Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Right To Read campaign?
- Why is government funding for accessible library services needed now?
- How much library funding is needed?
- What will the requested funding make possible?
- What is the federal government doing now to support accessible library services?
- What is my province/territory doing to support accessible library services?
- How many Canadians stand to benefit from accessible library services?
- How can I help?
- Where can I get updates about the Right To Read campaign?
What is the Right To Read campaign?
The Right To Read campaign is a nationwide advocacy initiative launched in January 2010. Through this campaign, CNIB is calling on Canadians to join us in urging Canada’s governments to provide immediate and fair public funding for nationwide accessible library services and protect the right to read of more than 800,000 blind and partially sighted Canadians.
Why is government funding for accessible library services needed now?
For more than 90 years, Canadians who read print have enjoyed free access to public libraries, funded through taxes. For the same amount of time, blind and partially sighted people across Canada have enjoyed free access to the donor-funded CNIB Library, Canada’s largest library of braille and audio materials.
It’s inappropriate to expect blind and partially sighted Canadians to rely on a charity to pay for a service that other Canadians enjoy as a basic right of citizenship. Furthermore, CNIB can no longer sustain the $10 million annual operating cost of the library without partnerships with all levels of government. Today, the CNIB Library is in jeopardy, and its services in danger of eroding. Partnerships are needed now to ensure the future sustainability of the library and avoid service reductions.
How much library funding is needed?
CNIB has asked Canada’s governments for a total of $8 million in 2010-2011 to ensure we can continue to provide nationwide accessible library services. This represents 75% of the total cost of running the CNIB Library, with CNIB continuing to provide $2 million in funding.
What will the requested funding make possible?
In short, the requested funding will ensure blind and partially sighted Canadians continue to have a library of books they can read. It will enable CNIB to continue delivering high-quality accessible library services without an increase in wait times or decrease in the number of new books produced. It will enable the library’s sophisticated digital infrastructure to be preserved and upgraded to meet the growing needs of Canadians. At the provincial level, funding commitments will also enable CNIB to make its library collection available through public libraries to people who can’t read print due to a physical or learning disability – extending access to this vital resource to many more Canadians who need it.
What is the federal government doing now to support accessible library services?
Canada’s federal government has been actively working with CNIB to develop a long-term solution to coordinate accessible library services and provide more books for Canadians who cannot read print due to blindness or partial sight. These negotiations represent important progress, but federal funding is still needed now to preserve the CNIB Library’s infrastructure and produce new books for the collection.
What is my province/territory doing now to support accessible library services?
For the past year, CNIB has been negotiating with Canada’s provincial and territorial governments on this important issue. Before each government is a cost-sharing proposal that would see them cover their share of the cost of delivering accessible library services to blind and partially sighted residents of their province or territory, with CNIB continuing to fund 25 per cent of the service. To date, Ontario and Alberta have led the way, committing to fund their share of the service. CNIB continues to negotiate with the remaining provinces and territories in the hopes that they will commit the requested funding in their next budgets.
How many Canadians stand to benefit from accessible library services?
More than 800,000 Canadians are blind or partially sighted. About 3.4 million more live with some form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma or cataracts – chronic eye conditions that threaten sight. Because vision loss is closely associated with aging, these numbers will increase dramatically as our population ages. That’s why it is so critical to ensure Canada has a well-funded library of books and information in accessible formats for today and tomorrow.
How can I help?
There are many ways you can help support the right to read of blind and partially sighted Canadians. The most important thing you can do is to send an online letter asking Canada’s Prime Minister and your Premier to dedicate funding to accessible library services. For more ideas, visit the Get Involved section of our site.
Where can I get updates about the Right To Read campaign?
Join CNIB’s Facebook group to get the latest updates from our Right to Read campaign, connect with other fans and advocates, participate in discussions and debates, and much more.
