News:

Libraries:

  • Weddings proposal for the future of Liverpool libraries: proposal that weddings could take place in Liverpool Central Library to generate income. Could this have potential elsewhere?Income generation
  • Libraries Taskforce: Lloyds Banking Group support Get Online Week: how Lloyds are helping to support the 11.5m people without basic digital skills via a network of over 25,000 digital champions. Get Online Week
  • Libraries Taskforce: a roundup up of progress in the Libraries: Opportunities for All (LOFE) projects around the country. LOFE progress.
  • Libraries Taskforce: The Carnegie UK Trust and Wellcome have announced the fourteen projects which will be funded as part of the Engaging Libraries programme. Read more
  • The Labour Party pledge to bring back Library Standards if they are voted into power: Shadow Culture Minister Kevin Brennan discusses the reintroduction of library standards to improve and support library services. Library Standards
  • Alan Bennett urges better public funding of libraries: Bennett argues that libraries are a vital community service and should be publically funded. Alan Bennett

International

  • Libraries in the digital age: Carla Hayden the 14th Librarian of Congress, discusses the future of libraries in the digital ageFuture of Libraries
  • Libraries to be transformed into ‘innovation studios’: Libraries in Nebraska will be participants in a new innovation project. A project to demonstrate how communities can use technology and education to empower residents to create, learn and invent. Innovation studios

Sight and vision issues:

  • Literacy services for blind and partially sighted people of all ages: a summary of the reading services for blind and partially sighted children, young people and adults run by the RNIB. RNIB literacy services
  • ‘Be My Eyes’ app to help visually impaired people: An app that connects blind and visually impaired people with sighted helpers from around the world via a live video connection. It works when a blind person requests assistance in the Be My Eyes app; anything from knowing the expiry date on milk to navigating new surroundings. The volunteer helper receives a notification for help and a connection is established. From the live video the volunteer can help the blind person by answering the question they need answered. Be My Eyes
  • Free online skills session held in Sheffield for people with sight loss: RNIB is helping people to get online as part of its Online Today project. A free online basic skills session will be held in Sheffield on October 31 to help people with sight loss to get online RNIB Workshops
  • Everyday experience of being blind: an interesting article which documents some of the most common prejudices and misconceptions faced by blind and partially-sighted people. Blindness and visual impairment
  • Gene therapy to treat blindness: The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have voted in favour of an injectable therapy to improve vision by replacing a defective gene needed to process light. Gene therapy
  • Six steps to maintain healthy sight: to celebrate World Sight Day six steps are identified to maintain eye health. These include: diet, weight, screen time, not smoking and getting regular checkups. Six steps for healthy vision

Share The Vision is a partnership of UK libraries and library organisations that work together to improve the accessibility of library services for blind and other print disabled people.

More information is available from the Chair, Mark Freeman, or 01642 526481. Contributions for the bulletin can be sent to Mark at the email address above.

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