Living with sight loss news

News and updates for people living with sight loss, or for anyone supporting someone with sight loss.

Downton Abbey star narrates audiobook

For those of us who love audiobooks, it's great to hear about the growing popularity and increasing availability of unabridged audiobooks. The Galaxy National Book awards this year created a new category especially for audiobooks, and the winner was Louisa Young's "My Dear I Wanted to Tell You", narrated by Dan Stevens. He's the star of the massive television hit Downton Abbey. Dan is a "long-term convert" to audiobooks and talks eloquently of how much he enjoys acting out characters in audio.

World Book Night 2012

Do you love a book so much you want everyone to read it? Sign up to give away free audio books on World Book Night and you can share your passion for reading with others.

Braille and giant print reader preferences

In October we wrote to all braille and giant print readers to ask for information about your reading preferences. This is important because we will be introducing a new computer system later next year and we need to know what kind of books you enjoy reading so we can prepare in advance.

ebook readers event

RNIB National Library Service is hosting an introduction to ebook readers event at National Library Service, Bredbury near Stockport on Wednesday 8th February 10am -12.30pm and 1.30 to 4.00pm and Thursday 9th February 2012, 10am -12.30pm and 1.30 to 4.00pm.

Research Charter Mark awarded to RNIB Pears Centre

RNIB Pears Centre for Specialist Learning has recently been awarded a prestigious Research Charter Mark by The Schools Network. The Research Charter Mark is a quality award for schools and academies who demonstrate the importance of enquiry-based teaching.

Quiz winner

Well done to Katherine Healey from Buckingham who named all the rib ticklers in our last quiz correctly. We're bidding farewell to the quiz but we couldn't just leave you wondering about the answers.

Braille donations to the Library

The Library often receives offers of braille books. Unfortunately, we no longer run an Overseas Gifts Programme, so we ask that anyone wishing to donate braille books contact the library first to check whether the titles are needed.

New specialist accommodation at RNIB Pears Centre

New specialist accomodation at RNIB Pears Centre for young people with complex needs who are blind or partially sighted.

Switch on to technology!

Technology isn't just about having the latest gadget; it's about making life easier. Many of the latest high street products are designed with blind and partially sighted people in mind. It's often just about knowing how to access the right features. This is something that Maggy Bower discovered after purchasing an Amazon Kindle.

Kidz up north

If you are a parent of a blind or partially sighted child, make a note in your diary about the Kidz Up North exhibition at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton, on Thursday, 24 November 2011, 9.30am to 4.30pm.

Freddie Mercury

It's 20 years since, ultra showman, Freddie Mercury died. However as the old adage goes his music lives on. We celebrate his life with a couple of biographies and appropriately through Queen's music available from our braille music collection.

Giant print bookchain

Calling all giant print readers, we are now looking for people to join our bookchain for 2012. The aim of the bookchain is to get people reading books that they may otherwise not have tried.

Man Booker Prize winner and shortlist

Julian Barnes hit the headlines on 18 October when he won the Man Booker prize 2011. You can read his book "The Sense of an Ending" in braille, giant print and as a Talking Book if you are a member of the National Library Service.

No catch-up TV for audio description fans!

Published: 11 October 2011 An average viewer in the UK watched 4 hours, 3 minutes a day of linear TV in the first six months of 2011, according to a report from TV marketing body Thinkbox, using figures from the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB). However,despite this astounding development, barring a few programmes on the BBC iplayer, no other online player, catch-up or on-demand, is set up to deliver audio description.

RNIB wins award for helping people to stay in work

We've won a Rehabilitation First award for our service to help blind and partially sighted people stay in work.

Last updated: 11 July 2012

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