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Home > Alternatives for Future Operations > Section 6

NLS: That All May Read

Alternatives for Future Operations of the Books for the Blind Program

Section 6 - Future Alternatives by Planning Horizon and Major Scenario

This section of the report presents alternatives for future operations of the Books for the Blind Program for three different planning horizons, or time frames: short term, medium term, and long term.  There are no pre-established, fixed-time intervals for these three planning horizons, rather they are loosely defined as short term being from the present through approximately the next three years, during which the transition to the new digital system should be completed (if defined as all users in the program having DTBMs); medium term being defined as following short term and running through 10 to 13 years from the present; and long term defined as following the medium term period with the general perspective of where the system will be approximately 15 to 20 years from now.

Presented below are future scenarios for the Books for the Blind Program within the context of the short-term, medium--term, and long-term planning horizons, including the assumptions, risks, and actions associated with each scenario.  These are undoubtedly a subset of all the possible scenarios, and others almost certainly exist.

6.1   Scenario 1: Short term; central production/decentralized circulation (current model)

The current business model for the program continues to exist and provides services the same way that it has in the past.

Assumptions:

• Individual states will continue to fund regional library efforts in each state through the state library or rehabilitation agency for the blind and physically handicapped.
• NLS will continue to produce hard copies of books and magazines and provide the necessary playback equipment for network libraries, because a sizeable percentage of program users do not have computer services or broadband Internet that enables them to get books electronically.
• Network libraries (at least at the regional library level in each state) are necessary to provide library service and distribute NLS books. Principal functions also include promoting and marketing services, finding and processing eligible program users, providing training and technical support for users, issuing playback equipment, and conducting reader-advisory consultations. Securing state funding sources and collaborating with local consumer groups and institutions will continue as major library responsibilities.

Risks:

• Funding in any state could be reduced, which could curtail or eliminate library service capability.
• The budget and staffing of network libraries may remain stagnant or even decrease.
• Book production of print publications could change so dramatically as to require changes in the NLS model of the talking book.

Actions:

• Continue to support network libraries with books, playback equipment, and network library consultant/advisory services.
• Encourage network libraries to investigate the possibility of using "stimulus" funds, grants, and/or temporary funding to provide additional financing for program operations.
• Conduct program user surveys after one year of digital-player distribution, at the point when new RC book production stops, or at an appropriate point to gather new data for planning purposes.
• Prepare an emergency plan to implement if a state drastically reduces funding to a network library.

6.2    Scenario 2: Short term; current model with collaboration among libraries to take advantage of resource sharing in an evolutionary manner

Regional libraries with reduced resources may address the problem by outsourcing part of their service to other libraries. That is, a service contract for audiobooks (RC and DB) may become as normal as outsourcing for braille service currently is.

Assumptions:

• At least some libraries will retain sufficient funding and staffing so as to be able to offer support to other regional libraries on a contractual or fee basis.
• USPS patterns will favor collaboration between libraries in specific geographic areas.
• Collaborative efforts could be easier between libraries using the same automated circulation systems.
• Network libraries (at least at the regional library level in each state) are necessary to provide library service and distribute NLS books. Principal functions also include promoting and marketing services, finding and processing eligible program users, providing training and technical support users, issuing playback equipment, and conducting reader-advisory consultations. Securing state funding sources and collaborating with local consumer groups and institutions will continue as major library responsibilities.

Risks:

• Audio collections may accumulate in a small number of RLs and once a regional library has disposed of its collection, the collection may not be retrievable.
  
• Service to distant library users may be slower than providing resources for the library’s own users.

Actions:

• Collaborate with network libraries to ensure that users throughout the country have access to the entire collection of NLS-produced titles and that library service provided by all network libraries meets or exceeds the American Library Association (ALA) Revised Standards and Guidelines of Service. NLS will identify its own role in possible network consolidations and begin to discuss possibilities with both regional libraries and their administering agencies, and generally facilitate interlibrary cooperation.
• Consider grants to network libraries to promote, improve, and/or sustain library service.
• Conduct focus-group reviews of the effectiveness of any library collaborations.
• Prepare a strategic plan that incorporates the short-term and medium-term actions.

6.3   Scenario 3: Medium term; continued closing of subregional libraries and their consolidation into regional libraries            

Attrition among network libraries may continue to reduce the number of existing subregional libraries throughout the United States.

Assumptions:

• Continuing economic conditions and funding reductions at the county and city level will cause more subregional libraries to close over the next five years.
• While program user walk-in rates at subregional libraries tend to be higher than for many regional libraries, most subregional libraries still circulate materials through USPS Free Matter.
• While there have been and continue to be changes in the ways users can address their information needs through the Internet and downloading, a continuing problem for the majority of individuals eligible for the program is mobility. Mobility, or the lack thereof, affects every aspect of a disabled individual’s life—not just library service, but the inability to actually visit a library on a recurring consistent basis negates any efforts by public libraries to ”mainstream” individuals served by cooperating subregional libraries.
• Regional libraries will assume responsibility for program users within their service areas when subregional libraries close.
• Availability of an in-WATS line, e-mail, and Internet access will enable program users to communicate any service concerns to regional libraries quickly and easily. Network libraries (at least at the regional library level in each state) are necessary to provide library service and distribute NLS books. Principal functions also include promoting and marketing services, finding and processing new eligible program users, providing training and technical support for users, issuing playback equipment, and conducting reader-advisory consultations. Securing state funding sources and collaborating with local consumer groups and institutions will continue as major library responsibilities.

Risks:

• Directors of subregional library administering agencies may determine that subregionals are duplicating services and collections of audio and accessible digital collections already in their systems, and therefore “mainstreaming” LBPH reader service is appropriate since minimal back-up support can be received from regional libraries.
• Mainstreaming is risky because public libraries are not generally educated in the needs of LBPH users.  They may assume that if users are not coming to the library they have no need for library service and therefore these users will end up out-of-sight/out-of-mind. Public librarians may assume that the multimedia available at their libraries can all be easily used by LBPH users. Public libraries may not have mail service in place and they may not have proficiency with assistive technologies. Their supply of audiobooks as compared to their print collection may be significantly smaller so that choice of books and magazines may be much smaller than for print users.
• The self-service model in all public libraries renders it inaccessible to blind individuals.
• A regional library may not have sufficient resources to assume service for users currently being served by a subregional library.
• Users will lose one-on-one relationships and contact with network library staff when served by a larger agency.

Actions:   

• Work with regional libraries in affected states to ensure the transition of service from subregional libraries to regional libraries with as little disruption of service as possible to program users.
• Analyze the appropriateness of “mainstreaming” library service for LBPH users in the digital age.
• Work with the consumer organizations NFB, ACB, and BVA to conduct focus groups and other discussions to determine, articulate, and present the impact on the service and on regional libraries at regional conferences, consumer conferences, and/or advisory group meetings, as feasible and appropriate.
• Compile, share, and present statements with decision makers to assure that they know and understand any negative impacts on rights of blind and physically handicapped individuals to read and have library service that is on par with sighted individuals.

6.4   Scenario 4: Medium term; centralized service—all production of collections and circulation of talking-book service from a central location(s)

The need for network libraries will disappear as services are offered from one or several centralized points to all eligible program users throughout the country.

Assumptions:

• NLS acquires the funding necessary to support a centralized service for the entire country and program users living abroad for storage and distribution of materials and reader advisor services.
• States willingly pay for program services provided to their program users.
• NLS acquires a facility or facilities that would hold sufficient collections and have the staffing to serve the entire nation and program users living abroad, the staff levels and production systems necessary to produce books on demand as needed, or some combination of both.
• Some program users are self-sufficient in selecting materials that they want to read, and can communicate this information to NLS electronically so that their concerns would not have to be interpreted and/or transcribed.
• Regional library responsibilities would be minimal or eliminated.

Risks:

• Less state investment in library services may result if state employees have no responsibility or contact with program user services at the local level.
• If a state cannot find funding to support a centralized talking book service, it might have to suspend service to eligible users in that state.
• Users who are not proactive in pursuing library service could suffer because there will not be time for staff to communicate with them individually.
• Program users are less likely to contact central government locations, e.g., NLS, to obtain the needed services than state or local libraries.

Actions:

• Determine the costs of service for each state served by central facilities.
• Conduct public forums to discuss the plan and its impact with stakeholders.
• Conduct focus group interviews about the impact on service, administering agencies, and regional libraries at regional conferences, consumer conferences, and/or at advisory group meetings, as feasible and appropriate.

6.5   Scenario 5: Medium term; duplication-on-demand (DOD) centers back up network libraries

This concept was formulated in an early transition planning study after it appeared to be too expensive for NLS to provide mass-duplicated digital copies of audiobooks on flash memory cartridges in quantity to every network library, but it still may be feasible for the network to have such an operation.  If there were a center(s) to back up regional libraries, it would mean less facility space and reduced costs for local collection storage and distribution.

Assumptions:

• NLS would acquire funding to support the DOD centers.
• States would fund DOD centers at an annual flat rate or in proportion to usage.
• Network libraries would devolve their collections to contain only current popular circulating collections, which would constitute the majority of circulation but the minority of the collection. All other requested books would come from DOD centers, which would provide a minority of circulation but provide the majority of titles circulated.
• Network libraries (at least at the regional library level in each state) are necessary to provide library service and distribute only the most popular books. Principal functions include promoting and marketing services, finding and processing eligible program users, providing training and technical support for users, issuing playback equipment, and conducting reader-advisory consultations. Securing state funding sources and collaborating with local consumer groups and institutions will continue as major library responsibilities.

Risks:

• If a state could not afford to pay for DOD-provided services, users would not have access to any of the titles in the DOD collection.
• Even if the 80/20 rule applies, the 80 percent of the collection that accounts for 20 percent of the circulation would still equal circulation of approximately 4 million books each year, or approximately 8,000 books each day per center if there were two centers, which is a significant workload.

Actions:

• Conduct a study to determine the feasibility of implementation.
• Conduct focus group reviews of the impact on service and regional libraries at regional conferences, consumer conferences, and/or at advisory group meetings, as feasible and appropriate.
• Conduct public forums to discuss the plan and its impact with stakeholders.

6.6   Scenario 6: Long term; NLS moves from physical collections to electronic digital collections deliverable through telecommunication means

The current business model will move to digital electronic-only collections at network (regional) libraries.  In the next five to seven years, advances in technology will enable NLS to design and develop new software combinations that will allow digital talking books to be downloaded directly to a player or “pushed” to a player by network library staff.

Assumptions:

• Technological innovations related to medium-term planning will take five to seven years to implement.
• NLS will have the technological know-how to update the software.
• NLS will continue to provide a means for users to receive and read braille free of charge even as physical collections of braille are less available. The DTBM could be redesigned to provide this ability. Thus the redesigned player would need a refreshable braille display.
• The ability to either get additional funding from Congress or successfully shift money from the USPS subsidy to offset the investment in broadband costs for users will be necessary to supplant postal delivery.
• The expansion of broadband capability throughout all geographic service areas will have to be achieved.
• The need for reader advisors will be even greater at network libraries to enable book delivery and provide guidance to program users.
• Playback machines could be shipped from a central point to users on-demand by libraries.
• Network libraries (at least at the regional library level in each state) are necessary to provide library service and facilitate this type of book delivery. Principal functions also include promoting and marketing services, finding and processing new eligible users, providing training and technical support for readers using the services, requesting that playback equipment be issued to a specific program user at a specific address, and conducting reader-advisory consultations. Securing state funding and collaborating with local consumer groups and institutions will continue as major library responsibilities.

Risks:

• National broadband coverage may lag behind current expectations.
• The digital service may alienate program users who are not comfortable with technology by providing service in a non-traditional way.
• Increased cost per player (essentially integrating cell-phone technology into players) may result.
• Increased costs related to telecommunications would have to be paid for both the establishment and use of infrastructure.
• A reliance on nationwide availability of technology may leave more remote areas underserved and could cause a non-uniform provision of service.
• The possible reduction of USPS Free Matter delivery costs may offset technology cost increases linked to 24/7 access.
• Overall costs could be higher than projected.

Actions:

• Acquire technical support staff to assist in implementation of this service.
• Identify which areas of the country could take advantage of wireless service, and initiate a pilot program as soon as possible.
• Conduct a program survey to forecast the impact upon users.
• Conduct focus group reviews of the impact on service and regional libraries at regional conferences, consumer conferences, and/or at advisory group meetings, as feasible and appropriate.

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Posted on 2011-03-14