Top Executive summary Adults and students who are blind or have other print disabilities depend on their national libraries serving the blind for leisure reading materials, school books, newspapers, journals, magazines, and employment related information. Most talking books are still recorded on cassettes, which presently provide the most accessible reading medium for visually impaired people. However, it is difficult given today's implementation to look up information in a talking book or even to simply turn pages. The need to digitise audio collections around the world is clear. Currently, each country has its own system and format for serving its clients.
Some countries use the common two-track cassette.
The lack of standards severely limits inter-library cooperation. All of the libraries produce books for their blind or print disabled clients and many see the end of the analogue cassette on the 10-year horizon. With the rise of the compact disc and now the mini disc, the traditional analogue cassette will become less attractive as a playback medium. The digitisation of books intended for persons with disabilities provides opportunities to increase the quality and availability of information to print disabled persons. Information should not be limited to the language of origin or the language group in which visually impaired people live.