CNIB urges governments to provide fair public funding for accessible library services
Right to Read campaign highlights human rights issue affecting 800,000+ Canadians
January 19, 2010 (Toronto, ON) — CNIB is urging Canada’s governments to provide immediate and fair public funding for nationwide accessible library services, or risk compromising the right to read of more than 800,000 blind and partially sighted Canadians.
For more than 90 years, CNIB has operated Canada’s largest library of braille and accessible audio materials, funded entirely through donations. The charity announced today that it can no longer sustain the $10 million annual operating cost of the service without ongoing government support.
“Canadians who are blind or partially sighted have the right to read, and the right to a library that provides information in formats they can read,” said John M. Rafferty, CNIB President and CEO. “The federal, provincial and territorial governments must partner with us to sustain this lifeline to literacy.”
CNIB is urging all Canadians to visit www.cnib.ca/righttoread, where they can send a letter asking Prime Minister Stephen Harper and premiers to fund accessible library services in their upcoming budgets; and to help spread the word about the campaign.
Some provinces have already committed funding, including Ontario and Alberta, which announced its support this morning in Edmonton. However, CNIB says support from the other provinces and federal government is crucial.
The campaign brings to light the inequitable approach to library funding in Canada. Whereas regular public libraries are funded by taxpayers, accessible library services for blind and partially sighted Canadians to date have received no such support. Without funding, CNIB warns services could be affected as early as April 2010, with increased wait times among the most immediate impacts.
Meanwhile, less than five per cent of reading material in Canada ever makes it into accessible formats like braille or audio – and much of what does is produced through the CNIB Library. Insufficient funding will mean even fewer books can be produced, leaving blind and partially sighted Canadians without access to current titles other readers take for granted.
Canada is, in fact, the only G-8 country that does not publicly fund any library services for people with vision loss.
“This is a human rights issue. It’s unacceptable that a progressive country like Canada has a two-tiered system when it comes to accessing books and information,” said Rafferty. “Disability should not dictate whether the government supports your right to read.”
Over 836,000 Canadians have significant vision loss and a further 3.4 million more have sight-threatening eye diseases that could limit their ability to read printed material. These numbers are projected to double within approximately 20 years.
For more information, please visit www.cnib.ca/righttoread.
Marketwire coverage:
CNIB Urges Governments to Provide Fair Public Funding for Accessible Library Services
For interviews, please contact:
Yeena Peng
Specialist, Media Relations, CNIB
Office: 416-486-2500, ext.8355
Cell: 416-529-1628
yeena.peng@cnib.ca
"Whether it is for enjoyment, education or employment, it is vital that all Canadians have access to materials in a format they can read. The CNIB library provides alternative format materials for blind and partially sighted Canadians. To help sustain this service, I encourage all Canadians to visit cnib.ca/righttoread and show their support."
- Ken Setterington, Author
"As a children’s writer, many of my titles have been made into audio and printbraille books for blind and partially sighted people. Through The CNIB Library my books are available in alternative formats. I fully support CNIB’s Right to Read campaign and I urge Canadians to do the same by sending an email to the Prime Minister and their local Premier."
- Tim Wynne Jones, Children’s author
"As a CNIB Library volunteer for over nine years, I have had the opportunity to help provide access to alternative-format reading materials to Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Everyone has the right to read, including the more than 836,000 Canadians with vision loss. Please show your support at cnib.ca/righttoread."
- Roger Ashby, CNIB Library Volunteer and On-Air personality/Host, CHUM FM Morning Show - Roger, Darren and Marilyn