Availability of Accessible Publications. Suzanne Lockyer, Claire Creaser and J Eric Davies

Transcription

1 Availability of Accessible Publications Suzanne Lockyer, Claire Creaser and J Eric Davies May 2005

2 LOCKYER, Suzanne, CREASER, Claire and DAVIES, J Eric Availability of Accessible Publications Loughborough: LISU, 2005 Department of Information Science LISU Occasional Paper no. 35 ISBN Royal National Institute of the Blind, published under licence by LISU 2005 May 2005 Published and distributed by LISU Loughborough University Leicestershire LE11 3TU Tel: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) lisu@lboro.ac.uk

3 Contents Contents...i Executive Summary... ii Introduction...1 Background Methodology Selection of titles Stage One Selection of titles Stage Two Availability of titles in alternative formats Formats Problems/assumptions Results Stage One Stage Two Conclusions Recommendations Proposed methodology References...39 Availability of Accessible Publications i

4 Executive Summary There is deep concern at the lack of material available in accessible formats for the two million visually impaired people (VIPs) in the UK. The Right to Read Alliance s campaign highlights many aspects of this issue and advocates a range of initiatives from government, publishing and libraries. To inform these endeavours, the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) commissioned LISU to establish reliable estimates of the proportion of books available in accessible formats in the UK. The work was undertaken during the summer of An estimate of the availability of alternative formats for all books published over a five year period was made, based on a random sample from the British National Bibliography (BNB) for the years inclusive. Over the five years examined, a total of 2,069 titles were selected for the sample for stage one. Of these, just 92 were found to be available in one or more accessible formats 4.4%. Availability varies by year of inclusion in BNB, from 2.1% in 1999 to 8.3% in The most common format was standard audio-cassette with 2.8% of titles available across the five year period. An estimate was also made of the availability of alternative formats for a selection of specific categories (adult fiction, junior fiction, biography, cookery, gardening, and sport) based on a random sample from BNB for A sample of Popular Biography titles was selected from The Bookseller Buyer s Guide for the same five year period. The category with the highest number of publications available in accessible formats was adult fiction with 26.3% of titles available overall. The least represented were cookery (1.9%) and gardening (1.8%). Junior fiction was transcribed into the greatest number of formats overall (12), and cookery and sport were transcribed into the lowest number at four formats each. Junior fiction also gave the greatest choice of formats for a single publication, although less than half the titles found in any category offered any choice at all. ii Availability of Accessible Publications

5 The results support previous estimates of the availability of publications in accessible formats. However, this does represent a lower boundary based on availability from major sources only. A comprehensive catalogue of materials would greatly facilitate the monitoring of availability. It is recommended that the estimates are updated on an annual basis to monitor the impact of the Right to Read Alliance s Campaign and a methodology is proposed to facilitate this. Availability of Accessible Publications iii

6 Introduction There is deep concern at the lack of material available in accessible formats for the two million visually impaired people (VIPs) in the UK. The Right to Read Alliance s campaign highlights many aspects of this issue and advocates a range of initiatives from government, publishing and libraries. To inform these endeavours, the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) commissioned LISU to establish reliable estimates of the proportion of books available in accessible formats in the UK. The work was completed in August Estimates were established for all categories of books published over a five year period for a variety of formats. In addition, certain genres were investigated in greater depth. This report outlines the methodology and results for both stages of the project. The problems surrounding the provision of alternative formats are discussed and recommendations for future monitoring of the position are suggested. Availability of Accessible Publications 1

7 Background Most of the literature surrounding accessibility to written information for VIPs concentrates on information via websites, or access to libraries. Although stock is an important consideration for the latter, studies also consider physical access, staff awareness, equipment, joining procedures, policy etc. (Kinnell and Creaser 2001; Davies et al 2001). The scarcity of materials in accessible formats is widely acknowledged, but there does not seem to have been much in-depth work on estimates of availability. The RNIB currently estimates the availability of all printed material in alternative formats as 5% (RNIB 2003, and material on website). This is the headline figure quoted for the Right to Read Alliance s Campaign, and no source is given. However, Owen (2001) gives a figure of 4% of books (rather than all printed materials) being available in alternative formats. This figure is based on work done by Capital Planning Information (2000). Capital Planning Information carried out an extensive project for Share the Vision and the Library and Information Commission. This investigated the range of producers and distributors of alternative format material, as well as public library provision. The report notes that, of the 110,000 books published in 1999, about 4,500 were produced in audio and/or large print formats. This gives the 4% quoted elsewhere. However, the main work on the availability of alternative formats was based on titles supplied to libraries. The list of 1,482 titles included adult fiction (25%), adult non-fiction (49%), junior fiction (16%), and junior non-fiction (10%). These were checked against commercial and voluntary producers and suppliers of alternative formats. Overall, 17.5% were produced in an alternative format, but this figure includes duplicates (that is, if a book was produced in an audio format and large print, it was counted twice). The report concludes with various recommendations to commercial and voluntary sector producers for co-ordinating provision of accessible formats. 2 Availability of Accessible Publications

8 The value of the book trade is increasing. In 2001, consumer book purchases generated income of 1,951m compared to 1,745m in 1999 (Bookfacts Online). The value of audiobook sales in 2002/2003 was 66.3m (Bookfacts Online). However, this includes dramatisations, recordings of TV and radio programmes and abridged versions of books, so is not really representative of the audio formats used by VIPs. Davies et al. (2001) note that there is little available information regarding the use of commercially produced audio books by VIPs, but quote an estimate that VIPs constitute about 20% of the general market for such products. Respondents to the CPI survey criticised the use of Talking Books [sic] by sighted users, which sometimes left few items available for VIPs. The CPI study also notes that rights to publish large print books are more expensive because they are not used only by VIPs. However, publishers of large print books sell mainly to public libraries thereby limiting their market. By contrast, in North America many mainstream publishers routinely produce large print versions for sale alongside standard print (CPI 2000). There are studies which support the view that VIPs are an untapped market. Bruce and Baker (2001) surveyed 1,076 adults with uncorrectable sight problems. They found that 61% of the respondents read less since their sight deteriorated. However, 51% said they would consider using Braille. 54% of people were unaware of the RNIB Talking Book service, but of the remainder, 32% of respondents who did not have a player would have liked one. Bruce and Baker also note that the use of alternative formats is limited by availability, and so popularity and perceived demand are artificially depressed. A study by Davies et al. (2001) of VIP s perspectives of library and information services found that 37% of the respondents were current users of the public library, and only 6% had never used a public library. This compares well to the figures for the general population; in , 27% of the population were estimated to be active borrowers at their public library (CIPFA 2004). However, the total number of users will be somewhat Availability of Accessible Publications 3

9 higher than this as between 10% and 30% of library users do not borrow (CIPFA 2002). Kinnell and Creaser (2001) conclude that studies into the information and reading needs of VIPs agree on three fundamental points reading is important to VIPs, they are not sufficiently aware of services provided and there is dissatisfaction with the material available. The small percentage of material currently produced in an alternative format is not the only barrier to access. Material may be available in only one alternative, but people have different needs and preferences. In addition, publications are produced, lent, and sold by a variety of organisations and a major barrier is finding whether material is available and if so, where to obtain it (Chapman 2004). To these obstacles could be added the accessibility of catalogues and the usability of any hardware required to play the variety of audio formats. However, to facilitate effective lobbying and to monitor the progress of campaigns such as the Right to Read Alliance, it is essential to establish a sound methodology for estimating the availability of alternative formats. 4 Availability of Accessible Publications

10 1. Methodology There were two stages to the project: Estimating the availability of alternative formats for all books published over a five year period, based on a random sample from the British National Bibliography (BNB) for the years inclusive. Estimating the availability of alternative formats for a selection of specific categories (adult fiction, junior fiction, biography, cookery, gardening, and sport) also based on a random sample from BNB for The methodology is detailed below. 1.1 Selection of titles Stage One The Right to Read Alliance s campaign emphasises everyone s right to read for information, education, leisure and inspiration (RNIB 2003). Therefore, any estimate of the proportion of publications which are available in accessible formats must be based on all categories of books published. To ensure this, the first stage of the project randomly selected approximately 2,000 titles from the last five years (i.e ) of the British National Bibliography (BNB). The subject index volumes were used to facilitate later sorting into categories. Based on the approximate number of titles per page, and pages per volume, a sampling fraction of 1:140 was obtained. Random number selection gave a different starting point for each volume, and every 140th title was recorded on an Excel spreadsheet. This provided a database of 2,069 titles over the five years. Availability of Accessible Publications 5

11 1.2 Selection of titles Stage Two The categories to be included were decided after discussion with RNIB and an examination of data on popular genres borrowed (Public Lending Right 2003). For consistency with stage one, BNB was to be used as a source for titles. Therefore, the facility with which categories could be delineated based on Dewey classification was also a consideration. For each category the relevant titles (based on the Dewey classification assigned by BNB) from the initial list of 2,069 titles were identified and a top-up sampling fraction was calculated to provide a total of around 400 titles over the five years for each category: Adult fiction: Dewey class 813 and 823; every 125th title selected Junior fiction: Dewey class 813 [J] and 823 [J]; every 37th title selected. The suffix J is added by BNB and includes books for children and teenagers Cookery: Dewey class inclusive; every 6th title selected Gardening: Dewey class 635; every 2nd title selected Sport: Dewey class inclusive; every 13th title selected Biography: Dewey class inclusive; every title selected. Insufficient titles were selected by this method, as many Biographies are classified in BNB according to the subject s occupation or area of interest. Hence most of those in the class are compilations, dictionaries etc. Therefore, an additional category of popular biography was added. Popular biography: Titles were selected from the Buyer s Guide, which is published twice yearly by The Bookseller and previews forthcoming titles. The Spring and Autumn editions for Availability of Accessible Publications

12 inclusive were used to select titles. The Biography section of the guide included about 900 titles per year, therefore every 10th title was selected. 1.3 Availability of titles in alternative formats Contact was made with key stakeholders including the National Library for the Blind (NLB), Revealweb, RNIB and Ulverscroft. Following these discussions, titles selected for both stages were checked against the following sources: Revealweb: this online catalogue includes the catalogues of the RNIB and NLB, plus other organisations which supply (by loan or sale) alternative formats, for example, Calibre Cassette Library. This source gives the widest range of titles, including many that have been transcribed to order. It also includes the widest range of formats, for example Braille, Moon, Large Print, Giant Print, Talking Books, Cassettes, and DAISY (see Section 1.4 for description of formats). Revealweb also includes items in preparation, and these have been classed as available. (accessed throughout July and August 2004). Ulverscroft: this commercial publisher includes the imprints of Ulverscroft large print books, Magna large print books and audio books, ISIS and Soundings unabridged audio books; mainly popular fiction. An online catalogue is available, but printed sources were also obtained from the publisher. Chivers: this commercial publisher includes unabridged audio and large print, mainly popular fiction. An online catalogue is available. (accessed throughout July and August 2004). Availability of Accessible Publications 7

13 W F Howes: this commercial publisher produces audio books, mainly fiction. An online catalogue is available. (accessed throughout July and August 2004). ClearVision: ClearVision provides popular children s picture books with Braille text added on clear plastic, so that books can be shared by visually-impaired and sighted children and adults. Books are selected by ClearVision based on the profile of the user (age, interest etc). Children s titles selected from BNB during stage one were sent to Marion Ripley at ClearVision for checking against their internal catalogue. Due to the timescale of the project, the titles in the Junior Fiction category selected for stage two could not be checked against ClearVision stock. 1.4 Formats Availability of a title in a particular format was recorded. The formats to be included were based on those described in the Revealweb guide to accessible formats. Each format is described below, including any assumptions made during data collection. Braille: use of combinations of raised dots to represent letters and numbers. There are two grades of Braille, and the data collection used the categories Braille grade 1 and Braille grade 2; any American Braille titles have been included in the Braille 2 category. Moon: a line based tactile code. The database headings include Grade 1 and 2. Braille with Print: text in Braille and print. Moon with Print: text in Moon and print. 8 Availability of Accessible Publications

14 Tactile maps and diagrams: for example, diagrams copied onto heat sensitive paper and passed through an enhancer which causes dark lines to swell. Standard cassette (2 track audio): Books recorded onto cassette tapes which can be played on standard equipment; produced by both the commercial and voluntary sectors. Audio 4 track: Books recorded onto 4 track cassette tapes which require special equipment for playback. 4 track (and 2 track) cassettes are produced by RNIB by request and include mainly non-fiction titles. Talking Books (6 track cassette): Talking Books are produced by the RNIB Talking Book Service. They require special playback equipment, and both the equipment and tapes are provided as part of the service. Analogue Talking Books are now being replaced by DAISY DTB (see below). Audio CD: Spoken word books provided on CDs which are played on standard CD players. DAISY (Digital Talking Book): New digital format developed to international standards. One CD can hold up to 40 hours of sound and the material is navigable comparable to flicking through a book. Discs can be played on a dedicated DAISY player, or on a PC with appropriate software. Electronic text files: Text of a book held electronically for use on a computer. Print: commercial publishers provide books in Large Print. Some items included on Revealweb are noted as being available in Availability of Accessible Publications 9

15 various print sizes. The guide to formats defines Large Print (14 point and larger) and Giant Print (18 point and larger), and these are the categories used in the database. 1.5 Problems/assumptions The large number of producers and suppliers of accessible formats made comprehensive checking of titles impossible within the timescale of the project. Advice was sought about the most important sources, as discussed above. Locating non-fiction titles, particularly academic texts, was a particular problem. The Disabilities and Special Needs Unit at Loughborough University was contacted for information about provision of academic texts for students with visual impairment. Their strategy was first to approach RNIB, then the Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic in the USA ( If these sources were unsuccessful, publishers were asked to supply an electronic version, which could then be used in a format accessible to the student, for example, with screen reader software or text enlargers. If texts were not available from any of these sources they would commission a recording, usually from RNIB. Such items usually become available in the RNIB library and would be listed on Revealweb. Being able to locate available titles readily is part of accessibility - this applies to sources being listed centrally, and also to databases being reliable. It is noted that Revealweb continues to extend its coverage which will facilitate checking in the future. Only Revealweb notes the original edition used for production of alternative formats. In some cases, classic titles have been recently re-issued and were selected from BNB. These do not necessarily match the edition transcribed. For fiction, if a title is available (in any edition) it has been classed as available. For non-fiction, a match was only recorded if the alternative format was produced from the edition listed in BNB. However, it 10 Availability of Accessible Publications

16 is recognised that some readers of fiction may require specific editions. For example, students of English may be required to use a certain edition. Abridged titles have not been included in the analysis. RNIB do not consider them an alternative format as they do not equate to the printed version. E-books have not been included, but the problems and potential of e-books are discussed later in this report. However, electronic text files provided by the RNIB have been included. Availability of Accessible Publications 11

17 2. Results 2.1 Stage One Over the five years examined, a total of 2,069 titles were selected for the sample for stage one. Of these, just 92 were found to be available in one or more accessible formats 4.4%. The standard error of this estimate is 0.5%, giving a 95% confidence interval of between 3.6% and 5.3%. Availability varies by year of inclusion in BNB, from 2.1% in 1999 to 8.3% in The most common format was standard audio-cassette with 2.8% of titles available across the five year period. None of the sampled titles were found to be accessible in Braille grade 1, Moon with print, Tactile maps, or Electronic Braille. Table 1 details the availability of material in each accessible format according to the year of inclusion in BNB; the total is illustrated in Figure 1. Table 1 Availability of material in accessible formats, by year 1999 (%) 2000 (%) 2001 (%) 2002 (%) 2003 (%) Total (%) Braille grade Moon Braille with print Standard cassette Audio: 4 track Talking books CD DAISY Electronic Text Large print Giant print Any None Sample , Availability of Accessible Publications

18 Fig 1 Overall availability of material in accessible formats Electronic Text Braille with print Giant print Moon CD ROMs spoken word Audio: 4 track Talking books DAISY Large print Braille 2 Standard cassette Any 0.0% 0.5% 1.0% 1.5% 2.0% 2.5% 3.0% 3.5% 4.0% 4.5% Availability of Accessible Publications 13

19 2.2 Stage Two Adult fiction Over the five years examined, a total of 415 titles were selected for the adult fiction sample. Of these, 109 were found to be available in one or more accessible formats 26.3%. The standard error of this estimate is 1.0%, giving a 95% confidence interval of between 24.4% and 28.1%. Availability varies by year of inclusion in BNB, from 15.1% in 1999 to 33.0% in See Table 2. Table 2 Summary of adult fiction material available in accessible formats, by year Sample (number) Available, any format (number) Available, any format (%) No availability (number) Total Availability of Accessible Publications

20 Table 3 summarises the material available by year and format. Table 3 Availability of adult fiction material in accessible formats, by year and format 1999 (%) 2000 (%) 2001(%) 2002 (%) 2003 (%) Total (%) Braille Moon Standard cassette Audio: 4 track Talking books Audio CD DAISY Electronic text Large print Giant print Publications were available in one or more of 10 formats. The most common format was standard audio cassette with 15.7% of titles available over the five year period. Just under half (49 of the 109 available titles) were available in more than one format, with the most widely accessible being a classic title Wuthering Heights - available in eight different formats. Figure 2 illustrates the overall availability of material by format. Availability of Accessible Publications 15

21 Fig 2 Overall availability of adult fiction material in accessible formats Giant print Electronic Text Audio: 4 track Moon Audio CD Talking books DAISY Braille 2 Large print Standard cassette 0.0% 2.0% 4.0% 6.0% 8.0% 10.0% 12.0% 14.0% 16.0% 16 Availability of Accessible Publications

22 2.2.2 Junior Fiction Over the five years examined, a total of 406 titles were selected for the junior fiction sample. Of these, 53 were found to be available in one or more accessible formats 13.1%. The standard error of this estimate is 0.5%, giving a 95% confidence interval of between 11.1% and 13.2%. Availability varies by year of inclusion in BNB, from 7.9% in 1999 to 19.5% in See Table 4. Table 4 Summary of junior fiction material available in accessible formats, by year Sample (number) Available, any format (number) Available, any format (%) No availability (number) Total Availability of Accessible Publications 17

23 Table 5 summarises the material available by year and format. Table 5 Availability of junior fiction material in accessible formats, by year and format 1999 (%) 2000 (%) 2001 (%) 2002 (%) 2003 (%) Total (%) Braille Braille Moon Braille with print Standard cassette Audio: 4 track Talking books Audio CD DAISY Electronic text Large print Giant print Publications were available in one or more of 12 formats. The most common format was Braille 2 with 7.4% of titles available over the five year period. 25 of the 53 titles were available in more than one format, with Frankenstein by Mary Shelley available in a total of nine different formats. Figure 3 illustrates the overall availability of material by format. 18 Availability of Accessible Publications

24 Fig 3 Overall availability of junior fiction material in accessible formats Braille with print Moon Electronic Text Audio: 4 track Audio CD Braille 1 Giant print DAISY Talking books Large print Standard cassette Braille 2 0.0% 1.0% 2.0% 3.0% 4.0% 5.0% 6.0% 7.0% 8.0% Availability of Accessible Publications 19

25 2.2.3 Biography Over the five years examined, a total of 283 titles were available from BNB for the biography sample. Of these, 13 were found to be available in one or more accessible formats 4.6%. The standard error of this estimate is 0.3%, giving a 95% confidence interval of 4.1% to 5.1%. Availability varies by year of inclusion in BNB, from 1.5% in 2002 to 9.1% in See Table 6. Table 6 Summary of biography material available in accessible formats, by year Sample (number) Available, any format (number) Available, any format (%) No availability (number) Total Availability of Accessible Publications

26 Table 7 summarises the material available by year and format. Table 7 Availability of biography material in accessible formats, by year and format 1999 (%) 2000 (%) 2001 (%) 2002 (%) 2003 (%) Total (%) Braille Standard cassette Audio: 4 track Audio CD DAISY Large print Publications were available in one or more of six formats. The most common format was Braille 2 with 3.5% of titles available over the five year period. Four of the 13 titles were available in more than one format, with Basil Street Blues by Michael Holroyd available in four different formats. Figure 4 illustrates the overall availability of material by format. Availability of Accessible Publications 21

27 Fig 4 Overall availability of biography material in accessible formats Large print Audio CD Audio: 4 track DAISY Standard cassette Braille 2 0.0% 0.5% 1.0% 1.5% 2.0% 2.5% 3.0% 3.5% 4.0% Given the specialist nature of this subject area, it is suggested that future analyses concentrate on the popular biography categories discussed below. 22 Availability of Accessible Publications

28 2.2.4 Popular Biography Over the five years examined, a total of 471 titles were selected from the Bookseller Buyer s Guide for the popular biography sample. Of these, 68 were found to be available in one or more accessible formats 14.4%. The standard error of this estimate is 0.6%, giving a 95% confidence interval of between 13.3% and 15.6%. Availability varies by year of inclusion in the Buyer s Guide from 10.0% in 2003 to 17.2% in See Table 8. Table 8 Summary of popular biography titles available in accessible formats, by year Sample (number) Available, any format (number) Available, any format (%) No availability (number) Total Availability of Accessible Publications 23

29 Table 9 summarises the material available by year and format. Table 9 Availability of popular biography material in accessible formats, by year and format 1999 (%) 2000 (%) 2001 (%) 2002 (%) 2003 (%) Total (%) Braille Standard cassette Audio: 4 track Talking books Audio CD DAISY Large print Publications were available in one or more of seven formats. The most common format was standard audio cassette with 8.5% of titles available over the five year period. 28 of the 68 titles (41%) were available in more than one format. The greatest number of formats for a single title was five, for Surgeon of Crowthorne by Simon Winchester. Figure 5 illustrates the overall availability of material by format. Fig 5 Overall availability of popular biography material in accessible formats Talking books Large print Audio CD Audio: 4 track DAISY Braille 2 Standard cassette 0.0% 1.0% 2.0% 3.0% 4.0% 5.0% 6.0% 7.0% 8.0% 9.0% 24 Availability of Accessible Publications

30 2.2.5 Cookery Over the five years examined, a total of 476 titles were selected for the cookery sample. Of these, nine were found to be available in one or more accessible formats 1.9%. The standard error of this estimate is 0.09%, giving a 95% confidence interval of between 1.0% and 1.2%. Availability varies by year of inclusion in BNB, from 0% in 1999 to 5.2% in See Table 10. Given the relatively low proportion of cookery titles found to be available in accessible formats, it would be desirable to increase the sample size for future analyses of this subject. Table 10 Summary of cookery material available in accessible formats, by year Sample (Number) Available, any format (number) Available, any format (%) No availability (number) Total Availability of Accessible Publications 25

31 Table 11 summarises the material available by year and format. Table 11 Availability of cookery material in accessible formats, by year and format 1999 (%) 2000 (%) 2001 (%) 2002 (%) 2003 (%) Total (%) Braille Standard cassette Audio: 4 track Large print Publications were available in one or more of four formats. The most common format was Braille 2 with 1.06% of titles available over the five year period. Just one title was available in more than one format Superjuicing: juicing for health and healing by Michael Van Straten, available in both 2 track and 4 track cassette. Figure 6 illustrates the overall availability of material by format. Fig 6 Overall availability of cookery material in accessible formats Large print Audio: 4 track Standard cassette Braille 2 0.0% 0.2% 0.4% 0.6% 0.8% 1.0% 1.2% 26 Availability of Accessible Publications

32 2.2.6 Gardening Over the five years examined, a total of 493 titles were selected for the gardening sample. Of these, nine were found to be available in one or more accessible formats 1.8%. The standard error of this estimate is 0.08%, giving a 95% confidence interval of 1.7% to 2.0%. Availability varies by year of inclusion in BNB, from 0.9% in 2002 to 2.9% in See Table 12. As with cookery, it is recommended that future analyses consider using a larger sample size. Table 12 Summary of gardening material available in accessible formats, by year Sample (number) Available, any format (number) Available, any format (%) No availability (number) Total Availability of Accessible Publications 27

33 Table 13 summarises the material available by year and format. Table 13 Availability of gardening material in accessible formats, by year and format 1999 (%) 2000 (%) 2001 (%) 2002 (%) 2003 (%) Total (%) Braille Standard cassette Audio: 4 track Audio CD DAISY Large print Publications were available in one or more of six formats. The most common format was standard audio cassette with 0.81% of titles available over the five year period. Only three titles were available in more than one format, of which Alan Titchmarsh s Trowel and error: notes from a life on earth was available in five different formats. This title is a good example of the difficulty in allocating titles to specific genres, as it could equally well be considered as a biography. Figure 7 illustrates the overall availability of material by format. Fig 7 Overall availability of gardening material in accessible formats DAISY Audio CD Large print Audio: 4 track Braille 2 Standard cassette 0.0% 0.1% 0.2% 0.3% 0.4% 0.5% 0.6% 0.7% 0.8% 0.9% 28 Availability of Accessible Publications

34 2.2.7 Sport Over the five years examined, a total of 410 titles were selected for the sport sample. Of these, 12 were found to be available in one or more accessible formats 2.9%. The standard error of this estimate is 0.14%, giving a 95% confidence interval of 2.7% to 3.2%. Availability varies by year of inclusion in BNB, from 0% in 1999 to 4.9% in See Table 14. Table 14 Summary of sport titles available in accessible formats, by year Sample (number) Available, any format (number) Available, any format (%) No availability (number) Total Availability of Accessible Publications 29

35 Table 15 summarises the material available by year and format Table 15 Availability of sport material in accessible formats, by year and format 1999 (%) 2000 (%) 2001 (%) 2002 (%) 2003 (%) Total (%) Braille Standard cassette Audio: 4 track Talking books Publications were available in one or more of four formats. The most common format was Braille 2 with 1.48% of titles available over the five year period. Five of the 12 titles were available in more than one format, with A social history of English cricket by Derek Birley available in three different formats. Figure 8 illustrates the overall availability of material by format. Fig 8 Overall availability of sport material in accessible formats Talking books Audio: 4 track Standard cassette Braille 2 0.0% 0.2% 0.4% 0.6% 0.8% 1.0% 1.2% 1.4% 1.6% 30 Availability of Accessible Publications

36 2.2.8 Summary data for categories The category with the highest number of publications available in accessible formats was adult fiction with 26.3% of titles available overall. The least represented were cookery (1.9%) and gardening (1.8%). Junior fiction was transcribed into the greatest number of formats overall (12), and cookery and sport into the least number at four formats each. Junior fiction also gave the greatest choice of formats for a single publication, although less than half the titles found in any category offered any choice at all. Duplication is of concern to the Right to Read Alliance (RNIB 2003) and attempts to track it were made during the data collection exercise. However, it is difficult to provide any definitive figures on duplication for various reasons: Determining who produces and who supplies material. For example, NLB and RNIB are libraries, and so may lend purchased material, but they are also producers. Determining editions transcribed and when they became available in alternative format(s). Revealweb provides the original source of material, but not the time at which it became available in alternative format. Commercial publishers give date of publication of the alternative version. The data collection was not exhaustive of suppliers and producers of alternative formats. However, a count was made of duplicate versions of the same edition available in cassette, CD and large print. For the five year sample, duplicate versions were found in only four of the seven categories as shown in Availability of Accessible Publications 31

37 Table 16. Braille was not included as Revealweb has facilitated co-ordination of Braille production. Table 16 Duplication of titles in accessible formats, by format and category 2 versions (number of titles) Cassette 3 versions (number of titles) 2 versions (number of titles) Large print 3 versions (number of titles) Adult fiction Junior fiction Popular biography Gardening Availability of Accessible Publications

38 3. Conclusions This study estimated that 4.4% of books across all categories are available in accessible formats. This agrees with previously quoted figures of 4% (RNIB 2003, CPI 2000). However, checking availability is difficult due to the number of producers. Therefore, the figure of 4.4% represents a lower boundary based on availability from major sources. A comprehensive catalogue of materials would greatly facilitate the monitoring of availability and the launch of Revealweb in 2003 has been a step forward. Revealweb has many advantages for both individual and corporate searchers and should be more widely promoted because of the following factors: It is web accessible, so can reach a wide audience International cataloguing standards are used Detailed information about publications is provided including synopses and indexing Includes a directory of producers and suppliers of alternative formats It is understood that negotiations are in progress with commercial publishers to include their stock, which will further enhance Revealweb, and overcome one hurdle to accessibility checking the availability of alternative formats. In the longer term, technological advances may offer solutions to providing more material in alternative formats. The DAISY Digital Talking Book (DTB) is an international standard for digital talking books. This format has several advantages over current audio formats, not least that 40 hours of sound can be fitted on to one CD and the book is navigable (Kerscher 2001). However, DAISY offers more than just another audio format. Morgan (2003) Availability of Accessible Publications 33

39 describes six types of DAISY from audio only, through audio with varying amounts of text, to text only. DAISY DTBs are currently available, and this study found equal numbers of DAISY Talking Books and 6 track Talking Books (which will cease production next year). DAISY DTBs are produced on CD, and require a special player, or computer with appropriate software. It is also possible to distribute DAISY DTBs over the Internet. DAISY is a very flexible format as the underlying text file can be used to produce Braille versions. Most books now start in electronic format, so can be produced in many formats. Electronic text files have been used by VIPs for some time. However, as the potential for electronic distribution of books became recognised, publishers became concerned about illegal copying. Therefore, many e-books were soundproofed (Kerscher and Fruchterman 2002) containing blocks which, as well as preventing copying, also blocked accessible devices such as screen readers. Another problem was compatibility, as e-books require dedicated devices. The Open E-book Forum (OEF) developed standards to address both compatibility and accessibility issues (Johnson 2000). The DAISY Consortium is a member of the OEF, because electronic text files can be used as a basis for DAISY DTB. Therefore, if such files are made available some of the initial cost of production is reduced (Kerscher 2001). Unfortunately, despite acceptance of these standards by producers of e-books, there are still problems mainly due to copyright issues (Kerscher and Fruchterman 2002). The Canadian Institute of the Blind has recognised the potential of digitised formats and has an ambitious plan to digitise its stock which currently relies on obsolete systems which are expensive to maintain. The aims of the campaign include web access to books, newspapers, the library catalogue and reference works. Access will be via portals which offer additional services such as chat groups, and information. There will be portals of special interest to children, teenagers and older people and dedicated to their interests and needs ( The digital 34 Availability of Accessible Publications

40 infrastructure will also allow production and distribution of information in other formats such as Braille, audio and large print, thereby including those without computer access. This is obviously an extremely expensive process and the CNIB appeal is for $33million. This is for conversion of all present stock and updating administrative procedures etc. In many ways, technology offers the opportunity to produce books in accessible formats more cheaply than previously, and also more quickly. Unfortunately, there are other obstacles. An issue which arises in all the literature is the problem of copyright. There has been some progress with the Copyright (Visually Impaired Persons) Act 2002 (RNIB 2003). This allows not-for-profit organisations to produce and distribute books in accessible formats to people with sight problems without seeking permission from the rights holder on condition that no commercial copy is available. This further highlights the need for a comprehensive catalogue of materials. It is often suggested that people are unwilling to accept new formats, particularly those requiring computers. However, attitudes are changing rapidly. In 1998/9 only 13% of households had internet access; in the first quarter of 2004 this figure had risen to 50% (Office of National Statistics 2004). The reasons for not using/owning a computer were investigated by Bruce and Baker (2001); 43% agreed with the statement no wish or interest, and 21% that they had no use for a computer. Only 4% agreed with the statement too frightened. However, Bruce and Baker found age differences in responses, with older people expressing lack of interest, and working people lack of money or training. A study conducted by LISU for the Share the Vision programme (Davies et al. 2001) also revealed that younger people were much more likely to use IT, although there was a proportion aged over 65 that did make Availability of Accessible Publications 35

41 use of it. Around 1% of VIPs over 55 surveyed stated that they used the Internet. Older people are willing and able to use computers as evidenced by the Portsmouth Library Service s Eye2Eye scheme (Aust, 2004). This initiative aims to teach VIPs to use computers. The initial group of six learners had an average age of 74. However, older people often have other disabilities and it is important that the hardware required for accessible formats does not introduce other barriers. The Right to Read Alliance s campaign has highlighted the issues surrounding the lack of material in accessible formats. These must be addressed by a range of organisations including government, publishers and libraries. With such a range of issues and organisations involved it is essential to monitor progress in order to maintain momentum and, it is hoped, to celebrate successes. The methodology designed and tested in this study will facilitate this process. 36 Availability of Accessible Publications

42 4. Recommendations Part of the project brief was to propose a methodology for updating the estimates of books available in alternative formats. A suggested methodology is outlined below. However, the main difficulty in the data collection process was checking availability. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that Revealweb continues to be developed to facilitate future data collection. 4.1 Proposed methodology All published books The headline figure (i.e. all books) should be updated annually, as follows: Add 400 titles from the most recent year of BNB, selected using a systematic random sample; remove the earliest year. Therefore, next year the records for 1999 will be removed, and 400 titles added from BNB Recheck availability of the entire database of titles. Titles to be selected from the British National Bibliography: classified sequence. Starting at a random point, every 140th title should be selected for the sample. It is important that this exercise be properly resourced in order for the results to be credible. It is estimated that the following person days will be required: - 2 days to obtain sample of 400 titles from BNB - 3 days to check availability of 2000 titles in Revealweb - 3 days to check availability in alternative sources (may be omitted as Revealweb is developed) - 2 days supervision and analysis. Availability of Accessible Publications 37

43 4.1.2 Genres Existing genres can be updated using the strategy outlined above, i.e. remove earliest year and add latest year. It is recommended that an estimate for Biography, if required, should be made using the biography classification from the Bookseller Buyer s Guide rather than BNB. It is recommended that larger sample sizes (600 over the five years) be examined for subjects where availability is particularly low (e.g. cookery, gardening). If new genres are required the following must be considered: - Ease of isolating the category in BNB using Dewey classification or from an alternative source. - Appropriate sampling fraction for selection of titles. 38 Availability of Accessible Publications

44 5. References Aust, Annie (2004), Visionary winner. The Bookseller April 2004 pp Book Marketing Ltd, Book Facts Online, accessed July and August British National Bibliography 1999 volume 1: classified sequence. Wetherby: The British Library British National Bibliography 2000 volume 1: classified sequence. Wetherby: The British Library British National Bibliography 2001 volume 1: classified sequence. Wetherby: The British Library British National Bibliography 2002 volume 1 and 2: classified sequence. Wetherby: The British Library British National Bibliography 2003 volume 1: classified sequence. Wetherby: The British Library Bruce, Ian and Baker, Mark (2001), Access to written information: the views of 1,000 people with sight problems. RNIB. Buyer s Guide: Spring London: Bookseller Publications. Buyer s Guide: Autumn London: Bookseller Publications. Buyer s Guide: Spring London: Bookseller Publications. Buyer s Guide: Autumn London: Bookseller Publications. Availability of Accessible Publications 39

45 Buyer s Guide: Spring London: Bookseller Publications. Buyer s Guide: Autumn London: Bookseller Publications. Buyer s Guide: Spring London: Bookseller Publications. Buyer s Guide: Autumn London: Bookseller Publications. Buyer s Guide: Spring London: Bookseller Publications. Buyer s Guide: Autumn London: Bookseller Publications. Canadian National Institute for the Blind. That all may read. Campaign webpages, accessed 17 August Capital Planning Information Ltd (2000), Co-ordinating alternative format title selection: final report to Share the Vision and the Library and Information Commission. Library and Information Commission Research Report 72. Chapman, Ann (2002), Revealing collections for visually impaired people. Sconul Newsletter 25 (Spring) 2002 pp Chapman, Ann (2004), Accessible formats revealed. Update 3(6) pp Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (2004), Public library statistics. Actuals London: IPF Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (2002), CIPFA Plus London: IPF 40 Availability of Accessible Publications

46 Davies, J. Eric, Wisdom, Stella and Creaser, Claire (2001), Out of sight but not out of mind: visually impaired people s perspectives of library and information services. Loughborough: LISU. Johnson, David (2000), E-books, libraries, and access for the blind. Hi Tech Library News 17(4) pp Kerscher, George (2001), DAISY Consortium: information technology for the world s blind and print-disabled population past, present, and into the future. Library Hi Tech 19(1) pp Kerscher, George and Fruchterman, Jim (2002), The soundproof book: exploration of rights conflict and access to commercial e-books for people with disabilities. Firstmonday 7(6). E-journal : Kinnell, Margaret and Creaser, Claire (2001), A new outlook?: services to visually impaired people in UK public libraries. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 33(1) pp Morgan, Greg (2003). A word in your ear. The Electronic Library 21(3) pp Office of National Statistics online: accessed July Owen, David (2001), Print: not the only format. Library Association Record 103(8) pp Public Lending Right (2003), Loans of books by category. accessed June Royal National Institute of the Blind (2003): Overdue: an RNIB report. London: RNIB. Available from website: Availability of Accessible Publications 41