[Missouri-l] Fw: [Nfb-announce] National Federation of the Blind Endorses Google Books Settlement Before Congress

[Chip Hailey]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Freeh, Jessica" <JFreeh at nfb.org>; <by way of David Andrews
<dandrews at visi.com>>
To: <david.andrews at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2009 6:07 PM
Subject: [Nfb-announce] National Federation of the Blind Endorses Google
Books Settlement Before Congress


>
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
>
>
> CONTACT:
>
> Chris Danielsen
>
> Director of Public Relations
>
> National Federation of the Blind
>
> (410) 659-9314, extension 2330
>
> (410) 262-1281 (Cell)
>
> cdanielsen at nfb.org
>
>
> National Federation of the Blind
> Endorses Google Books Settlement Before Congress
>
>
>
>
> Urges Justice Department to Support Settlement
>
>
>
> Washington, DC (September 10, 2009): 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."
>
>
>
> ###
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