Helene Library

Helene Library offers more than 5.400 digitalized books accessible to visually impaired people. The collection is built from publishers’ catalogues, and aims to present a various range of present publishing: classics, fiction, non-fiction, biographies, essays, children literature, etc. One can search through author, title, publisher, kind and subject. Inscription is free; visually impairment’s proof is needed (medical certificate, disability card, etc.) For people under 18, a parental authorization is needed.
Access to books is secured via 3 platforms:
* IRIS (Eurobraille)
* PC or MAC + a screen reader + dongle (Aladdin Token)
* Victor Stream Reader (HumanWare)

(published on 03/16/2010)

Helene server

The Helene server was introduced in 2001 by association BrailleNet to meet the needs of the transcriber-producers of books adapted to the visual impaired people. Helene server is a protected data-processing server of digitized texts, most of them provided by the publishers via licenses. When such files are not provided, the e-files can be obtained by digitalization using a scanner, after concerned editor’s authorization. The files are structured in a standard language of description of contents (XML DTBook - NISO Z39.86). This coding enables to automatically produce various types of files to satisfy the users’ requests : HTML for reading, Braille for embossing, PDF for enlarged edition…
The transcriber-producers sign a partnership convention with BrailleNet, in order to obtain a password and a numerical certificate installed on their computer. They receive the digitized texts in a safe way by encrypted emails, and can deposit their own files in any format.

(published on 03/16/2010)