CNIB Library celebrates 100 years of service
Much-needed resource has changed dramatically as demand for accessible information grows
Toronto, Ontario - The CNIB Library celebrated the 100th anniversary of library services for people with vision loss on November 9, 2006.It was founded in 1906 by Edgar Bertram Freel Robinson, Canada’s first blind university graduate, who loaned his own braille books to readers with vision loss from his home in Markham, Ontario. From Robinson’s modest collection of 81 volumes circulated to 26 readers, today’s CNIB Library has grown to over 80,000 titles that include talking books, braille books, descriptive videos and braille music scores, as well as online resources. Over 1.8 million CNIB Library items are circulated to tens of thousands of Canadians each year.CNIB library’s bilingual services are offered through an innovative mix of online service, partnerships, and Canada Post. CNIB Library is also Canada’s largest producer of alternative format materials. “Ten percent of the Canadian population cannot read regular print due to vision loss, or a learning or physical disability. The ability to have access to a library gives independence to a significant segment of the population that would otherwise have difficulty gaining access to information,” says Jim Sanders, President and CEO, CNIB.“Currently, less than five per cent of information published in print is produced in an accessible format such as braille, e-text, or audio. CNIB is working is working with the federal government and the public library community to close this information gap, and provide even greater opportunities for people who cannot read print due to a disability,” says Margaret McGrory, Executive Director, CNIB Library.
Fast Fact: The CNIB Library Then and Now
1906: 81 titles
2006: more than 80,000 titles
Formats available:
1906: braille
2006: braille, printbraille, audio, e-text, e-braille, tactile, descriptive videos
Library staff:
1906: 2
2006: 100 staff and 600 volunteers
Circulation:
1906: 26 readers
2006: 1.8 million items distributed per year
For further information, please contact:
CNIB Library
CNIB
416-486-2500
library@cnib.ca