YEEHAWWW!! Thanks to everyone who helped!

Dear Mr. Owens:

I am following up on your previous correspondence, which was forwarded to me by the Office of the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, regarding your support of federal funding for accessible library services for Canadians with vision loss or other print disability.

The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that all Canadians have the opportunity to participate fully in their communities and recognizes the importance of the provision of accessible library services to people with print disabilities, including people who are blind, deaf-blind, and who have vision loss.

In order to provide access to published material for people with print disabilities, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) provided a grant of $6 million to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) Library to digitize its collection and extend its library services across the country.

On February 23, 2011 , the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, announced on my behalf that HRSDC was providing a one-time grant of just over $7 million to the CNIB to ensure its ability to continue producing library materials in alternative formats, such as braille, audio, large print, and electronic text. This grant will also fund the replacement of the CNIB's outdated electronic storage systems for its digital collection. To view the news release, please visit http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?m=/index&nid=590979.

The CNIB is a key service provider for many public libraries and for people with print disabilities. This funding will allow the Institute to maintain the viability of its library asset while the organization explores long-term funding and service arrangements with the provinces and territories for the provision of accessible library services for people with print disabilities.

Thank you for brining your views to my attention.

Yours sincerely,

The Hon. Diane Finley, P.C., M.P.

Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development