Project Digital Library is designed to offer a service to blind users who are able to listen to audio books via internet since January 2007. Audio books are artistically narrated and are available to blind users via multi-channel delivery for example: internet, mobile phones, mp3 players. WMA DRM 10 system ensures protection an illegal distribution in accordance with Copyright law.

Policy Context

Services are offered in accordance with Act on Libraries and Copyright Law.

Description of target users and groups

Blind or partially sighted user of all categories across Slovakia.

Technology solution

Technology choice: Standards-based technology, Mainly (or only) open standards, Accessibility-compliant (minimum WAI AA)

Main results, benefits and impacts

Blind users can listen to digital audio books unlimitedly (7/24) across whole country with higher comfort than via audiotape. Project was sponsored also by Slovak Gas Industry in 2006. Project was presented at many conferences, seminars, technical magazines and won several prices. It stands for a big innovation for blind users to benefit from eGovernment services 24 hours and 7 days a week. It is designed universally so it it possible to resuse the same model anywhere. The cooperation between libraries in Hungary and Czech Republic has been launched.

Return on investment

Return on investment: €5-15,000

Track record of sharing

This project has been shared with Digital Library in Prague. Digital library for blind has won INFOFORUM 2007 in Prague (http://www.skn.sk/?novinky&novinka=1158) and at the ITAPA conference was signposted as most useful project in the field of information communication technologies in public administration (http://www.skn.sk/?novinky&novinka=1180.)

Lessons learnt

It stands for a big innovation for blind users to benefit from eGovernment services 24 hours and 7 days a week even without digital skills. Last but not least there is a significant effect on accessibility of audio books created from old recorder reel which would get lost without digitalization. Scope: National