Individuals who choose to underwrite a book in this manner gain the satisfaction of knowing exactly how his or her gifts will be appreciated and used. The book is then published with a title page featuring the sponsor's name in both print and braille. Braille readers, families, and friends throughout the country can then learn the name of their benefactor. Soon after, the sponsor receives a handsome, specially bound presentation copy of the book that bears his or her name. The names of book sponsors are featured in the National Braille Press newsletter and annual report.
Gifts are fully tax-deductible to the extent provided by law.
The Book Sponsorship Program provides a unique way for National Braille Press to acknowledge exceptional generosity. To achieve full participation in the work place, family activities, and civic affairs, blind people need access to the printed word. For persons with total or profound loss of sight, braille is the only medium for true literacy. They cannot see large print, and although tape recorders and synthesized speech have tremendous benefits, they are no substitute for real reading. The tape recorder did not cause sighted people to abandon print, nor did the radio displace newspapers.