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Late last year the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind (RVIB) Talking Book Library launched a new information service for people with print disabilities, the first of its kind in Australia. PAISA (Print Alternative Information Service of Australia) provides a reference service for people with print disabilities who require quick access to information.
People with print disabilities have always been eligible to use the reference services of their public or academic libraries, but use of these services has been limited by the fact that much of the information is available only in print. PAISA provides information in the requestor's preferred format: large print, braille, audio, on disc or through email.
Some PAISA enquiries can be answered from the Talking Book Library's own reference collection which includes encyclopedias, dictionaries and other materials on CD-ROM and computer disk, as well as materials held in audio format.
Materials held in the Talking Book Library on CD-ROM and computer disc may be accessed by library patrons independently at the Talking Book Library. Like the library's 'Talking OPAC', these are accessible through audible screen readers. Copies of material located in this way can be automatically and immediately produced on disk, in large print or in braille.
Those who are unable to visit the library in person can obtain assistance by telephoning our Reader Services staff.
PAISA is also supported by RVIB library services on other sites. Information can be provided on any aspect of vision impairment from the resources of the RVIB Children's Services Reference Library at Burwood and from the Print Reference Library at RVIB headquarters in St Kilda Road. Information from these sources can be transcribed into the appropriate accessible format for the requestor.
RVIB news, details of major sporting events and information on pensions and entitlements is available through VOICEPRINT, the RVIB telephone information service.
Through funding provided by Arts Victoria, the Talking Book Library has access to VICNET and the Internet, and the use of these resources is increasing every day. Enquiries ranging from the address of a minister's electoral office to what's on in the city have been answered from VICNET.
Through the Internet, the Talking Book Library has access to the Encyclopedia Britannica on-line and to significant overseas collections of materials in accessible formats. For those library patrons who do not have independent access to the Internet, library staff will download information and transcribe it into appropriate formats.
Any queries which our library staff are unable to answer are referred to VISION at the State Library of Victoria. VISION is a reference support service for Victorian public libraries and may be used when libraries have exhausted the resources of their own collections. Printed information supplied through VISION is transcribed into the selected format at the Talking Book Library.
The number and range of enquiries handled by library staff since the launch of PAISA last December indicate that it is a much needed service.
For further information about PAISA contact Reader Services staff at the Talking Book Library. Tel (03) 9521 340 or toll free 1800 335588 (for those outside the Melbourne metropolitan area). Fax (03) 9521 3670 E-mail: tbl@rvibtbl.rvib.org.au.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA, Canberra, ACT 2600,
AUSTRALIA, ABN: 28 346 858 075
Telephone + 61 2 6262 1111; Facsimile +61 2
6257 1703; TTY: 1800 026 372