"Which technology will remain for the long haul?"
Brad Kormann and his colleagues will work to answer this question as they plan the digital future of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS).
On June 12, Mr. Kormann briefed an audience about the Digital Audio Development Project, whose goal is to develop a digital talking book (DTB). The lecture was one in a series of briefings about digital initiatives at the Library. In addition to Mr. Kormann, chief of the NLS Materials Development Division, speakers were Michael Moodie, Research and Development officer; Judy Dixon, Consumer Relations officer; and Stephen Prine, head of the Network Services Section.
According to Mr. Kormann, making the move from analog to a completely new format is "like turning an aircraft carrier around—it takes time." But it is a move that must be made in order to meet the needs of a more technically sophisticated population and to contain the costs of servicing obsolete playback equipment.
Advantages of a digitally based system are many. For example, sound quality of the digital recordings will be higher and users will be able to listen to an entire book without having to manipulate the medium, such as turning a tape over or changing a disc. Navigational capabilities will make it possible for users to jump to a chapter, skip through a paragraph or insert bookmarks in various locations. Users will also be able to access the full text of some books in electronic format, along with the recorded version, so that the text can be spelled out and searched. These are features not currently available to users who are visually impaired.
To begin the process of upgrading to digital technology, a Digital Audio Development Committee was established to identify tasks, such as:
- NLS will ask patrons to define the features they require in the next generation of talking books. NLS currently serves more than 750,000 people, but estimates that more than 3 million are eligible for its services. NLS is working with the assistance of many groups, under the auspices of National Information Standards Organization (NISO), to develop a DTB standard.
- NLS must simulate a digital talking book player, using a personal computer, to assist in the design of the user interface for a DTB playback device. Mr. Moodie demonstrated NLS's software-based player, illustrating several navigation modes. "A digital talking book player is basically a Web browser," he explained. According to Mr. Moodie, it is most important to "keep the complexity level low by making it as intuitive to use as possible."
- A tool will be developed to compare the various options for distributing DTBs. NLS is studying historical costs of the current system and will begin projecting costs of future systems this fall.
- NLS must also select an acceptable copyright protection system to be sure that only eligible users are accessing the material.
- Another step addresses the need to design efficient tools for production of DTBs and a playback machine that has all of the capabilities identified by NISO participants. Toward this end, NLS will cosponsor a design competition with the Industrial Designers Society of America. Beginning in January 2002, industrial design students will be invited to submit their design concepts. First, second and third place winners will be announced at the IDSA National Conference, July 20-23, 2002.
"Finalizing the NISO standard and development of a digital talking book machine are the major focus of NLS's digital efforts, but the move to a digital technology will also have dramatic effects on how our cooperating network of libraries will provide service, said Mr. Prine. NLS is working to expedite the communications between itself and its network of cooperating libraries, consisting of 57 regional libraries and 80 subregional libraries, primarily by developing electronic communication capabilities to be used for provision of information as well as network reporting to NLS.
Ms. Dixon then demonstrated Web-Braille for the audience. Begun in the summer of 1999, Web-Braille is an Internet-based service that contains computer files of braille books and magazines produced by NLS. After two years, NLS has made electronic versions of more than 3,800 titles and all 25 NLS-produced braille magazines available to braille-reading blind people. Web-Braille users are excited by the program because it is the first time they have been able to browse through a wide variety of books before selecting one to read.
In conclusion, Mr. Kormann noted, "Albert Einstein once said, 'The gift of imagination is worth more to me than all the world's positive knowledge.' Our job at NLS is to try to harness this imagination and technology and build a program that is cost- and mission-effective."
