The American Library Association supports the Treaty for the Blind, a treaty that would allow international book lending to print-disabled people—including those who are blind, have low vision, are dyslexic, have a learning disability or other disability that prevents them from accessing print—by promoting an exception to copyright law.
The exception would ask WIPO member nations to establish a national exception that authorizes the making of accessible copies. This copyright exception would be similar to the Chafee Amendment (17 USC §121) in U.S. copyright law. In addition, the exception would allow countries to share accessible copies (Braille, large print, digital formats like accessible e-books) across borders.
Negotiations are reaching a fever pitch with many powerful corporations, including General Electric, Exxon, and the motion picture and publishing industries opposing the treaty. We need your help now. Sign this petition to let the Obama Administration and the WIPO U.S. delegation know that you support the right to read for all.
Sign the Petition
Here’s what you need to know in order to sign the petition:
- You must have whitehouse.gov account to sign the petition, but it is very easy to obtain one.
- Simply click the ‘Create an Account” button. You will be asked your name and email.
- Upon entering that information, you will receive an email from whitehouse.gov with a link back to the petition.
Once you click that link, your account will be verified and you can sign the petition
