National Federation of the Blind Endorses Google Books Settlement Before
Congress
Urges Justice Department to Support Settlement
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Federation of the
Blind, the nation's oldest and largest organization of blind people and the
leading advocate for access by the blind to digital information, testified
before the House Judiciary Committee today that the proposed settlement
between Google and authors and publishers regarding the Google Books project
should be approved. The Google Books settlement will make millions of titles
available to the blind and other Americans with print disabilities, providing
more access to the printed word than the blind have had in all of human
history.
Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, told the
House Judiciary Committee: "The Google settlement is, for the blind and many
others, the next step in the democratization of knowledge. That process began
with the introduction of the printing press and then, for the blind, with the
invention of Braille. Now technology is available that transcends the
traditional limitations of both print and Braille, promising to make millions
of titles available to the blind in Braille or any other format of our choice.
The narrow business interests of Google's competitors must not be allowed to
block Americans who cannot read print from all of the opportunities that
greater access to written knowledge will make available to them. It is time
for the doors of the world's great libraries to be opened and welcome to
everyone."
The National Federation of the Blind also urged the United States Department
of Justice, which is reviewing the terms of the settlement, to support the
agreement.
"The Google Books settlement is a major step forward in advancing the civil
rights of blind Americans and others who cannot read print because it
substantially increases our opportunities for education and employment,"
President Maurer said. "The Justice Department, which is tasked with
protecting the civil rights of all Americans, should respect the agreement of
the parties to the settlement and allow its access provisions to be fully
implemented. In doing so, the government will send a strong message that it
values the participation of the blind in society and believes that we should
have access to all of the information to which our sighted friends and
colleagues have access."
SOURCE National Federation of the Blind
Chris Danielsen, Director of Public Relations of National Federation of the
Blind, +1-410-659-9314, extension 2330; +1-410-262-1281 (Cell),
cdanielsen@nfb.org
