A “Library” Solely for the Blind

    In Dong Nai, the blind can read books everyday. It is neither an exploit nor a strange phenomenon but a notable effort of those who have made the books accessible to the blind. Seeing that the blind’s access to human knowledge is necessary, Bien Hoa association of the blind has been working with charity Women’s Association and Ho Chi minh city synthetic library asking for some cassette tapes to help its members and better improve its performance. Over the time, the association has been sponsored with one bookcase and 900 cassette tapes of all genres featuring poetry, short story, Vietnamese and foreign literatures, specializing books, legal documents, drugs and social evils, sex equality and so forth.

    Every month, the association steadily receives 12 issues of Doi Moi magazine from the Central Association including six issues of Braille version and six of cassette tapes. The Dong Nai provincial blind association has one “little library” including normal books and some book listed as “valuable” ones, such as cassette tapes, magazines, Braille books. In terms of scale and archives, it does not literally meet the requirement of a standard library. However, for the sight-disordered people there, it means a great library where they are able to explore new, unknown things. Currently, the bookcase stores 208 copies of books and storybooks, and 194 issues of Doi Moi Magazine (published by  the Central Association of the Blind).

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Cat, president of Dong Nai provincial blind association, tells about Braille books

    The book exclusively used by the blind is system of dots, which combine each other to make words, called Braille. Besides, there are certain audio books that are the recordings of other normal books. It offers the best choice for the blind, especially those who are illiterate. All those non-word books are always the heated desire of the blind starving for information. Thank to these books, they can see a boundless world and they dare to dream and believe in life, and enable to overcome difficulties in daily life. Via the books, they can comprehend themselves and others.

    “I constantly borrow tapes to listen,” said Mr. Nguyen Tan Tai, member of Bien Hoa city Association of the blind. “I often borrow literature books and or novels as they are teaching me how to live, overcome difficulties and believe in the good.”

    Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tan, president of member of Bien Hoa city Association of the blind is a constant book-reader. “I am always the first person who read the good books right after they come,” he said. “First I read them to improve my knowledge then encourage other member to do.”

    The blind get access to the bookcase with a wide range of purposes, such as entertainment, study, or searching for materials. Nevertheless, in the end they love publications, especially ones for the blind. Mr. Le Danh Cat, president of Dong Nai provincial blind association said: “The blind like reading Doi Moi magazine and humanity books because that is what they need. Via those publications, they can find information of other blind nationally and internationally. Especially, they are able see how far scientific advances achieve, hoping that there disease could be treated someday.”

Lack of exploitation means, books seem to be useless

 Reading in thought is simple and ordinary but it gets so difficult for the blind subjectively and objectively. Books are available but how to help the blind to use them efficiently is still a long-term question. According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tan, there are only two places where the audio books can be supplied and used, in the provincial and city’s associations across the province. However, in districts they are lacking books while it is a good means help overcome their complexes and find back their self-confidence to integrate into community. Moreover, with the books they can teach themselves or learn with each other to improve knowledge in order not to be a burden of society.

Lack of exploration means, books seem to be useless

    At present, rate of book reading among the blind is limited. According to statistical data, Bien Hoa’s bookcase serves over 200 readers ever year and the provincial one has 300 readers served. The reason is that only 30% of the blind are literate. With audio books, the problem is that most of the blind are leading a difficult material life so a TV set or radio is so expensive gadget their financial condition cannot touch. That is also posing problem to those who have been making effort to bring books to the blind.

    As known, in the past time, Bien Hoa Radio Broadcasting had sponsored some cassettes to help members to have chance to assess books but they are terribly exceeded by the real demand. How to help the blind to exploit the precious source effectively has been drawing many people’s concern. It is so significant to bring knowledge to the blind but the sussess require a long-termed effort of the whole society.

    Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhu Thuy, vice president of Dong Nai provincial blind association, a manager of the library says: the provincial association possesses good books but they become useless here because we cannot afford to issue to blind association in the districts. Our utmost dream is that we can build up a reading room for the blind to exploit the available materials.”

  L.H (Reported by Nguyen Thuong)