RE: Ebooks in libraries and accessibility

[Adina Joyce Mulliken <amullike@syr.edu>]

Another problem with e-books and e-book readers is that some of 
them put the colleges or universities that use them at risk of 
getting OCR violations for violating accessibility laws (ADA and 
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act).

The Department of Justice's recent letter 
<http://www.ada.gov/kindle_ltr_eddoj.htm> to college and 
university presidents says "We write to express concern on the 
part of the Department of Justice and the Department of Education 
that colleges and universities are using electronic book readers 
that are not accessible to students who are blind or have low 
vision and to seek your help in ensuring that this emerging 
technology is used in classroom settings in a manner that is 
permissible under federal law." and "As officials of the agencies 
charged with enforcement and interpretation of the ADA and 
Section 504, we ask that you take steps to ensure that your 
college or university refrains from requiring the use of any 
electronic book reader, or other similar technology, in a 
teaching or classroom environment as long as the device remains 
inaccessible to individuals who are blind or have low vision. It 
is unacceptable for universities to use emerging technology 
without insisting that this technology be accessible to all 
students."

-Adina

Adina Mulliken
Reference Librarian, Social Work, CFS, MFT, Aging, Disability Studies
Library Disability Services
Bird Library
Syracuse University
222 Waverly Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210
Phone: 315-443-9519


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
[mailto:owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Sandy Thatcher
Sent: Monday, November 01, 2010 7:12 PM
To: liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
Subject: Re: Ebooks in libraries

I'm not sure why the third problem is any worse for books than 
for journals. Access to Project Muse journals is controlled 
through the domain name of each university that subscribes. When 
Muse adds books, what difference will this make? Is that DRM in 
your view? And, if so, what's wrong with that kind of DRM?

Sandy Thatcher