JULY 2004
THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE EXTRA
A publication of Mid-Florida Council of the Blind
This Extra issue of THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE is due to the ongoing situation involving the Orange County Subregional Talking Book
Library. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Jay and Rachel Bader at (407) 658-2479 or e-mail at
mfcbinfo@bellsouth.net.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
MESSAGE FROM MFCB PRESIDENT RACHEL BADER
FCB RESOLUTION CONCERNING ORANGE COUNTY TALKING BOOKS
MESSAGE FROM MFCB PRESIDENT RACHEL BADER
Dear Members and Friends of Mid-Florida Council of the Blind:
By now, many of you are likely aware that the Orange County Public Library System (OCLS) intends to close down the Subregional
Talking Book Library and discontinue provision of this valuable service to the print-disabled community of Central Florida. According to
Mary Anne Hodel, Director/CEO of OCLS, the goal intended by this closure is to cut out unnecessary costs on what she considers to be
a duplication of services which can be provided elsewhere, and to focus on redirection of service provision for individuals with
disabilities to technology and other programs designed for general community participation.
Upon the recent unfortunate vacancy of the one dedicated staff position for the program, closure is being considered despite many years
of successful OCLS participation as one of 11 networked Subregional Talking Book Libraries in the state of Florida, serving an
estimated 1200 subscribers each year in Orange County alone, with the remainder of service provided through the regional library in
Daytona Beach. Although it is true that certain aspects of this service can be provided by the Regional Library and will continue to be
provided should the Orange County Subregional close down, the level and quality of personalized service that Orange County
print-disabled patrons have come to expect in the past, will be diminished due to the extra demands placed upon the regional library to
provide services to Orange County patrons, in addition to those it serves around the state where Subregional libraries are not
available.
It is also believed that by OCLS taking the intended action of closing the Subregional Library that a precedent will then be set for other,
much smaller Subregional Libraries in the state to consider following suit, should they also wish to cut costs in the same way. This will
result in increased service demands placed on the Regional Library, which currently operates at an entire statewide budget of $900,000
per year.
Although the administration of OCLS states that it is committed to serving the disabled community through provision of other programs,
by closing the Subregional Talking Books Program, they intend to eliminate the very core service for which the print-disabled patrons of
Central Florida have come to depend on OCLS to provide. Elimination of the Talking Book service at this local level will only serve to
exclude not only these patrons from utilization of core library services, but also the additional services the Library has committed to
provide with regard to the print-disabled community. Community participation opportunities via utilization of the Public Library system
are therefore, through this action, further decreased for print-disabled patrons.
Public Libraries are establishments that should be available and accessible to all individuals who wish to avail themselves of these
valuable resources.
It is the opinion of this organization that in order for print-disabled individuals to improve and maintain involvement in the community with
regard to library services to the same standards as all other library patrons have enjoyed and continue to enjoy, that provision of Talking
Book services at the Subregional level must continue in Orange County, and that provision of such service should not be in jeopardy of
closure based on the idea that provision of the Talking Books program is merely a duplication of services that can be provided
elsewhere.
In order to give perspective on this issue, here is a comparison. Using the same logic, as there are 14 branch libraries which comprise
the Orange County Library System, then there are also 14 instances of service duplication. This is not to say by any means that the
branch libraries should be closed; rather, to illustrate the point that in order to efficiently and effectively serve library patrons, the branch
libraries are a necessary component. So should the Talking Book Subregional library also be considered in the same way, as it exists
as a component or branch of a larger statewide network whose exclusive purpose is to provide a service to a segment of the community
which is otherwise underserved or not served at all through other locally-sponsored programs.
The Mid-Florida Council of the Blind, as a local organization of print-disabled members who heavily utilize the Talking Books program,
along with our state affiliation, the Florida Council of the Blind, sincerely hope that our right to receive locally-based accessible library
services comparable to those received by our non-disabled counterparts is not a thing of the past simply based on an ill-considered
attempt to cut costs or redirect services. It is understood and appreciated that OCLS is making the effort to extend the invitation for the
print-disabled community to participate in its other programs. However, inclusion or participation in such programs should be available
as a compliment to rather than a substitution for currently provided services.
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FCB RESOLUTION CONCERNING ORANGE COUNTY TALKING BOOKS
During the 2004 Florida Council of the Blind (FCB) Convention held June 3rd thru 6th in Tampa, a Resolution was unanimously passed
that concerned the Orange County Talking Books situation. It is reprinted in this issue:
FLORIDA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
RESOLUTION 2004-2
Retention of the Orange County Subregional Talking Book Library
WHEREAS, the Florida Council of the Blind is the largest organization of people who are blind in the state of Florida with 27 chapters
and well over 1000 members; and
WHEREAS, Florida currently has a network of 11 Subregional libraries which make a range of library services available to individuals
who are blind or print-disabled at the local level; and
WHEREAS, this local service delivery model provides significant advantages over the provision of library services from the state Talking
Book Library in Daytona Beach. These specific benefits include: local advisors who are familiar with the needs of patrons; the
opportunity to pick up talking books locally; the capacity to do local outreach to extend the program to those who may not know about
Talking Book Services; the availability of information locally concerning resources that people who are blind or print-disabled may need
or want which traditional public libraries cannot or will not provide; and the capacity to mount local initiatives for specific populations such
as children and older people who are blind and/or print-disabled which link them to services through the public library that they would
otherwise never use; and
WHEREAS, the cost of all books and materials made available for circulation through Subregional libraries is borne by the Library of
Congress through the state Talking Book Library; and
WHEREAS, since there has only been one person staffing the Talking Book Subregional in Orange County, there has been little
opportunity for outreach; and
WHEREAS, the Director of the Orange County Public Library System has recently indicated that she intends to close the Orange County
Subregional Talking Book Library now that its single staff member has left; and
WHEREAS, the Director claims there are inadequate resources available in Orange County even though the public library has a budget
of 22 million dollars and proposes asking the state library at Daytona Beach whose whole budget is 900,000 dollars annually, to take
over all services to Orange County Talking Book users; and
WHEREAS, as a consequence, no positions are currently funded or allocated to provide services to the 1,500 blind and print-disabled
people who, until recently, were being served by this Subregional library;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Florida Council of the Blind in convention assembled at the Westshore Double Tree Hotel
in Tampa, Florida, on this the 6th day of June, 2004, that this organization joins with its local affiliate, the Mid-Florida Council of the Blind,
to categorically oppose this proposed action; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the officers and directors of the Florida Council of the Blind are hereby directed to provide such
assistance as seems appropriate to our Mid-Florida chapter to prevent this inappropriate and ill-considered Subregional library closing
from occurring; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization strongly urges that the County Commissioners, County Manager and others take
action to assure that vacant positions are immediately filled and that sufficient staff and operating funds are made available to resume
the operation of this vital service to people who are blind and print-disabled in Orange County; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be transmitted to all members of the Orange County Public Library Board, to
the officers of the Friends of the Orange County Public Library System, to the County Commissioners, County Manager and Assistant
County Managers of Orange County, and to the Directors of the Division of Blind Services and the Talking Book Library in Daytona
Beach.
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