The need of the hour is social activism, awareness building that focuses on the need for making available books in accessible formats, negotiation and call for legislation.
Right to read is ours, but then the authors and publishers too have their rights. It is middle ground that we need to find for a meaningful way forward. This discussion has given me a fair bit of content as possible content for my presentation at the forthcoming Regional Conference being organised by WIPE. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vetrivel Adhimoolam" <vadhimoo...@gmail.com> To: <accessindia@accessindia.org.in> Sent: Saturday, October 10, 2009 5:54 AM Subject: Re: [AI] distributing books I think instead of fighting over words, this is one issue that requires social activism. It is the high time that we demand the government of India to pass suitable law to make books/other printed materials available to the visually challenged persons in accessible format. Unless our energy gets mobilized in this direction, this threat is going to lead us nowhere. Perhaps a few others will comment, someone will throw personalized statements, the moderator finally will intervene and put a full stop and the issue will vanish from the radar. I am sure that those who care about accessibility are not looking for such an useless end to this meaningful debate. Just my thoughts. Vetri. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vamshi. G" <gvamsh...@gmail.com> To: <accessindia@accessindia.org.in> Sent: Friday, October 09, 2009 10:33 AM Subject: Re: [AI] distributing books > HI, > > If converting books into accessible format is piracy, what is taking > xerox copies of those books. Doesn't it amount to piracy and > violating the laws? So, ask those lakhs of xerox shop keepers to > close their shops first, and then we will think of copyrights in > India. > > Once I went to I I M, Banglore and I found a xerox shop where we can > take xerox copies of books, journals and even some portion of their > PhD theses. So, when a premier educational institution in India is > doing it openly, why should we refrain ourselves from doing so? > > > -- > G. Vamshi > PH Res : +91 877-2243861 > Mobile: +91 9949349497 > E-mail ID: > gvamsh...@gmail.com > Skype: gvamshi81 > > God helps those who help themselves > > > > On 10/9/09, Asudani, Rajesh <rajeshasud...@rbi.org.in> wrote: >> So dinesh, >> You are essentially saying that: >> 1. We should do our book related transactions through organizations of >> and >> for blind like NAB which can provide e text and daisy books to legally >> disabled persons on request. >> 2. refrain from publicly ask for books or post their availability >> notifications in fora of blind/disabled like AI Bookbole as it would >> entail >> their destruction sooner or later, and may make a book available to a >> non-disabled person. >> >> >> Now, here, what even such organizations are doing is nothing but >> violation >> of copyrights, till the law is amended at least. >> Making a fundamental right an exclusively institutionalized and >> secretive >> act, in my opinion, is cowardly and oversubmissive. >> I truly appreciate bookbole for their courage and openness. >> World, according to me, operates on extremely surfacical grounds and >> superfluous way. >> Authors and publishers are not at all going to feel the need for making >> the >> materials accessible until they feel a pinch in their pockets by mass >> distributions of their copyrighted works amongst the disabled. >> Anyway piracy is not highly uncommon even for general masses, so heavens >> are >> not going to fall if a few deserving disabled benefit. >> Besides, my earlier argument about widening the reach of books to >> individuals who otherwise would never have got a chance to appreciate >> them, >> remains to be answered by anybody. >> Besides, there is no justification of copyright or non-availability about >> educational books in accessible format to all. >> UNCRPD talks of access to cultural material and IPR not being a barrier >> to >> it. >> So, what are books but manifestations of cultural conscious? >> Exclusively Institutionalizing a basic need and right for the fear that >> its >> open manifestation would entail legal proceedings does not appeal to me. >> There was a time when living of blind/disabled and their pursuits of >> activity in general community were regarded dangerous and taxing >> resources >> too much. So, they were institutionalized as individuals fit for living >> only >> in institutions. >> What is wrong in that? >> Now, it is felt that books etc. should be provided secretly to disabled >> by >> their institutions as we are here for profit earnings and if we concede >> to >> demands of few persons with disabilities it would be too expensive and >> why >> bother about inferior minorities? >> >> So let the business of publishing flourish unabated without being open to >> widen its prospects of catering to wider but different audience, and let >> the >> disabled crave for even the basic of their needs and rights by forming >> organizations who do the same illegal thing but secretly. >> Let us bring it out in the open and strongly demand that right to read is >> the part and parcel of freedom of speech and expression and its >> illegitimate >> denial constitutes gross violation of our fundamental rights. Adequate >> safeguards can be envisaged once the right is recognized and >> accessibility >> is taken into account. >> We have been cowards all these years, fearing even to distribute even >> educational and informational content. >> Tagore had said: >> >> "Let my country awaken into heaven, >> where every one holds their head high, >> Where knowledge is free.. >> >> And let me add: Accessible." >> >> Lending names may not lend credibility to any cause, but it is more than >> sufficient if one person, say, Rajesh Asudani, thinks in a particular >> way. >> I am not bound by dead past and great names. >> And, yes, I am not willing to tolerate any comparisons of blind community >> to >> blood-thirsty acts, the person concerned has not withdrawn it still. >> I am pained as a person who is blind and who is willing to openly >> advocate >> rights of persons with disabilities and who is willing to put up a fight >> with so called intellectuals who would not budge until their monetary >> interests are impinged upon. >> The fact that by sharing a book amongst disabled, it may be available to >> a >> non-disabled person, is a bi-product and side effect and a necessary >> evil, >> which can be prevented by recognizing our most fundamental freedom of >> expression. >> I am maddened when I see blind children simply at the mercy of readers or >> writers and groping for material to study. >> Any law is a pittance before a helpless human being who requires the >> rights >> to lead a meaningful life. >> >> >> >> >> Rajesh Asudani >> >> Assistant General Manager (PPS), >> Reserve Bank of India >> Nagpur >> 09420397185 >> O: 0712 2806676 >> Res: 0712 2591349 >> Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?" >> John Milton >> >> >> ________________________________ >> Notice: This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and >> intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are >> addressed. 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