Braille, A study of how Braille users needs are satisfied by The Library of Talking Books and Braille : with a historic retrospect

The main purpose of this Masters thesis is to examine how Braille users needs are satisfied by The Library of Talking Books and Braille TPB. The other issues are: How do some of the library workers at TPB experience that the needs of Braille users are satisfied? Is it possible to make the service better in the future for Braille users and in that case, how? The study is based upon interviews with five persons, who have defective vision and read Braille. I have also interviewed two employees at TPB who have defective vision. To build up a complete background presentation of the subject I have chosen a book about hermeneutic interpretation to understand how historic facts influence the function of the subject today and in the future. The result of the study indicates that five Braille users, who are regular customers at TPB, in broad outline are satisfied with the service. But, according to the interviewed customers, TPB can still improve their activity by taking certain measures. For example, the customers need more opportunities to make personal visits to TPB. They also need a shorter production time to translate new books into Braille. Wishes have been expressed from customers at TPB that they themselves want the possibility to choose if they will buy or read a book in contracted Braille or non-contracted Braille. It is difficult for the customers to return the Braille books back to TPB. Wishes have also been expressed that TPB could decorate a reading-room for the Braille users. Marketing of the homepage is important. A good thing would be to revoke the limit for the number of pages the transcription service performs for the Braille customers. Let the producer decide the time for delivery transcripted text to the Braille customers from the transcription service. The staff at TPB wants to save Braille for the future. For example they wish to produce Braille in a cheaper material so that the customers can keep the Braille books.Uppsatsnivå: