Library Services for the Visually Impaired in India: Role of Digital Library

Abstract

Though everyone has a right to access information, people with visual impairments have encountered barriers to using conventional library services. Initiatives have been taken in India to promote bridging gaps in inclusive access to knowledge and education. Traditional libraries with collections of Braille books and tactile resources have been supported—or even transformed by—digital libraries. Sugamya Pustakalaya and the National Digital Library of India (NDLI) are digital libraries that have changed the landscape of information access by offering many reading materials in DAISY, audio, ePub, and Braille-compatible documents. Such digital libraries help people with visual impairments pursue education, career progression, and recreational reading independently. The last decade has seen the incorporation of strategic assistive technologies such as text-to-speech engines and screen readers, which aid in accessing digital libraries. Digital libraries have enabled India to take steps towards inclusiveness and have assisted in creating an inclusive knowledge society.