A close up view of low vision writing/reading

[Laurel]

Hello everyone. This weekend GR author and good friend of mine Alexandra Butcher interviewed me concerning my sight loss and issues confronting blind and low vision readers and authors.

I've re-posted the link to her blog on mine along with some introductory information.


Accessibility matters! Everyone should have access to books -- not just people with 20/20 vision!


http://peersofbeinan.wordpress.com/20...

[A.L.]

The link to my blog is www.libraryoferana.wordpress.com
This is a topic close to my heart as, besides from Laurel, my father is partially blind and has struggled to find suitable books. He now cannot read at all as his vision is so bad and is unable to use an e-reader or get out to the library to look for the few large print books on offer.

[Stephen]

My father lost his sight late in life and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind were a Gods send with their audio library. My dad “read” more books after loosing his sight than he ever did before.

[Laurel]

Stephen wrote: "My father lost his site late in life and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind were a Gods send with their audio library. My dad “read” more books after loosing his sight than he ever did ..."

Completely agree with that.

The first thing I did in college when I received my library services was read Les Miserables -- all of it! I love the musical, but the book is better!

[Brenda]

I suffer from vision issues and there are books (BONESHAKER, by Cherie Priest) that are simply illegible due to dumb design choices by the publisher. Brown ink on cream colored stock, really?

Audio books are something to consider.

[Laurel]

Large print paperback will at least work with my zoomax magnifier. Those at least I can work with. But as I interview authors for my blogs (there is still some slots open if anyone wants an interview post http://peersofbeinan.wordpress.com/), I notice a LOT of them only work in digital. I cannot read digital books!

[Feliks]

Wow. Laurel, what? So the digital formats don't always 'solve everything' when it comes to accessibility? I'd like to hear details on this. You are still wedded to paper? And some kind of magnifier? I'm keen to hear more.