Category: Let's talk
Hello,
I have gathered that quite a few of you can read Braille which I find unusual because not that many sighted people actually learn Braille. But I am sighted and I am learning Braille out of interest, so now my question is: where do you people get hold of Braille materials? I can't really progress with learning Braille because every single Braille library requires you to be blind in order to register (for obvious reasons - but there must be some place that you people get these Braille materials from).
Thanks,
Micheal
You can look these up online.
I may not have all the names exact, but you’ll find them.
American Printing House For The Blind.
National Federation Of The Blind.
Hadley School For The Blind.
Call 411 and ask for your local library for the blind or look that up.
The problem is that you have to be blind to access those resources. As I said in the first post I am sighted and therefore I do not have access to those resources. I thought that maybe some of you could help since most of you can read Braille and seem to have access to Braille resources despite being sighted. Also I am from the UK.
Yo, Michael...
I'm Kate, a fellow sighted UK Zoner. My husband is the Zoner known as
Ed_G (a registered blind) and we live in London.
I learned to read Grade 1 and 2 through the Hadley School (I was born and
raised in Vancouver, Canada and my Mom has low vision, so I was able to
learn from them for free).
Now that i've been in the UK for a couple of years, I've been wanting/trying
to improve my braille fluency and also learn to read braille by touch, so I can
leave note for my husband without having to rely on inkprint to braille
translation sites like this one: http://www.mathsisfun.com/braille-
translation.html before brailling it out on our Perkins.
Anyway, I have found that the RNIB have a course for sighteds like us who
want to learn... it's called "Fingerprint" and can be found on the RNIB site.
http://www.rnib.org.uk/braille-and-moon-%E2%80%93-tactile-codes-
learning-braille-braille-courses-adults/fingerprint-contracted
It comes with workbooks and lessons on CD. Not quite sure how much it
costs these days, but I'm pretty sure that I spent less than £75 for my
course. I'd recommend ringing them tomorrow to see what your options are
as far as costs and shipping are concerned. I believe that their Judd Street
location in London (a few blocks from King's Cross St. Pancras) has it in
stock, as that's where I picked my set up... I don't know, but would hope,
that it could be sent via Royal Mail's Articles for the Blind free postage
scheme.
Anyway, good luck to you and let me know how you get on with things!
Smile.
Kate
I'm not so much looking for a course but rather I'm looking for Braille materials to read. I have found resources to learn Braille on my computer and I can read BRF quite well by sight using Braille fonts on my computer but what I really want to do is to read Braille by touch. Therefore I want to know where other sighted people around here get their Braille books from, because I can't seem to find any places where a sighted person can obtain Braille books.
P.S. Why do so many of you read Braille???
No, you actually don’t have to be blind to use these. Contact them and say you'd like braille items.
The reason I read braille is due to learning it as a child.
I like to just read a book and not have to listen all the time.
There are labels on elevators, bathrooms, menus in places to eat.
Braille also gives me a sense of print. I was also highly sighted once.
When someone is describing say columns, or a chart, or things like that, braille shows you what they look like.
It is my opinion that all blind persons should know braille.
It is really nice to sit down in an eating place and simply read what is being offered at your own pace and leisure.
Sure, the staff can do this, but they’re not going to go over the meals a couple times to help you decide what you actually feel like today, or what seems like it's going to be just yummy. Smile.
Not all blind persons have such as iPhones, Pads,to bring with them.
Reading braille also gave me a better understanding of touchscreens believe it or not.
If I had not been sighted before, things listed in lines would have been a different concept if I had not felt them in braille.
Some books stores will sale you books in braille as well, and any of the sources I talked about will too.
When you are researching, don't be turned away just because a service says it is for the blind. Go ahead and contact them, because they will have plenty resources.
You do understand that sighted parents, teachers, family members, and such want braille for their blind loved ones right?
I wanted to see what was available.
I simply typed
Braille books for sale or loan
in my search engine.
Amazon has them, and I got a large list of both sales and loaning sources.
Maybe try this?
Oh and I've forgotten.
Because there is so much used stuff around, have you checked your local library? I mean the regular library you get printed books from?
Our local library doesn't have any Braille materials. Also I don't have any blind relatives so I didn't think that, as a sighted person, I would be permitted to access Braille resources. Actually I have just taken a look at the RNIB's website (the RNIB seems to be the main Braille library in the UK) and it seems that you have to be blind or partially sighted to register there?
The registration form for the UK's RNIB library says that you have to be "unable to comfortably read with spectacles" which is not the case for me. With my glasses on I can read quite comfortably.
Okay, fine, don't use that one.
Here's the thing. If you don't ask them any questions and just assume, you'll not get what you are after.
I don't know about in the UK, so maybe things are different.
In the US, the sighted are supported for the reasons I stated.
We have parents of blind kids wishing to learn and obtain braille for them.
We have teachers needing braille.
We have just people like yourself interested in learning and reading braille.
We have people that are losing sight, or thinking they might, that currently read fine with out glasses, but want to get braille.
Braille just isn't an exclusive club for the blind, and is really easy to get here.
If the postage wasn't so bad, or you'd wait, because international sending of braille is free, I'll send you some old Playboys, and other stuff I read and toss after I finish.
It comes slow, but it will come.
If you want braille, you'll need to ask, or contact some of these sources and also do that search online.
Amazon delivers to the UK even, but I'll bet, unless you want to read something special, you could get much free.
So my opinion is if you keep telling me why you can't, you'll not. Smile.
Hi, Micheal
As sighteds, you and I are not able to access the RNIB's library resources.
We're welcome to buy things from their shop (thus my suggestion to get that
Fingerprint program), but borrowing materials for free, no such luck.
I know for a fact that this place will sell to sighteds like us:
http://www.braillebookstore.com/
They are based about an hour east of Vancouver, Canada, and have a variety
of Grade 1 & Grade 2 books on a range of different topics. Whilst they're
based in Canada, they are more than happy to ship internationally.
I couldn't actually find any Braille materials at Amazon despite everybody mentioning that source. I'm more interested in borrowing Braille materials however because they are bulky to keep at home and expensive to buy. I would be willing to look for Braille libraries to register for but in the UK I can't seem to find anything other than the RNIB which is, as we've already seen, not an option.
I'll bet many of the American sources will ship as well, and free.
Ah. I read your profile, so now understand a bit more.
I can't send you the Playboy. Smile.
I bet if you explain you are a youth interested in Braille as well to any of the sources I talked about, they'd be happy to send you stuff.
Try them. Email would work best and many have email contact on the sites.
I'll see about the American libraries - I've heard that Braille materials are free to ship internationally but I don't know if you have to be blind to qualify for that (that www.braillebookstore.com website seems to imply that it's always free even if you're not blind).
P.S. Thanks for all of the prompt replies! I gather that there are actually a lot of blind people on these forums?
Here is a resource that will get you the 2015 Calendar.
American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults.
To get the calendar simply email them your request and posting information.
They have other stuff as well, and will send it internationally. I've had this done.
calendar@actionfund.org
That is the email address.
if you don't contact these places that have been recommended to you, you'll never know for sure whether they'd actually provide you braille materials (I'd venture to guess that, as has been said, some of them would).
it's always exciting for us when sighted people wanna learn braille just cause they can, and the organizations that were mentioned above, know that.
those resources might even be able to work something out with you that would allow you to send books back when you've finished reading them, but again, you won't know, unless you ask.
I've sent a few emails to some of those places mentioned above and am currently awaiting replies.
Braille Bookstore will ship to anyone willing to make a purchase. Their
standard shipping is free via Postes Canada/Royal Mail... they do have
options for faster service, but they will charge you for that.
I know for a fact that you don't need to be registered blind to buy from
them... I've bought stuff from them and they've shipped to me for free.
When I moved to the UK 2 years ago, I arranged for my parents to send two
volumes of braille to me via Postes Canada... they had to prove to the post
office lady that this could be done (the P.O. they used wasn't familiar with
the free post for the blind policy, so they just took a printout of the guidance
from the Postes Canada website)... anyway, they took it in, showed the
guidance and in a few weeks the books arrived at my door at no cost to my
family.
The Calendar place if you just asked for the calendar won't reply, you'll just receive it.
The others should.
In your case, I understand you'll not be wanting to buy this stuff, and you'll find you won't have to unless you really want something specific.
I wish those bookstores had Braille music. I like some of the guitar rock and folk song books on Bard, but Braille music is near impossible to read meaningfully with just a single-line display. I'd buy it in hard back for just that reason.
But wouldn't personally buy novels anymore, use my Braille display for that.
leo, have you checked the braille section of BARD for braille music books?
I'm certain they have braille music, as I've seen the specific category for it.
Oh I get stuff from them, Braille music is particularly difficult to read on a single line display. I have checked out hardcopy books from them before. However, some stuff would be nice to own, hardcopy.
Even woodwind stuff, if it's multi-part, is easier to read when you can look at both lines at the same time.
Hard to explain if you haven't done that.
Anyway, from being on this site, I've learned it's apparently rare, and rarer still to get nonreligious and nonclassical stuff in Braille. Why am I not surprised. Bard has a pretty nice collection though. Plus, they let you keep the item for 3 months if you order it from your library. I'd just like to buy some, a guitar book with common rock and folk tunes.
Braille is a method of literacy.without reading braille individuals can not truly call themselves literate. I think that It is to some extent important to be literate in braille, but one has to be able to learn and adapt to the technologically advanced method and acquainte themselves with reading and writing on the computer. As the method of technology is tends to be more widely utilized and supported. Also, it is much easier, and adaptable to different situations.
I rarely use hard copy books. The only occasions would be for mathematics and science.
@forereel: You are wrong that there are Braille libraries which will lend to sighted people because I have contacted about 5 libraries and 3 helplines and none of them could offer any help. All of the libraries said that they couldn't offer any material and all of the helplines just told me to contact my nearest Braille library.
leo, I, too, still love reading hardcopy books. so, I can relate to what you're saying.
using web-braille is great, but so is receiving actual braille books; that's irreplaceable, in my opinion.
I suppose that is just in the UK.
So in your case, you'll have to purchase things.
Here, you can get braille easy, so I don't know why it be so difficult there.
On here we have several blind users that live in the UK and I'm surprised they've not offered you any help unless they don't use braille.
Micheal, personally I think that source where you can order FREe calendars might be an excellent source to begin with.
sometimes, in order to obtain something of higher quality one must be willing to spare some cash for it. Why don't you save some for a book or two. You are sighted, and thus will not need a great number of books in braille. If you think about it realistically, how many braille books would you realistically desire or be able to read, page after page by sight or extremely slowly by hand? moreover, I suggest smaller children's books, which may be easier for reading and understanding purposes. It will also be cheaper thus easier to save up for, and rather small enough to store in your house.
@forereel: I have contacted a number of US sources as well and they all said that they don't offer material to sighted people. And that was before I told them that I was in the UK.
I am sorry about your experience.
It may be because you approached them wanting to check out books, and not learn braille.
I have seen many of these libraries offer help to sighted people for different reasons, so it is odd you aren't welcomed.
It could be you aren't a parent, and sorry to say, but your age might be causing the problem.
Will you actually return the books and take care of them?
I'm not asking that, but that might be the thinking.
I'm sure you don't say your age when contacting them, so it just seems odd.
I should try to do this and see.
I have seen sighted people obtain braille easy.
Again, I have some magazines I'd be happy to give, and I'll do some actual digging.
I know braille is just easy to get here.
I live in an apartment building that isn't for the blind. In the lobby, someones dropped off a set of stuff.
I think we've got 2 blind persons that live here, me being one, and we didn't put that stuff in the lobby. Lol
Even McDonald's has braille menus.
So, you understand, if you aren't after something specific, braille here is just really easy to get.
You can sit in Starbucks and practice reading the menu while looking at the printed one.
Buying stuff is still an option.
I suggest that route, myself. It's not all that expensive, really.
Micheal, this site is primarily populated by blind people! Not sure why you thought otherwise, given much of the conversation here. LOL What prompts your interest in reading Braille?
@forereel: I approached them by saying that I was a sighted person learning Braille and I didn't disclose my age. For example I sent the following email to the NFB in the USA:
"Hello,
I am enquiring as to whether or not you know of any postal Braille libraries which would be able to lend to a sighted person learning Braille?
Thanks,
Micheal"
I received the following response:
"Dear Micheal,
Thank you for your email to the National Federation of the Blind. The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped loans Braille books. For the library in your state, please visit https://nfb.org/libraries-for-the-blind.
The Kenneth Jernigan Library in Tarzana, California, loans Braille books to children and adults. For information, please visit https://actionfund.org/kenneth-jernigan-library.
Sincerely,
(Mrs.) Patricia A. Maurer
Director of Community Relations
Jernigan Institute
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND"
I really don't know what's up here - maybe they think that I'll squash the dots with my inexperienced hand lol - but I would sincerely appreciate it if you could let me know what you've got provided that you can pay postage (or send it free of charge if they offer that service which I believe is quite common with Braille material). By the way it would be a dream come true if I could ever find a restaurant with a Braille menu to read over here in the UK (sad face).
@VioletBlue: Thanks for letting me know that there are a lot of blind people here because I wasn't aware of that since it was never explicitly stated when I signed up. I will bear that in mind when I write my posts hereafter. As for my interest in Braille, there's not really any particular reason except that I just find it interesting; it may be linked to the fact that I have Asperger's Syndrome so I tend to find things interesting which most people would not have any particular interest in.
Actually now I understand why this website has such a plain appearance compared to most forums! I suppose that that makes it easier to use with accessible technologies, of course.
Yes, that rationale is correct. Most of us do not really fancy the fancy. I am almost certain that a great majority who posted on this topic are blind. except for a total of perhaps two people. I am totally blind myself.
Have you tried contacting Action for Blind People?
https://www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk/
They might be able to put you on the right track to UK based Braille resources.
Find the contact information for your local office here:
https://www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk/resources/local-action-teams/
I just contacted that place now. I'm waiting to see if they're going to be as unhelpful as some of the other helpline places that I contacted.
This was the email that I sent:
"Hello,
Would you happen to know where a sighted person learning Braille could borrow Braille resources?
Thanks,
Micheal"
You never say you are living in the UK in your emails.
Perhaps American libraries are not willing to provide you books there.
I only know it is easy here for a sighted person to get them.
I will check and tell you what I find here.
Most of the posters are blind on your post, but some have told you they can see. Like West Cost. She explained she's married to a blind man.
Smile.
Next time you go out to eat, ask if they have a braille menu?
Can you actually read any braille at all?
Exactly, I do not say that I am from the UK so as to avoid putting them off. I want to see their reaction to my sightedness, and only if that is positive (which it never has been) do I bother finding out if they are happy to post to the UK. I can read grade 1 and a limited amount of grade 2 braille visually (I do not know many grade 2 contractions); I can slowly recognise the different dot patterns tactually. When you have had a chance to go through your stuff then I would appreciate it if you could post in the thread rather than sending me a private message because I cannot find the private message button on this forum.
I think I might have just gotten hold of some short stories in Grade 2 interpoint Braille (I'm not sure if I'll be able to read interpoint; they seem to say that a sighted person reading Braille tactually shouldn't have any difficulties with reading interpoint Braille).
@forereel: I'm still interested in what you've got on offer.
If you can read tactile braille, interpoint braille shouldn't be too difficult to read
either... I know for a fact that it's a first class PITA trying to read that stuff
visually... all of my Grade 2 books are interpoint and unless I tilt the page at a
funny angle, it's next to impossible to visually read it with any speed.
I never knew it was possible to read interpoint with sight at all. Sounds like it's a struggle nonetheless. But yes you would have to most likely read that tactually.
I receive a Popular Machanics magazine in grade 2 braille. If I can send it free, I'd be happy to send you the next issue I get.
The private message is not in the forum. Click on my name and send me a message that way.
By "next issue" I assume that you are
going to read it yourself first? I do not
want to take your magazine before you
get a chance to read it yourself.
it sounds like Wayne is willing to do this for you, so why not except his offer?
@chelslicious: Who is Wayne? If you mean forereel then I do not want to take his magazine before he can read it himself. I am happy to wait for him to read it first before he sends it to me.
Hi Micheal.
Firstly, I went to the maxi-aids site and typed in "braille book" in the box on their main page. They mostly have kid books like this one, but they appear to ship to the UK.
http://www.maxiaids.com/products/6998/Cocoa-and-Katie-Off-To-School-A-Braille-and-Tactile-Storybook.html
Here, the national library service has a program where sighted people can become certified in braille through the braille literacy program? I don't know if RNIB does anything like that.
Secondly, I had partial sight until age eleven. I mostly use computers and things that talk, but I've been stealing my boyfriend's braille display to read books. It only shows one line at a time which ruins the experience a little, but I don't want to mess with a lending program. Here are my reasons.
1. I want to improve my spelling. I can't memorize the spelling of words like sponsor if something is just saying it to me. i don't want to look unintelligent by spelling things wrong, especially since I play a mud online with sighted people.
2. Braille is slower for me, so I can really appreciate a book. The scenes move slower in my head, and I can savour and appreciate the text.
3. I did English literature at university, so I love reading, writing, words. There's something poetic to me about touching the written word.
Now make with the multi-line braille display, tech companies. I would love to have a full page model. When I trained at the Seeing Eye for my dog last year, it was so novel to have a library of braille books there.
Braille is particularly useful in math or foreign languages. I still remember every French accent mark. I never had trouble telling between acutes and graves.
It seems to me that the blind kids of today find braille too bulky, too slow, too big to carry around. Sighted peers use computers, so it feels more like a common, normal ground. i-pads are way smaller than a braille book.
I'm with Rachael that I think blind children should be taught, and encouraged to keep up with braille through school years for spelling and literacy.
I also think they should be taught to read print numbers by ttouch as well, for non-brailled signs and elevators. An elevator may not have braille, but I'm fine because I know what the raised print says.
That's my two cents!
Now that I think of it, this nerd here, has old history pages from a textbook that my father had taken from a brailled history textbook when I was in 7th grade. I have not managed to throw all of those away. If you would desire to pay for the shipping and handling as I am not certain how to send them for free or if that is possible, I would send them to you. You may have them. I have decided I would not have much use for dull readings, except perhaps to disgard them in the rubbish bin.
It would be a pity for them to get thrown away but I can't really pay postage.
Actually, I can understand how hard it is to get braille materials even if you
are blind, in the US, they are not usually sent abroad unless you are
looking for religious materials, so here are some addresses you can write to
to request them, they also sent them to people that are not blind but read
braille.
info@chrristianrecord.org
info@apostolicfaith.org
There is also an organization in South Africa called SA for the blind and you
can look them up and email them from the magazine's link.
In England there is also a religious organization for the blind called the
Torch trust and maybe they can help you, their email is:
info@torchtrust.org
I can also suggest to you that you could start searching for penfriends
that would like to write in braille, it is a great way of practicing braille and
if you don't have a brailler, you could maybe use a tape-recorder to record
messages.
I also help people with their braille because I recently started a braille
service. I do brailling on my perkins brailler and I can braile cards, letters,
recipes, songs and other items that are not copyright. I charge 50 cents
per page and also got some grade 2 contractions instructional booklets
which I can sell for 10 dollars. If you are interested, please email me at:
adrijana.prokopenko@gmail.com
instead of posting here.
rather excellent suggestions Adriana.
Don't you children have allowances? If you truly desired something, I think you may be able to save up for it, or maybe you do not truly wish for it. I remember every penny of my Christmas and birthday presents went towards one of my obssessions. ONe year it was to obtain the Harry potter books. hahahaha!
don't they have free matter for the blind shipping in the UK? I think they do
since you can ship stuff free matter to other countries.
I know this isn't a religious debate but:
Dammit I hate the fact most of what you get for Braille for free is from ChristInsanity! Any mass money I get - should that happen - I would create a charity that distributes skeptical literature like Bertrand Russell, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, classics like David Hume, Thomas Payne, Adam Smith, Mark Twain, H. L. Mencken, and so forth.
I am ashamed to admit it, but one Christmas vacation I was so bored I read through an entire Guidepost magazine. Gawkpost has got to be the most vapid and boring publication ever. Came from an elderly lady from my parents' church. I don't even remember wha it said anymore, but still. Desperate times call ffor desperate measures sometimes, and I would just love to even up the score.
Oh yes, and let's not forget the great Carl Sagan. A much more pleasant read than Dawkins any day, and I've always loved his work.
Sorry for the diversin. And for the religiously delicate, us skeptics producing lit for blind people wouldn't be classed persecution: you'd still hold your huge subscriber base, one major political party in the U.S. and so forth.
No I don't get an allowance, although I've got a few pounds from my birthday which I might use to get a proper slate and stylus. Also the Articles for the Blind system in the UK is only for if the recipient is a blind person - even purchased Braille books and transcription requests can only be sent freely if the recipient is certified blind.
Hahaha! Leo! I enjoy some of those writers and thinkers. I have a great quote from Mencken on my e-mail signature.
I'll not send you my magazine before I read it. Smile.
I did send you a private message telling you what I have or I should say what I receive I can give you.
I read braille in whole books period, and seldom use audio anymore, but these I can't send, because they are loned to me via the library.
I don't receive any other items in braille, because I don't request them.
Did you get the calendar? That I am sure they send and I just received mine for 2015.
I've sent that or had others in other countries request it, and they've received it.
I think that if you get the odd item sent as Articles for the Blind, it should be o.k... the
books that my family sent to me from Canada came through that way, no questions asked
be either Canada Post or Royal Mail... my Mum & Dad took it to the post office and a few
weeks later, it showed up at the door of my flat.... it's when you try to send lots of stuff in
a short period of time that it raises suspicions. I was busted by Postes Canada when I
tried to send brailled out ink print Hallmark cards to Ed_G before we were married and I
still lived in Canada. I was able to send a couple for free before they started to return
them demanding that I put postage on the envelope... cheap arsed bastards.
Oh well...I think in your case the slate and stylus should be able to come through with no
p&p fee incurred... after all, who's to say that you aren't a carer for a visually impaired
person or newly blind yourself and are learning Braille.
One note about choosing a stylus... do your homework and have a look around at what's
available before just arbitrarily buying one, as there are many different shapes and sizes
as far as these things go. I have a nubby one that I use and I used to have one that
looks like a ballpoint pen... sadly, I lost that one. The nubby one makes my hand ache
after a while, if I have lots to Braille out, whilst the ballpoint pen type was easier on my
poor hands.
I'd also recommend getting an eraser as well, but in a pinch, you could use your fingernail
or a table knife or the back of a ballpoint pen to flatten out any unwanted dots.
Good luck!
In the UK they require blind certification before letting you send something via Articles for the Blind. At least that is what I have read, and Braille material sent in from other countries is sent under their policies as I understand it.
I have noticed that a lot of slates come with styluses. Are those styluses any good or should I get a separate stylus as well?
I have this slate, but in the Letter size (it's slightly shorter and wider than
A4) and I used to use it exclusively until my Mother in Law brought down my
husband's Perkins brailler... I still use the slate from time to time when I
want to braille stuff that won't fit into the Perkins...
http://www.braillebookstore.com/Full--Page-Slate,-A4--Size.1
I have this eraser... if you don't have the budget for one, you can still
improvise with a fingernail, table knife, back of a ball point pen. If you or
your family gets a Chinese take away or if you get sushi take away from
Wasabi or Itsu (incidentally, do NOT go to Yo Sushi... it's not very good), you
could pinch one of the sets of disposable chopsticks that the restaurant sends
with the meal and use the narrow end of the chopstick to flatten the
unwanted dot(s).
http://www.braillebookstore.com/Braille-Eraser.1
I have this stylus for everyday use... it's rather small and I have large hands,
so it makes my hand sore to use it for long periods of time.
http://www.braillebookstore.com/Wooden-Stylus.1
My beloved pen style stylus... I am kicking myself that I lost it. Looked just
like a ballpoint pen. I am tempted to re-order a new one for myself.
http://www.braillebookstore.com/Pen-Stylus.1
Incidentally, that Braille Superstore prices are in US Dollars and are tax exempt
(the sales tax in the part of Canada they're located in is about 12%, but their
wares are exempt) so your GBP £ will go farther there. (the two styli and the
eraser would total about £6.40 and Surface Mail shipping is free).
I don't know where you got that figure of 6.40 pounds from (I cannot figure out how to type a pound sign on my laptop because I use the American keyboard layout) because the full page slate is 12.74 pounds on its own. Also is the stylus that comes with the slate any good? Personally I think that that slate does look nice but my mother doesn't want to order from an American shop anyway.
Actually I just realised that I had misread your post. You are correct that the two styluses and the eraser are about 6.40 pounds but I would need to get a slate as well which is 12.74 pounds.
Pound sign is shift and the number 3.
I think it is the same as on the telephone, or in money.
I think that you are thinking of what Americans call a pound sign or number sign (which can be used before telephone numbers but not for money). The British pound sign, used to specify British money, looks different to what Americans call a pound sign, the latter of which is called a hash symbol in the UK. Because I use the American keyboard layout on my computer, I get the American pound sign (hash symbol) when I press the shift key and the number 3 key. I use the American keyboard layout because the hash symbol is used a lot in programming but that means that I cannot type a British pound sign when I want to specify British money.
I was told a few days ago that I might be able to join the RNIB Braille library. One person there said in an email that I might be able to join, but when I phoned them as directed in the email the person who answered the phone did not seem to know anything about what I had been told in the email. I might try to phone them again some time next week.
Hi everyone, Braille is undoubtedly the most important medium of communication of my life. Among other things, I use Braille heavily in my studies of physics and mathematics, so without it, I would not be successful in this academic pursuit. My university offers excellent Braille transcription services and has a large collection of digitized books in Braille .brf, MP3, etc., permitting students to obtain their academic materials in a timely manner. However, for transcribing more technical textbooks such as physics, chemistry, advanced mathematics, etc., the staff usually vendor them out, taking like three or four months to complete depending on the complexity of a given text.
well michaelle do kindly inform us what is the progress?
Well after a lot of long emails and phone calls it seems that I have finally joined the RNIB Braille library! Now I am waiting to see if the books that I requested yesterday evening will arrive next week...
Sorry for not posting sooner but I had forgotten about this thread. The books have now arrived and I have been thoroughly enjoying reading them!