Provincial/Territorial Public Library Council (PTPLC) and Canadian Urban Library Council Improving Service For Print Disabled Canadians

From a Joint Announcement (PDF):

The Provincial/Territorial Public Library Council (PTPLC) met May 30, 2013 in Winnipeg to look at the possibility of joining forces as they work to build equitable public library service for Canadians with print disabilities. Both groups have agreed to explore the potential for a joint business plan during summer 2013.
The PTPLC partners have supported the development, through the BC Libraries Cooperative, the National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS) as a proof-of-concept ready to launch in Fall 2013. The NNELS initiative works to lower the traditionally prohibitive cost of resources for people with print disabilities by sharing those materials digitally across a wide network of Canadian and international library partners through the Canadian Accessible Library Service (CALS). The PTPLC see the print disabled community as integral partners in the development, operation and leadership of  this critical service.
See more at www.nationalnetwork.ca.
CULC/CBUC is proposing a new national organization – separate from the CNIB – solely focused on the creation, collection, delivery and preservation of both digital and physical alternate format accessible materials to print disabled Canadians through public libraries. CULC/CBUC’s solution includes the yet to be named organization assuming responsibility for the existing curated collection of alternate format materials, as well as leveraging the extensive publicly funded digital repository, ILS and physical production and delivery infrastructure currently used to provide service to those  Canadians who receive their service direct from the CNIB Library Service and from existing public library partners.
See more at www.culc.ca/advocacy/altformatdelivery.
Both proposals involve delivery through the public library network.

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