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DOJ Targeted Public Library for Lending E-Books 'Inaccessible' to the Blind
Cybercast News Service ^ | 8/31/12 | Elizabeth Harrington

Posted on 08/31/2012 12:48:08 PM PDT by Nachum

The U.S. Justice Department says it has reached a settlement with the Sacramento (California) Public Library over a trial program the library was conducting that let patrons borrow Barnes and Noble NOOK e-book readers. DOJ and the National Federation of the Blind objected to the program on grounds that blind people could not use the NOOK e-readers for technological reasons. The Justice Department said the settlement is aimed at stopping discrimination: “Emerging technologies like e-readers are changing the way we interact with the world around us and we need to ensure that people with disabilities are not

(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: barnesandnoble; doj; ebooks; ereaders; holder; library; nook; public; targeted
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To: Nachum

So, if I can’t use an item, NOBODY should? Morons.


21 posted on 08/31/2012 1:01:41 PM PDT by JimRed (Excise the cancer before it kills us; feed &water the Tree of Liberty! TERM LIMITS, NOW & FOREVER!)
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To: katnip
Cripes! Next they’ll take cars away from us because blind people can’t drive.

Sshhhhhh.... don't give them any ideas.

22 posted on 08/31/2012 1:02:02 PM PDT by Nachum (The List was hacked- www.nachumlist.com)
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To: bravo whiskey
you know it’s really bad when you read the headline, scan the paragraph and look to see if this is john semmes satire before continuing and it gets worse when you see it isn’t satire.

Well- I for one, will PRETEND it is satire anyway.

Where is my beer? (I know I left it here somewhere)

23 posted on 08/31/2012 1:04:07 PM PDT by Nachum (The List was hacked- www.nachumlist.com)
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To: Nachum

Do Kindles like PCs have an app that will read the book aloud?


24 posted on 08/31/2012 1:05:20 PM PDT by stocksthatgoup
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To: Nachum

I am not positive that the option is available on the Nook, but on the Kindle e-book reader you can set it to auto read almost any book as an audio book. Not that actual facts mean anything to the DOJ under Holder.


25 posted on 08/31/2012 1:06:04 PM PDT by Anitius Severinus Boethius (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008BAL1OK/)
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To: stocksthatgoup

Never heard of one. Recorded audio books are the only ones I know of. There is voice activated software, but don’t know any for books.


26 posted on 08/31/2012 1:06:49 PM PDT by Nachum (The List was hacked- www.nachumlist.com)
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To: Nachum

I wish they’d include the names of the DOJ officials involved in things like this, so that when its time to scale back the goobermint, they will have done half the work for us.


27 posted on 08/31/2012 1:13:09 PM PDT by Ol' Sox
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To: Nachum; All
NOOK supports Text-to-Speech where publishers have granted permission for their books to be virtually read aloud.

Maybe the library's mistake was not going with the Kindle from Amazon as it's clear DOJ are Amazon's enforcers against competitors.

28 posted on 08/31/2012 1:13:56 PM PDT by newzjunkey (Election night is 67 days away.)
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To: Nachum

If I read the article correctly (and if I can’t I’ll sue!!!) the complainant went directly to the DOJ, never talking to the library folk. I suspect ADA activism and wonder if there was a cash award involved. Rather than fight this on procedural grounds, it seems the city went straight to caving. After all, it is far easier to furlough the employees than to say “enough is enough.” Isn’t all that’s required is a reasonable accommodation? Here’s your free subscription to audible.com. Why must each and every device be all things to all people?


29 posted on 08/31/2012 1:15:55 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (Taranto: "The whole point of the metaphor is that if you can hear the whistle, you're the dog.")
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To: mnehring; stocksthatgoup
As I mention in
30 posted on 08/31/2012 1:18:42 PM PDT by newzjunkey (Election night is 66 days away.)
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To: bravo whiskey

Bingo! My husband was reading me something from an article recently, and I said, “Is the author John Semmens?” because it sounded one of his pieces. But no, just like this, it was “real news.”


31 posted on 08/31/2012 1:31:56 PM PDT by Tax-chick (Now a hit television series starring Judi Dench!)
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To: ridesthemiles
I can remember when a legally blind man applied for a job as a UPS driver.

Over here at the Jersey Shore, some years back,There was a legally blind guy from Belmar who won 5 million in the lottery. First thing he did was buy a new SUV.

32 posted on 08/31/2012 1:37:22 PM PDT by Focault's Pendulum
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To: Nachum

Not accessible enough, will burn immediately!

Isn't it ironic that in the Future of Farenheight 451 that very few people can read....

33 posted on 08/31/2012 1:39:27 PM PDT by GraceG
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To: Nachum
on grounds that blind people could not use the NOOK e-readers

So how are dead tree books any different in that regard?

By this logic, the library should only be stocked with braille and audio materials. Except that people with hearing problems would prefer a dead tree book or a NOOK.

It's obviously impossible to be fair. Best to just close all the libraries.

34 posted on 08/31/2012 1:40:07 PM PDT by BlatherNaut
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To: Nachum

I’d like to countersue for not including readable type with Braille books.

I’ll “see” you in court.....

(Hope no one reads this and is offended)...

RLTW


35 posted on 08/31/2012 1:43:10 PM PDT by military cop (I carry a .45....cause they don't make a .46....)
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To: newzjunkey

What a BUNCH of G-Damned BS!!!

Libraries already have programs for the blind for books on tape!!!!!

What is next a blind person suing apple for being unable to use their iPhone?

A deaf person suing the Library because the books on tape are inaccessible????

It is CRAZY!!!!

Stuipid regulations and run amock government agencies like this LIMIT CHOICES the free market gives us not expands them....


36 posted on 08/31/2012 1:45:24 PM PDT by GraceG
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To: katnip
Next they’ll take cars away from us because blind people can’t drive.

Maybe they'll let us keep cars if they put Braille speedometers on them.

Braille chainsaws are coming next.

37 posted on 08/31/2012 1:48:08 PM PDT by Right Wing Assault (Dick Obama is more inexperienced now than he was before he was elected.)
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To: newzjunkey
Text-to-Speech where publishers have granted permission for their books to be virtually read aloud.

Ah-ha! Sue the publishers for not granting permissions.

38 posted on 08/31/2012 1:50:10 PM PDT by Right Wing Assault (Dick Obama is more inexperienced now than he was before he was elected.)
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To: BlatherNaut
It's obviously impossible to be fair. Best to just close all the libraries.

Maybe it'd be best to shoot all the politicians and most lawyers (litigators only, please - leave us mere Estate Planners alone). Then the normal people could resume life as it should be.

Honestly, how ABSURD is it that you cannot help a majority of those in the general public unless you help EVERYONE in exactly the same way?

39 posted on 08/31/2012 1:54:51 PM PDT by Ancesthntr (Bibi to Odumbo: Its not going to happen.)
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To: Nachum

Trying renting out a house with an ad that says, “Lovely view!”

Lawyers working for these people will be at your door in 10 minutes.

Or, “Ideal for a young couple.” What about single people?

Or, “Short walk to bus stop.” That makes people in wheelchairs feel unwelcome.

Think these are jokes? I know people who have had the fair housing Nazis come after them for these very things.

About all you can say is, “House for rent.”


40 posted on 08/31/2012 1:57:46 PM PDT by Right Wing Assault (Dick Obama is more inexperienced now than he was before he was elected.)
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