Reference enquiries which cannot be answered from our own resources may be referred to Vision Service staff who will fax information to us to answer the enquiry. Text files of a number of major daily newspapers are sent to the RVIB server in the early hours of each morning and these are automatically processed by an application which then makes the papers available for use by Voice Print. Library users can telephone the service, listen to the newspaper read by a synthesised voice, and use the telephone keypad to navigate through headlines, specific sections and specific articles of interest. The Support Skills Program uses newspapers on Voice Print to teach blind children research skills. It is also accessible, through Voice Print, with a search facility which uses the telephone key pad, and an ordering facility.
Students can also access our catalogue through their school or local library.
Materials are sourced from our own collections, from the collections of other special format libraries and through our production facilities. Materials in audio, braille, large print and e-text are acquired or produced for students with print disabilities studying in mainstream schools. Legally blind children studying in Victoria may be supported through the RVIB Visiting Teacher Service. Visiting teachers request curriculum materials on behalf of students, and students may also use our library services independently. Commitment to Braille Braille is the primary literacy medium for children who are blind and it is fundamentally important to the education of children who are blind.