# web-braille is going away

Category: book Nook

## Post 1 by blbobby (Ooo you're gona like this!) on Friday, 12-May-2006 15:11:56

I just read on Wayne's blog
http://wayneism.blogspot.com/
that web-braille is going away. I checked on the site and indeed there is a message to the effect that the service will soon be unavailable.
Though web-braille was limitted in it's scope (it is not available to foreign readers), it was a great service.
I don't know if anything can be done to change the National Library Service's mind, if so, I will let you know.
Bob

## Post 2 by the crashing machine (200) on Friday, 12-May-2006 19:41:11

Why is web braille going away? I like them a lot! noooooooooo! I'll check for myself. maybe i'l find out more from it. but I'm ashamed at nls's or libray of congress's moove. lol. seriously i am. shaun.

## Post 3 by sparkie (the hilljack) on Friday, 12-May-2006 20:15:22

I heard it was do to security violations and coppyright issues, not sure if that's true though.
Troy

## Post 4 by blbobby (Ooo you're gona like this!) on Friday, 12-May-2006 21:08:31

The message that you get when you enter web-braille implies that it has to do with security.
Later on, I'll go get the message and copy it here. Wayne's blog--I gave the URL in my earlier post--quotes the message directly.

## Post 5 by KC8PNL (The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better.) on Friday, 12-May-2006 22:03:57

According to Judy Dickson, the PR person over at NLS, it's just going away temperary. I asked her for more specifics on this, and I didn't get anywhere. It's going to jjust make copyright infringement worse now, but those who could get the books legally will now have to resort to illegal means of obtaining some of these materials unless they are members of bookshare. My guess is that some anal rententive publiching company decided to throw a lawsuit at them, so they gave in. It's going to cost a lot of money to ship all of those hard copy braille books/magazines out to subscribers, and the government doesn't care. Why? Because if there isn't enough money to continue the service, it'll just get cut back like a lot of other programs. Well, it was good whle it lasted, that's for sure. Maybe we should all get what we can from bookshare while we still can?

## Post 6 by blbobby (Ooo you're gona like this!) on Friday, 12-May-2006 22:33:42

Here's the message from the introductory screen of web-braille.
NLS: That All May Read
Web-braille notice
Because of technical and security difficulties, Web-Braille will be unavailable in the near future. NLS regrets the inconvenience and will provide further
information as soon as possible.
For more information contact:
Judith Dixon
Consumer Relations Officer
jdix@loc.gov

## Post 7 by blbobby (Ooo you're gona like this!) on Saturday, 13-May-2006 15:14:09

Well, I just tried to get a book from web-braille and I could find the book, but couldn't download any volumes.
Maybe this is it.
I agree with kc8pnl that it's going to cause most of us to look for illegal versions of books on the net. There's lots of them, but, well, illegal? Damn corporate publishers are afraid somebody is going to read a book without giving them their thirty pieces of silver first. I'd gladly do it if I could get the book in a format I could read.
Bob

## Post 8 by blbobby (Ooo you're gona like this!) on Sunday, 14-May-2006 23:54:20

Crimson x, in another post on the news-and-views board gave an URL where a petition to save web braille is. I've just checked it out, and it's very easy to do.
The petition can be found at:
www.petitiononline.com/braille/petition.html
Let me encourage everyone to sign the petition.
Bob

## Post 9 by Damia (I'm oppinionated deal with it.) on Wednesday, 17-May-2006 18:52:25

I am not advocating ACB or anything so don't bight my head off. I just was given this by a friend and know it relates to the toppic. I am not a part of either group so don't kill little me.
Hello ACB Leaders, Members and Friends:
As promised yesterday, I phoned and spoke at length this morning with Kurt Cylke. He provided no meaningful assurance that WebBraille will return any time soon. Also, I believe he was surprised at my insistance that the service be restored immediately. Sadly, he offered no specific and comprehensible reasons why the service has been removed.
Below is a letter sent to him after our telephone discussion.
Thank you.
Chris
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 12 May 2006 10:53:28 -0700 (Pacific Daylight Time)
From: Chris Gray &LT;christopher_gray@symantec.com>
To: Frank Kurt Cylke &LT;fcyl@loc.gov>
Subject: Web-Braille
Dear Kurt:
Thank you for taking the time to talk with me this morning regarding the closure of the Web-Braille website managed by NLS. I note here for the record that you provided no specific reasons or recent occurrences that might justify the closure of the site except the vague assertion of technical and security issues. Let me assure you that the blind community will not stand by and accept such pablum as reasonable explanation for the taking of such a drastic and precipitous action by NLS.
Of the many alternative actions available to you as the chief administrator of this program, you have chosen the most irresponsible, unreasonable and harmful alternative for those patrons who rely every day on NLS for their reading needs. The lack of judgment that such an action demonstrates is shocking and wholly unacceptable from the individual most responsible for the reading needs of all blind Americans.
Further, you indicated to me on repeated occasions during our conversation that Web-Braille would be available again within approximately two weeks. However, on one occasion you suggested that Web-Braille might not be available for as long as one year. To repeat what I indicated to you in our conversation, the blind community might tolerate such cessation for one to two weeks, assuming that such cessation occurs for very important reasons and with appropriate notice, but no longer.
Finally, you threatened the blind community by saying that should the community protest your decision, that would only lead to delays in the reinstatement of Web-Braille. This is an extremely odd statement given that you have characterized the alleged problems in Web-Braille as "technical" and "security"
in nature. As the Director of NLS, I would expect that your involvement in such solutions would be that of an administrator, not an implementer.
Given the entirely unsatisfactory nature of your explanation, only a vague assurance of the return of Web-Braille to NLS-authorized patrons, and your threat to slow down such a return should the blind community advocate for it with you and elsewhere, you have left me no choice but to submit the attached article for publication in the June issue of the Braille Forum, ACB's monthly magazine. Please note the title: "That All May Read Except Those Who Read Braille". I know no better way to sum up your actions as Director of NLS.
As indicated to you on the phone, ACB will use the full force of its organizational and advocacy strength to bring about the immediate return of Web-Braille. Very rarely do we choose to pursue activities that can be construed by some as adversarial. Very rarely though are we confronted with such an outrageous display of disregard toward braille readers and certified library patrons. Also, we foresee the distinct possibility that should this action be allowed to stand unchallenged, it can lead to other erosion of services in the future. We in ACB cannot and will not allow even the first step down this pathway to be taken unchallenged.
Sincerely,
Chris

## Post 10 by KC8PNL (The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better.) on Wednesday, 17-May-2006 20:25:15

For some reason, I recieved an email saying that I was registered to web braille and that my account will be activated within 24 hours. Is it the end to this mess? I sure hope so!

## Post 11 by rongirl17 (Zone BBS Addict) on Tuesday, 08-Aug-2006 16:40:14

Is it true that web braille is gone. I hope it isn't gone. Please telll me what happening to it. thanks.

## Post 12 by mdyer1983 (I can't call it a day til I enter the zone BBS) on Tuesday, 08-Aug-2006 21:21:36

Hi no web braille is infact still around the only differents is that when downloading a book you will bill be prompted to agree to an agreement before you can download the boook. I only see one problem and though it is not a big one, you will have to agree to it for each valum that ofcorse can get very annoying if there several valums to a book. I think that it is better than not having it at all. Just my thoughts.

## Post 13 by laurliz1186 (Generic Zoner) on Monday, 21-Aug-2006 14:54:36

Hey! Glad web Braille is still around, though I agree with what others have said here about the agreement--it def can get really cumbersome! Does anyone know what prompted the security concerns and the eventual changes to the service? So sorry if this was already discussed!
Lauren

## Post 14 by Katie (Zone BBS Addict) on Tuesday, 22-Aug-2006 11:32:20

I know earlier this year, Web Braille was temporarily unavailable due to some copyright concerns. But, they then instituted the please read and accept dialogue before one could download a volume of a book. So, is this something new then after this? I'll have to check the site too...I hope WebBraille doesn't go away. Yes, I am a bookshare member, but I also like WebBraille...
Katie

## Post 15 by The Elemental Dragon (queen of dragons) on Monday, 09-Oct-2006 19:19:34

The reason for the acceptance dialog on web braille is bwecause someone downloaded a book from them and then distributed it to non NLS people. and someone found out about it and contacted the NLS.

## Post 16 by blbobby (Ooo you're gona like this!) on Monday, 09-Oct-2006 23:31:27

Yes, apparently the changes have been implemented and all is well again.
If I could, I'd close this topic so people wouldn't think it's an ongoing problem.
Thanks,
Bob

## Post 17 by Siriusly Severus (The ESTJ 1w9 3w4 6w7 The Taskmaste) on Friday, 01-Feb-2008 23:40:59

I actually don't mind the dialogue box, I mean It doesn't take more than two seconds to click it. It's thanks to all the support though. I didn't really know why though before. I wasn't a very active computer user until after the reopening.

## Post 18 by louvins (Newborn Zoner) on Saturday, 02-Feb-2008 13:35:44

As far as the agreement dialogue box. Its very easy to circum navigate. All you do is use your end key to get to the botom of the agreement.

## Post 19 by Siriusly Severus (The ESTJ 1w9 3w4 6w7 The Taskmaste) on Saturday, 02-Feb-2008 18:25:32

Lol! I just push tab every time.

## Post 20 by Cristobal (Veteran Zoner) on Saturday, 02-Feb-2008 23:30:12

I was on WebBraille a few days ago and noticed that most if not all the magazine issues were really behind. Sometimes up to 6 weeks. Is there any way to get more up to date issues or to be notified when the newest edition of this or that magazine was available for download instead of having to go every so often to check if the magazine you want is even up yet? WebBraille is nice and all, but what's the point of reading a magazine that is a month old already.

## Post 21 by Siriusly Severus (The ESTJ 1w9 3w4 6w7 The Taskmaste) on Sunday, 03-Feb-2008 18:17:42

That's why I don't read zines from there. They are behind on books. I don't think there's a real way for notification, but I think you should bring that suggestion up to them. It's a brilliant idea.