Good afternoon. I am delighted to be here today on behalf of the CNIB and CELA, the Centre for Equitable Library Access.
I am reading this presentation using adaptive technology, so I might be slightly over five minutes.
I am a Paralympian, a special education teacher, and a mom. I was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at the age of 18. Following the birth of my second child, I had lost 97% of my sight. I know first-hand how important it is to have access to reading materials in alternative formats.
I would like to take a moment to introduce three people who are very interested in today's proceedings.
Sam Fulton is a retired teacher, and chair of the CNIB board committee responsible for the governance of library services. Sam has told me how frustrated he is that not enough materials are available in formats that he can access.
Craig Oliver, CNIB's honorary chair and a CNIB client, is also here today. Craig has repeatedly said that he strongly believes that CELA's library services are critical to the continued employment of blind or partially sighted Canadians.
Finally, Katja Newman is a college student who has grown up with the CNIB. Katja credits CNIB with sparking her interest in literacy from an early age. She has seen many technical innovations, and she now uses the CNIB library to help her with her academic work.
These three individuals reinforce how important it is to have access to alternative format print materials.
My remarks today will focus on two important priorities: the production of alternative format content and the shift from physical to digital delivery of that content.
First I would like to talk to the production of content, which is the CELA submission. CELA was launched on April 1 of this year to support public libraries in offering library services for Canadians with print disabilities. This service provides the widest range possible of reading materials in such alternative formats as braille and audio. It provides content in both official languages and programs for first nations. It places a special emphasis on young readers and on Canadian content. Its overall focus is to increase the number of new accessible titles and the speed at which they are made available. Our goal is to secure 50% of CELA's overall funding from the federal government, with the remainder being provided by the provinces and territories, Canada's large urban libraries, and private donations through CNIB's fundraising efforts.
We are asking for $3.25 million per year in federal funding for each of three years starting in April 2015. This funding will be used to support the production of published works in alternative formats, something that is fundamentally important to our community.
The second area I want to focus on is how alternative format materials are delivered to Canadians. Right now the federal government provides funding to cover mailing costs for the literature for the blind program. Over one million audiobook CDs—over two million pieces of mail—are sent out and returned to the CNIB through this program every year. However, thanks in part to federal government funding from 2011, the CNIB now has the infrastructure and collection in place to distribute its books digitally.
We are asking that you take the next logical step and provide funding to allow for digital delivery. This would mean reallocating the $9.9 million annual funding provided under the literature for the blind program. This is not a request for new funding but rather a transfer of existing funding. Digital delivery would allow Canadians with print disabilities to download accessible reading materials anywhere in Canada with Internet access. With the transition to digital delivery, the cost to the Government of Canada would be significantly reduced, savings would begin almost immediately, and by year five we anticipate an annual reduction of $7 million.
Why are these two initiatives so important? Canadians living with a print disability currently have access to a mere 7% of print materials. Greater access to a wider range of materials will make a big difference in our lives. It will improve literacy and enhance education, open up more opportunities for jobs and community engagement, improve access to information and knowledge, reduce barriers for persons with disabilities, and accelerate the adoption of digital technology.
I would like to conclude on a personal note. I turned to the CNIB library when I realized my vision loss wasn't affecting just me; it was also affecting my children, because I couldn't read to them. I now download books and we listen to them together. It's made a huge difference for my family. I've also seen the program's success at school, where I'm able to download books and play them for my students. However, when friends recommend books to me, I can't access them because alternative format content is still so limited.
Imagine the possibilities that will be unlocked by producing more content in alternative formats and by moving to digital distribution of that content. It will make a world of difference to me, to Sam, to Craig, to Katja, and to the three million Canadians with print disabilities they are here to represent today.
Thank you for your consideration.