All children literate?

With the growth of audio books, large print books, and talking computers, Braille materials have been dropped out of many library collections. For children with severe vision difficulties, however, learning Braille is still important. A recent SLJ article describes a campaign to support Braille teaching for children. The "Braille readers are leaders" campaign will encourage all states to pass legislation requiring the teaching of Braille to all blind children. Many blind scholars report that being able to keep records and record ideas in Braille has helped them immeasurably in their work. As the teaching of Braille becomes more widespread, many library systems may find that Braille materials will become an important part of of their collections for a niche audience of blind individuals. More information can be found at www.braille.org