Vancouver, B.C. – May 28, 2014 – Canadians with print disabilities are receiving increased open access to digital library resources, thanks to an innovative low-cost project that initially launched in December, 2013 and continues to come available in communities across the country.<\/p>\n
The National Network of Equitable Library Access (NNELS) offers free and open digital access to a growing library collection that includes popular novels, classics, and non-fiction. Participating public libraries in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Nova Scotia are enabling seamless access to the collection.
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\nNNELS is an ambitious grassroots plan aimed at helping libraries to better serve their print disabled patrons by providing libraries with free access to digital resources in accessible formats. There is no charge to use NNELS – it is fully funded by participating jurisdictions, and is supported by the BC Libraries Cooperative, a non-profit shared services delivery organization.<\/p>\n
“By drawing upon the resource sharing potential of the Internet, NNELS helps libraries do what they do best – provide free and accessible library services to all Canadians, regardless of their income, background, location or print disability” said Ben Hyman, Executive Director of the BC Libraries Cooperative.<\/p>\n
NNELS enables libraries of all sizes to combine resources and collections, and provides free and open access to a growing selection of titles, as well as improved services for print-disabled patrons. Print disabilities include:<\/p>\n
– Impairment of sight or the inability to focus or move one’s eyes;
\n– The inability to hold or manipulate a book; and\/or,
\n– An impairment relating to comprehension.<\/p>\n
Millions of Canadians have print disabilities “but they shouldn’t be denied the joy of reading,” said Doris Koop, Executive Director of the Vision Impaired Resource Network (VIRN). “NNELS helps libraries provide their patrons who have a print disability with full access to all of the wonderful books that can be enjoyed by everyone.”<\/p>\n
Joining NNELS is easy and will connect you with up to 3000 Canadian libraries eligible to share in the project and the open technology that powers it. The BC Libraries Cooperative continues to work with provinces and libraries to further expand the service across Canada. For more information on how library patrons with print disabilities and public libraries can take advantage of the new service, visit nnels.ca.<\/p>\n
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Media Contacts:<\/p>\n
VIRN: Doris Koop, 204-793-0245 \/ Doris.Koop@virn.ca
\nBC Libraries Co-op: Ben Hyman, 855-383-5761 \/ ben.hyman@bc.libraries.coop <\/p>\n
Vancouver, Colombie-Britannique 28 mai 2014<\/p>\n Les Canadiens incapables de lire les imprim\u00e9s re\u00e7oivent maintenant un acc\u00e8s accru aux ressources des biblioth\u00e8ques num\u00e9riques, gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 un projet innovateur \u00e0 faible co\u00fbt lanc\u00e9 en D\u00e9cembre 2013 et qui continue d\u2019\u00eatre disponible dans les communaut\u00e9s partout \u00e0 travers le pays.<\/p>\n Le R\u00e9seau national de services de biblioth\u00e8que \u00e9quitables (NNELS) offre un acc\u00e8s gratuit et ouvert \u00e0 une collection num\u00e9rique croissante comprenant des romans populaires, des classiques, et des ouvrages g\u00e9n\u00e9raux. Les biblioth\u00e8ques publiques participantes de la Colombie- Britannique, de l’Alberta, de la Saskatchewan, du Manitoba et de la Nouvelle-\u00c9cosse offrent maintenant un acc\u00e8s homog\u00e8ne \u00e0 la collection.<\/p>\n Le R\u00e9seau national de services de biblioth\u00e8ques \u00e9quitables est un projet ambitieux d\u2019engagement communautaire qui vise \u00e0 aider les biblioth\u00e8ques \u00e0 mieux servir leurs clients en leur fournissant gratuitement des ressources num\u00e9riques en formats facile d\u2019acc\u00e8s. Il n’y a pas de frais pour utiliser le R\u00e9seau (NNELS) ; il est enti\u00e8rement financ\u00e9 par chaque province et chaque territoire et est soutenu par BC Libraries Cooperative, une entreprise communautaire \u00e0 but non-lucratif qui fournit des services \u00e0 ses membres.<\/p>\n En s’appuyant sur le partage potentiel des ressources de l’Internet, Le R\u00e9seau national de services de biblioth\u00e8que \u00e9quitables (NNELS) aide les biblioth\u00e8ques \u00e0 fournir les meilleurs services possibles, gratuits et accessibles \u00e0 tous les Canadiens, peu importe leur revenu, leur lieu de r\u00e9sidence ou leur niveau d\u2019incapacit\u00e9 \u00e0 leur lecture d\u2019imprim\u00e9s a d\u00e9clar\u00e9 Ben Hyman , directeur g\u00e9n\u00e9ral de BC Libraries Cooperative.<\/p>\n Le R\u00e9seau permet aux biblioth\u00e8ques de toutes tailles de combiner leurs ressources et leurs collections, offre un acc\u00e8s gratuit et libre \u00e0 une s\u00e9lection croissante de titres et am\u00e9liore les services aux clients souffrant d’une d\u00e9ficience de lecture des imprim\u00e9s :<\/p>\n La d\u00e9ficience de lecture des imprim\u00e9s comprend :<\/p>\n – D\u00e9pr\u00e9ciation de la vue ou de l’incapacit\u00e9 \u00e0 se concentrer ou de d\u00e9placer les yeux ; Des millions de Canadiens ont des difficult\u00e9s de lecture d\u2019imprim\u00e9s, mais ils ne devraient pas \u00eatre priv\u00e9s pour autant de la joie de la lecture, dit Doris Koop, directrice administrative de Vision Impaired Resource Network (VIRN).<\/p>\n Le R\u00e9seau national de services de biblioth\u00e8que \u00e9quitables (NNELS) aide les biblioth\u00e8ques \u00e0 fournir \u00e0 leurs clients un acc\u00e8s \u00e0 tous les merveilleux livres qui sont appr\u00e9ci\u00e9s par tout le monde. Devenir membre du R\u00e9seau est facile et permet de vous connecter \u00e0 pr\u00e8s de 3000 biblioth\u00e8ques canadiennes admissibles au projet et \u00e0 la technologie que ce projet alimente. Le BC Libraries Cooperative continue de travailler avec les provinces et les biblioth\u00e8ques pour \u00e9tendre ses services \u00e0 travers tout le Canada. Pour plus d’informations sur la fa\u00e7on dont les usagers des biblioth\u00e8ques ayant des difficult\u00e9s d\u2019impression et les biblioth\u00e8ques publiques peuvent profiter de ce nouveau service, visitez nnels.ca.<\/p>\n Les m\u00e9dias peuvent contacter : <\/p>\n Vision Impaired Resource Network : Doris Koop, 204-793-0245 \/ Doris.Koop@virn.ca <\/p>\n BC Libraries Co-op: Ben Hyman, 855-383-5761 \/ ben.hyman@bc.libraries.coop<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Vancouver, B.C. – May 28, 2014 – Canadians with print disabilities are receiving increased open access to digital library resources, thanks to an innovative low-cost project that initially launched in December, 2013 and continues to come available in communities across the country. The National Network of Equitable Library Access (NNELS) offers free and open digital […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[99,77,100],"class_list":["post-368","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-announcements","tag-national-network-of-equitable-library-access","tag-nnels","tag-reseau-national-de-services-de-bibliotheque-equitables"],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nInitiative nationale en croissance constante – Libre acc\u00e8s aux ressources de biblioth\u00e8ques num\u00e9riques pour les Canadiens ayant une d\u00e9ficience de lecture des imprim\u00e9s.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n– l’incapacit\u00e9 de tenir ou de manipuler un livre ;
\n– et \/ ou, une baisse de la compr\u00e9hension <\/p>\n