The campaign
The Right to Read alliance is campaigning to ensure that everyone has access to the "same book, the same day, same price". Millions of people in the UK cannot read books, magazines, ebooks and newspapers. The Right to Read alliance is fighting to change this injustice and open up a world of reading.
We are a coalition of nineteen organisations who work successfully with publishers, government, libraries and charities. We work to ensure the opportunities of the digital revolution are seized upon for the benefit of all. Together, we will transform the current book famine imposed on pupils, customers, and all blind and partially sighted people.
Three million people in the UK are being denied the right to read on a daily basis just because they have a sight problem or print reading disability.
Over 20,000 blind and partially sighted children's education is being affected by not getting textbooks in a format they can read.
Most books published in the UK never become available in large print, audio or braille.
Latest news
Accessible textbooks trial launches!
From September 2009 a two year accessible textbook pilot will be launched by Department for Children, Schools and Families. The pilot involves trials of the provision of electronic versions of textbooks to school pupils who have visual or print impairment. Forty pupils, mostly in key stage three will be given laptops and the software required to convert and read the files that are provided to them into the accessible format(s) of their choice. Nine schools in Oldham, North Tyneside and Durham will be participating in the pilot.
'Specialist Producer' trials for people who already specialise in producing alternative formats will run alongside pupil trials. These will involve the provision of technology and textbooks in structured and tagged MS Word files to see the impact the pilot has on their productivity and effectiveness.
Focus on Books - Large Print books available on the high street
From Josephine Cox to Bernard Cornwell and Jeremy Clarkson, over fifty leading titles are now available on most local high streets. Each book, published under the Focus logo, is printed in 16-point as a large-format paperback and priced at either £16.99 or £12.99.
Barbara Taylor Bradford is one of the many authors who have welcomed the initiative: "Everybody, regardless of age or 20-20 vision, should have the same access to a wide variety of literature."
To see the full list and to find out more, visit www.focusonbooks.co.uk or ask your bookseller for further information.
Right to Read campaign history
Children's Lobby of Parliament
On 28 March 2007 over 250 blind, partially sighted and dyslexic children and their parents and teachers descended on Westminster to lobby their MP with the children's author Jacqueline Wilson to demand for more children's books in audio, large print and Braille. This event significantly contributed to the accessible textbooks trial being launched in September 2009. Find out more on the page for Children's Lobby of Parliament.
Further information
View the Right to Read Campaign Reports in full.
For further information about the Right to Read alliance please contact campaigns@rnib.org.uk or 02073912123.