Ibaraki Prefectural Braille Library
from the 5/98 paper Ibaraki Report
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The Ibaraki Prefectural Braille Library, located in Mito, provides Braille books as well as a variety of services for the visually impaired. For children who were born blind, the Braille writing system is not a problem to learn, but in the case of those who lost their sight at a later age due to illness or injury, it can be very difficult to master. In 1975, books on eight-track tape became generally available, a system which eventually developed into the books on tape/CD we have today. The Braille books, which are typically five times thicker than normal books, are rapidly being replaced with aural media, which is much more convenient to use. This media is not only for the blind, however. Those who have only lost a portion of their sight due to injury or even old age can also benefit from these resources and not be deprived of cultural contact.
The library is a non-profit organization, and as such has a limited budget. In order to minimize inconveniences, the library also has access to Braille books and tapes from other prefectures through inter-library loans. Volunteer associations are also offering their services to translate Braille books and record books on tape. There are about 200 volunteers in Mito who translate everything from novels to magazines. More than 100 magazines and newspapers are partially or totally recorded, not to mention the roughly twenty thousand tapes which are kept on reserve at the library.
The library is also looking for volunteers to record English tapes. If you are interested in donating your time, please contact the Ibaraki Prefectural Braille Library
(website in Japanese only) at 029-221-0098.