From: patt@squid.tram.com (Patt Bromberger)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: How to Get an E-Kit from Recording for the Blind
Summary: Ordering Electronic Books
Keywords: Electronic Books
Date: 31 Aug 92 21:03:08 GMT
Reply-To: patt@squid.tram.com (Patt Bromberger)
Organization: Tramway Unix Systems
X-Fidonet: None

Index Number: 24092

This information uploaded with the permission of:
Mr. John Churchill
Vice President, Production
Recording For The Blind
Princeton, New Jersey

Spring 1992

We are pleased to provide this information kit on computer disk in
response to your recent inquiry about our services and products.

Recording for the Blind (RFB) is a nonprofit organization that
provides educational and professional books in accessible media to
people with print disabilities.  We serve students of many ages, as
well as people no longer in school who use educational and
professional materials to pursue careers or personal interests.
The only eligibility requirement is a documented print disability
-- blindness, low vision, learning disabilities, or other physical
impairments that affect reading.  Our application for service is
"APPL.FRM" in this kit.

To become a member of RFB, please submit the application, along
with your lifetime registration fee of $25.  The fee may be paid by
check, money order, MasterCard, Visa, or purchase order.

RFB's services include a free library of nearly 80,000 educational
and professional books on audiocassette and a recording service for
new titles. For a detailed look at these services, please see the
"Guide to Using RFB's Services" -- "RFBGUIDE.DOC" in this kit.  Our
toll-free Customer Service number, (800)221-4792 is available 9
a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday (Eastern time) for book
inquiries and orders.  (NOTE:  These expanded hours have been in
effect since January 6.)

Catalogs of our audiocassette books are presently available in
print and on cassette.  A floppy disk version of the catalog will
be available in late May. To order the print catalog, please see
"CAT.FRM" in this kit.  To subscribe to the Quarterly Recorded
Catalog (QRC), use the order form, "QRC.FRM". To subscribe to the
new Quarterly Disk Catalog (QDC), check with our Customer Services
staff in May.

An additional, and fairly new, RFB program is "E-text" -- books on
computer diskette, which are available for purchase.  Our E-text
program is the outgrowth of RFB's joining forces last fall with
Computerized Books for the Blind (CBFB) in Missoula, MT.  A
question and answer booklet --"MERGER.DOC" in this kit -- was
prepared as an announcement of the merger, which became effective
October 1, 1991.

Incidentally, this electronic version of RFB's information kit
contains all the material in our print kit, plus information
specifically about our E-text program.  We call the electronic kit
"E-Kit," and it is available free of charge by calling our Customer
Services staff toll free at (800)221-4792. E-Kit is updated
quarterly.  This issue, the third, is Spring 1992.

Since you are reading E-Kit, we know you have access to a personal
computer and we anticipate that you may, therefore, have particular
interest in E-text. Here is some additional information:

E-text - Formats Available

All E-text titles produced by RFB are with the permission of the
publisher or hardware/software manufacturer.  Most books are
produced from publishers' source files.  RFB removes formatting
codes used in the printing process and saves the book as a standard
ASCII file.  RFB distributes E-text books as ASCII files in the
following disk formats:

     1.  IBM or Compatible 5.25 inch or 3.5 inch DSDD disks

     2.  MacIntosh 3.5 inch DSDD disks

     3.  Apple Pro-Dos 3.5 inch DSDD disks

E-text - How to Use

Software that reads ASCII files should be suitable for RFB's E-text
books. Word processors are commonly used for reading electronic
books, but many other text reading programs can also be used,
including LIST, READ.COM, and Ralph the Reader.

One of these -- READ.COM, which is in the public domain -- has been
included as a separate file in this information kit.  To execute,
type READ at the prompt corresponding to the drive you are using
for this disk, or at the C prompt if you have copied this disk onto
your hard drive.  You will then be prompted for a file name, which
you can obtain from this kit's table of contents, "CONTENTS.DOC."
After hitting return, the file you have selected will be displayed
on your screen.

E-text - Titles Available

At the present time (Spring 1992), RFB has approximately 300 books
available in E-text.  The majority of these are computer titles,
including many books of software documentation.  We also have
several reference works available in E-text, such as the American
Heritage Dictionary and Roget's Thesaurus.

For the current E-text catalog, please see "ETCAT.DOC" in this
information kit.

E-text - Prices

RFB's E-text prices vary with the size of each electronic book.
Prices cover simply the costs of research, production,
distribution, and customer service associated with providing books
in computerized form.

In general, the first 360K unit of each book costs $10, and each
additional 360K unit is priced at $5 or less.  Exceptions to this
pricing policy include extremely large books, as well as those that
require minimal preparation. Prices are included in the E-text
catalog.

E-text - Placing Orders

Just as with RFB's audiocassette books, orders for E-text books may
be placed by mail, fax, or telephone.

For E-text mail orders, please see the E-text order form,
"ETORDER.FRM" in this kit.  (For mail orders for audio books, use
the Request for Recorded Books form, "BKORDER.FRM.")

To fax us an order, simply use the appropriate order form as
described above. Our fax number is (609)987-8116 and is in
operation 24 hours a day.

To order by telephone, call our Customer Services staff toll free
at (800)221-4792, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday (Eastern
Time).

E-text - Shipping and Handling

RFB's E-text books can be shipped by the "Free Matter for the Blind
and Handicapped" postal classification, by United Parcel Service
(UPS), or by first class mail.  If you choose "Free Matter," no
postage is required.  If you select UPS or first class, a shipping
and handling charge of $2.50 will be added to your order.

E-text - Payment

RFB accepts payment for E-text books by Visa, MasterCard, check,
money order, or purchase order.

We can also bill you for your E-text purchases.  If you select this
method, please note that we must receive payment within 90 days in
order for your service from RFB to continue without
interruption.

Regardless of the method you select, all payments should be in U.S.
dollars.

E-text - Copyright Protection and Licensing Requirements

Just as with RFB's audiocassette books, E-text books may not be
copied or reproduced for distribution, as this would be in
violation of copyright agreements with publishers and copyright
holders.  Similarly, books are only to be used by registered
members of RFB, as our copyright agreements stipulate that books
will be provided only to people with a documented disability that
limits reading.

As an E-text purchaser, RFB grants you a non-transferable, personal
license to use materials received from us on one microcomputer or
workstation.  You may personally use the electronic book on another
microcomputer or workstation as long as the book is not used on
more than one machine at a time.  In addition:

     1. RFB members may not make copies of the electronic books to
distribute to other individuals or organizations.  E-text books
purchased from RFB are intended only for the personal use of the
purchaser.

     2. RFB grants you the right to make a backup or archival copy
of each electronic book you purchase.  RFB does not grant the use
of the books in any manner other than that stated above.

     3. RFB will replace, at no charge, defective materials that
are returned within 120 days of the date of purchase.  We will also
accept returns for exchange or refund within 120 days of purchase
date.  Refunds for items purchased by credit card will be provided
only as a credit to your credit card account.

     4. Other than the limited warranties stated here, RFB makes no
other implied warranties of merchantability or warranties of
fitness for a particular purpose.

E-text - Technical Assistance

If you have catalog inquires or questions about your E-text order,
please call our toll-free Customer Services number, (800)221-4792.

If you are unable to load or read an E-text book, or if you need
other technical assistance with your E-text purchase, please call
either of our technical support numbers:  (609)452-0606, ext. 252;
or (406)243-2899.

Please note that RFB does not sell computer hardware, software, or
adaptive equipment.  For information on these products, you may
wish to contact any of the following organizations or companies:

     National Technology Center
       of the American Foundation for the Blind
     (212)620-2080

     National Braille and Technology Center for the Blind
       of the National Federation of the Blind
     (301)659-9314

     Apple Customer Assistance  OR  Apple Dealer Referral
     (800)776-2333                  (800) 538-9696

     IBM Special Needs
     (800)426-2133

     Trace Center
     (608)262-6966

Remember, E-Kit is updated quarterly with new information and new
E-text books available for purchase.  E-Kit is always free for the
asking, and it is produced in the same formats as our E-text books:

IBM or Compatible 5.25 inch or 3.5 inch, MacIntosh 3.5 inch, and
Apple Pro-Dos 3.5 inch.

Next issue of E-Kit:  Summer 1992, available mid-July.

--
Patricia Ann Bromberger                     -       patt@squid.tram.com
Tramway Unix Systems
"Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty." (Anne Herbert)