 28 March many of you were part of over 250 blind, partially sighted and dyslexic children, parents and teachers who came to Parliament to lobby their MPs.  Many others wrote to or met with MPs locally and talked to local newspapers, radio and TV.

Only nine days before the lobby we had had a disappointing meeting with Government officials.  The following meeting, after the lobby, was much more positive with officials from four Government departments aware for the first time of the issues facing blind, partially sighted and dyslexic children.

Scoping project and pilot project
At a third meeting in July officials agreed to fund a "scoping exercise".  This will look at the need, possible solutions and would prepare the way for a pilot project.  The pilot project will then develop our proposals for a centralised facility to provide digital versions of school textbooks on a small scale. This is definitely good news and is the first time the Government have committed any funding. However the Government states that it will not commit any funding to the actual solution.

Progress has been slow over the summer and into the autumn.  However the representatives on the steering group have now been appointed and Government is currently putting the project out to tender. Realistically we don't expect the pilot project to begin until the spring or summer of next year.

This does sound like very slow progress but since the lobby we have convinced Government that there is a problem and they need to take some action.  And this progress is all down to your letters, meetings and interviews with media.

What can I do?
We don't think it's useful at the moment to put public or media pressure on the Government about this issue. We are updating supportive MPs and suggesting that they write to the Minister asking for an update.  It is of course possible that we may need to make this issue higher profile again in the future. We will keep you updated.

Other developments and work

RNIB and other members of the Right to Read Alliance have been working in other areas to increase the number of school books.

Copyright exemption - campaign to include people with dyslexia
At present the Copyright Act (visually impaired persons) 2002 makes an exception to copyright law. It means that you do not need to seek permission to make an accessible copy of a book for a blind, partially sighted or physically disabled person (please check RNIB's website for more information).

However you do need to ask permission to make a book available for a person with dyslexia.  The Right to Read alliance is working to get exemptions for dyslexia which will help people with dyslexia and also organisations that provide services to people with sight loss and dyslexia.

First textbook made accessible at same time as print
In August the publisher Leckie and Leckie produced the latest edition of their study guide in braille, large print and DAISY CD on the same day as the print version.  By working with publishers to demonstrate that this can be done we hope to convince others to do the same.

Electronic textbook evaluation
RNIB will be providing a small number of schools with xml (electronic) versions of textbooks.  We will work with the schools to see what tools and training staff need to use them and whether there are any problems. This will be fed into the Government pilot project.

Research
RNIB will be commissioning research to find out more about accessible textbook provision in other countries.  We believe that provision is better in other countries but this is anecdotal rather than based on research.  The research will also look at how textbooks are delivered and funded.

2008 Year of Reading
The Right to Read Alliance is using Right to Read week to warn that blind, partially sighted and dyslexic people do not have much to celebrate when only four per cent of books are accessible.  We're calling for Government to increase the number of books and that anyone organising events makes them accessible.

If you would like any more information about any of this work please
email us at campaign@rnib.org.uk or call RNIB campaigns on 020 7391
2184.

Julianne Marriott
RNIB Campaigns

Please sign this petition to ask government to make local libraries accessible to blind children http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/VIlibraryaccess/