<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small">You need to talk with Robin Seaman, Director of Content Acquisition at Benetch.    Here are my notes on her presentation.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small"><span style><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small"><span style><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small"><span style>Benetech’s Bookshare Program – Bookshare is a
library.</span><span style>  </span><span style>Benetech is a non-profit formed
in 2002.</span><span style>  </span><span style>They have software that assists
in assistive technology and global literacy.</span><span style> 
</span><span style>Bookshare is has 350,000 books donated by publishers.</span><span style>  </span><span style>This included both front and backlist
titles.</span><span style>  </span><span style>They have 360,000 K-12 students
who participate in over 60 countries. They work under a copyright exemption
that allows them to scan titles to make them available to the visually
impaired. They are funded by the Dept. of Education.</span><span style>  </span><span style>They make books available free to students
who are qualified (physically impaired, dyslectic or visually impaired).</span><span style>  </span><span style>Costs them about $20 per student.</span><span style>  </span><span style>They work in multiple languages.</span><span style>  </span><span style>They partner with the National Library
Service so anyone eligible for OTBS can be a participant.</span><span style>  </span><span style>Materials are available in the Daisy
format.</span><span style>  </span><span style>Not compatible with BARD, the
downloadable service we use. </span><span style> </span><span style>They focus primarily
on trade publications. </span><span style> </span><span style>They are the only
supplier of digital text that automatically digitizes right from the publisher.
So they can generate digital Braille and MP3. </span><span style> </span><span style>It is totally free to K-12 students. </span><span style> </span><span style>It is $50 a year for qualified seniors, veterans.
</span><span style> </span><span style>They use a soft DRM so it is easily managed.</span><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small"><p class="" style="margin-left:27pt"></p></div><div><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><br><span style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><font size="2"><br><font><font>Christine Lind Hage, </font></font></font></span><span style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small">Library Director</span><div><div><span style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><font size="2"><font><font>Rochester Hills Public Library</font></font><br><font><font>500 Olde Towne Road</font></font><br><font><font>Rochester, MI 48307-2043</font></font><br><font><font>248/650-7122</font></font></font></span><div><span style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><font size="2"><br></font></span></div><div><p><font><font>Raising a reader is: </font></font><span style="font-size:9.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:red;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><font><font>Talking </font></font></span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><font><font>* </font></font></span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,176,80);background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><font><font>Singing</font></font></span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><font><font> * </font></font></span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,112,192);background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><font><font>Reading </font></font></span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><font><font>* </font></font></span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(112,48,160);background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><font><font>Writing</font></font></span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><font><font> * </font></font></span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(227,108,10);background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><font><font>Playing</font></font></span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(227,108,10)"></span></p><p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
</div>