 
Kate Atkinson is backing the campaign to make literature more accessible to people with sight loss
20 August 2010 Last updated at 09:07Â
An award winning author has backed a campaign to make more literature accessible to people with sight loss.
Kate Atkinson will read from her latest novel Started Early, Took My Dog at a Book Festival event organised by RNIB Scotland.
The charity said only 5% of books published in the UK are ever made available in braille or audio formats.
Ms Atkinson said she was “delighted” her new novel had been transcribed just a day after its mainstream publication.
RNIB director John Legg said: We would like to see many more books made available in accessible formats for blind and partially sighted people.
“But it costs between £1,000 and £2,500 to record a RNIB talking book, so we do very much need the support of the public.”
Ms Atkinson said: “I fully support the campaign to make more books available in formats such as braille and audio.”
The launch of the campaign has been sponsored by Glasgow-based construction firm City Building, whose workforce includes 30 workers with sight loss.
Managing director Willie Docherty said: “We operate one of Europe’s largest supported employment factories with some 260 workers, over 50% of whom have a disability, and all of whom do exactly the same job as their sighted colleagues.
“That is why we are delighted to support a campaign that makes more literature accessible to people with sight loss.”
Source:Â http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-11025228
Leave a Reply