At the heart of everything we do at the BC Libraries Co-op is a simple belief: that access to knowledge and literacy is not a privilege — it is a foundation of community and even the base of a functioning, and vibrant democracy. In the past months, that belief has been upheld in ways that remind us why this work matters.

On behalf of our member libraries, our NNELS patrons and the library community, we would like to extend a sincere thanks to the Honourable Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant, members of the Standing Committee on Finance, and members of the House of Commons and the Senate for protecting free postage for the blind and reduced postage rates for library materials under the Canada Post Corporation Act.

This is a meaningful decision for millions of Canadians who depend on accessible, affordable pathways to information. The effort to protect these items and have them enshrined in legislation was a cooperative one, with work done in partnership with CELA, the Canadian Association of Research Libraries, the Canadian Urban Libraries Council, Public Library InterLINK, CNIB and many members of the blind and print disabled community across the country. Our heartfelt thanks go out to all who lent a hand in this successful effort.

Our thoughts are also with the Tumbler Ridge community as they navigate an incredibly difficult time. We want to acknowledge the Tumbler Ridge Public Library’s decision to remain open in the aftermath of the tragedy — offering stability, warmth, and a place to simply be. Libraries have always done this. They show up in times of community need.

It is fitting to mark Freedom to Read Week alongside these other events. Our member libraries and digital collections reflect a wide range of voices and perspectives, and we stand with libraries across Canada in this commitment to intellectual freedom.

We look forward to bringing all of this into our conversations at the BCLA Conference at the end of April, and to connecting with many of you there.

Cooperatively yours,

Kevin Millsip

Executive Director

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In celebration of International Day of Francophonie, the BC Library Cooperative is excited to announce the addition of new titles to the French language eBook and audiobook platform, Bibliothèque numérique de la Colombie-Britannique! These new items will be available to all public libraries and their patrons and brings the total French collection up to over 6,500 eBooks and 400 audiobooks. 

If you are hearing about Bibliothèque numérique for the first time, don’t worry! The collection was launched somewhat recently (2022) in response to community interest in a standalone collection for French items. Titles can be accessed either online through your public library’s website (likely located in a list among other digital resources) or by downloading the Cantook Station app. If you’re familiar with Libby, Bibliothèque numérique should feel fairly intuitive: eBooks and audiobooks are checked out or placed on hold, and you can read or listen to them via the Cantook Station app on your phone or through an internet browser.

The Bibliothèque numérique collection was handpicked and curated by French-speaking public librarians and includes popular titles for youth, teens, and adult readers. Readers will find French Canadian titles, graphic novels, contemporary bestsellers, classic fiction, and more. One of the best parts of this collection is that most titles have no wait times — clever patrons will be able to skip the holds lines on items that would take them months to receive on Libby!

Some of the titles added in this most recent wave of purchases include:

• La Maison vide by Laurent Mauvignier
• La Nuit au cœur by Nathacha Appanah
• Les déterrées by Katia Belkhodja
• Je mets mes rêves sur la table by Martina Chumova
• Le loup noir by Louise Penny
• Le pacte de l’eau by Abraham Verghese
• Coup bas by Laurie Léveillé
• Un cadeau de Noël en novembre by Stéphane Laporte and Jacques Goldstyn
• Murielle et le mystère by Charlotte Parent
• Impossibles créatures by Katherin Rundell
• L’été où je suis devenue jolie by Jenny Han
• Le Club des Baby-Sitters graphic novels

We are also excited to be partnering with the BC Summer Reading Club to provide informational fliers about Bibliothèque numérique alongside 2026 Summer Reading Club print materials, which will hopefully help French speaking youth and their caregivers dive in to the online library. Outside of Summer Reading Club, we envision the Bibliothèque numérique platform expanding the reach of book clubs, supporting early French readers in book buddies programs, bolstering reading material in French immersion schools, and supplementing French collections across the province.

We hope this excellent collection gets lots of use this year and in years to come!

Learn more:

Find your library – BC Libraries Cooperative (Cantook Station)

BC Proclamation of Journée de la Francophonie

BC Summer Reading Club

Q&A with Michelle Tsutsumi and Zanna Ekeroth of Sunflower Co-op

Q1: Tell us about Sunflower Co-op, and the decision to start a worker co-op!

Michelle & Zanna: Creating Sunflower Co-op was about shifting experiences from the solo work that each of the founders was engaged in to growing a collective of support, shared learning, and cooperation (co-facilitation) for ourselves and others. When it came time to find the right home for our collaboration, it was clear that our values fit best with becoming a worker co-operative. Democratic governance, creating employment for members, collective ownership, and breaking away from creating profit for investors are all parts of being a worker co-op that mean a lot to us. 

Q2: When did you first connect with BCLC? 

Our first connection with BCLC was in February 2024 through the BC Co-op Association and the 50 – 30 Challenge, a voluntary pledge towards equitable systems that support diverse and inclusive leadership. Michelle and Zanna offered tailored 1:1 EDI support to BCLC management, which included meetings with leadership to identify focus areas and explore EDI strategies and implementation. Based on organizational assessments and staff input, we co-created a 1-year EDI Action Plan that was used as the foundation for the workshop series. 

Q3: How does a progressive, year-long workshop series differ from other training sessions? What are the benefits and challenges?

Equity and Inclusion related topics require a level of vulnerability and long-term commitment that is impossible to achieve in just one session. Being able to engage with the BCLC team over the course of a full year enabled us to build trust, circle back to topics after letting new insights percolate and unlock a level of shared learning that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible. Furthermore, the series was developed with the intention to not just learn, but to also put new practices into place. There was a clear commitment from BCLC management to make structural changes in alignment with the learning series, which made this project particularly impactful. 

Q4: How do you approach learning with remote teams?

When we design learning sessions with remote teams, we prioritize space for connection and shared reflection through breakouts with pairs or small groups. Core elements of the learning sessions include balancing information sharing with synthesizing and practice. We recognize and respect the knowledge and experience in the group, and we design for this to be woven into the process. 

Q5: What practices help build trust and safety in a virtual training space? 

We begin our learning sessions with intentional and personal land recognitions and introductions, which helps to create an environment of openness. We also take the time to arrive in the session with check-ins that invite personal connection and understanding. The interconnection of solo reflection and small group conversations with meaningful prompts supports learning, practice building, and strengthening trust. 

Q6: What were your personal highlights working with the BCLC group? 

BCLC continuously demonstrated a willingness to learn from each other’s perspectives and to provide candid feedback. As facilitators, we left every session learning something new from this group. One special memory from working with BCLC was the session where we practiced how to de-escalate tension in a remote setting. In a “fishbowl” role play activity, the staff from BCLC got to both practice (or witness) how to respond to microaggressions and test out different languages for de-escalation. The group embraced this activity and their roles to the fullest, which provided both laughs and deep reflections. An example where learning about charged and uncomfortable topics can be playful and meaningful at the same time. 

Q7: Co-ops helping co-ops, how does this principle influence your work?

Sunflower is a dedicated proponent of Principle 6. Structurally, we collaborate on projects with co-ops and also seek service providers who are cooperatives. For example, our email and website are through CanTrust Hosting Co-op and our website was designed by Weaver Digital Design and Storytelling Co-op. The possibility of working together, and finding creative ways to do so, is particularly exciting and energizing for us. In addition, in each of our communities, we participate in our local co-ops and cooperate through grassroots mutual aid. 

Thank you!

Read more:

• Partner Spotlight: Read Local BC
• Member Spotlight: Whistler Public Library
• Member Spotlight: South Central Regional Library
• Member Spotlight: Powell River Public Library

As we head into the final weeks of the year, I’m pleased to share a few important updates and some good news from across the Co-op.

First, we were honoured to receive an Untapped Workplace Inclusion Award in September. This recognition highlights the work our team has been doing for years to advance accessible library service—through NNELS, via training and resource development, through our participation on the provincially appointed table, the Presidents Group, and our work as part of the Public Library Accessibility Working Group. The Co-op has been nominated twice before this year’s awards, and this year we received two nominations for the award. It’s an award we’re proud of because it reflects not just a single initiative, but the collective effort of staff, members, and collaborators who continue to move accessibility forward in meaningful, practical ways.

We’re also excited to welcome three new staff members to the Co-op. Each of them bring skills and experience that strengthen our capacity to support members, deliver programs, and continue improving our services:

• Nazgul Dzhumalieva joins us as our Interim Operations Manager covering Ayesha Ali’s maternity leave.
• Zachary Schoenberger joins NNELS as Product Manager leading the ongoing development and improvement of the NNELS service platform.
• Jessie Hawkes is our new Digital Collections Librarian, and will support the upcoming launch of the BC Palace Project.

Finally, the Public Library Accessibility Working Group (PLAWG) is preparing to launch the new Accessibility Assessment Framework for Public Libraries, along with accompanying virtual training sessions in early December. This work represents a significant step in supporting libraries as they plan, implement, and sustain accessible services. We encourage you to join the virtual sessions and explore the tools being made available.

Thank you, as always, for your work in your communities, and for supporting the work of your co-op. There’s a lot to look forward to, and we’re grateful to be moving into the new year with strong momentum and a shared sense of purpose.

Kevin Millsip,

BC Libraries Cooperative, Executive Director

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Bill C-15, the federal Budget Implementation Act, proposed ending the long-standing Literature for the Blind program in the Canada Post Act. This program currently allows organizations and individuals to send braille, audio, and other accessible format materials to people who are blind or visually impaired by mail at no cost.

For many readers, especially those in rural, remote, or northern areas, receiving books by mail is essential for access.

If the bill passes, the legal protections for free mailing for people who are blind would be removed, and these services could be discontinued without consultation. Organizations and individuals would then have to pay postage on accessible reading materials.

February 24, 2026 (9:55 am Pacific / 12:55 pm Eastern)

Free Literature for the blind and a reduced rate of postage for library materials lent by libraries will continue to be protected in legislation under the Canada Post Corporation Act.

NNELS would like to thank the Honourable Joël Lightbound, members of the Standing Committee on Finance, and members of the House of Commons and the Senate for supporting our efforts to uphold these measures. We also extend our gratitude to our partners who joined us in advocating for free literature for the blind and the reduced rate of postage of library materials.

This decision will meaningfully impact NNELS readers and millions of people across Canada.

Update: February 10, 2026 (11:50 am Pacific / 2:50 pm Eastern)

Since December, NNELS and CELA have been working alongside other library organizations and disability partners, to actively engage on this issue on Parliament Hill, due to concerns that the bill removes legislative protections for free postage for materials for people who are blind. The same amendments also affect reduced postage rates for library materials and interlibrary loans.

CELA and NNELS are now working with the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL), the Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC), Public Library InterLINK, and partners such as CNIB — collaboratively to raise these concerns with Parliamentarians. Advocacy efforts have included coordinated letters to Members of Parliament and Senators, formal submissions to House and Senate committees studying Bill C-15, and direct engagement with Senators and government offices.  This included the letter we sent to the Minister Responsible for Canada Post, Joël Lightbound, in December, that was co-signed by over 200 organizations and individuals outlining our concerns and asking that the government remove the amendment that repeals free literature for the blind.

Representatives from the library and accessibility communities (specifically CULC and CNIB) appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on Transport and Communications on February 3 to underscore the importance of maintaining free postage for materials for people who are blind as well as maintaining reduced postage rates for library materials. Representatives from CULC and Réseau BIBLIO du Québec also appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on National Finance this morning (February 10). Meetings with Senators and with officials from the office of Minister Lightbound have been positive, and engagement with Senate legislative affairs advisors continues as the bill advances.

Bill C-15 is expected to proceed through its remaining stages in the House of Commons and the Senate in the coming weeks. We will continue working with Parliamentarians to ensure that free postage for materials for people who are blind remains protected in legislation, alongside safeguards for reduced postage rates for library materials.

Story Update: December 10 at (1:45 pm Pacific / 4:45 pm Eastern)

Canada Post spokesperson Lisa Lui said in a statement, “We are proud of our long-standing commitment to provide free postage for the blind and have no plans to change this service. As for Bill C-15, we’re not in a position to comment. We remain committed to our mandate of serving all Canadians, including those with disabilities.”

NNELS and CELA welcome Canada Post’s commitment to continue offering free mailing for people in Canada who are blind or visually impaired, and we appreciate the government’s promise to pay Canada Post for these services. However, we remain concerned about removing this requirement from the Canada Post Corporations Act. This provision and the related laws protect this service from future Boards, leaders at Canada Post, and future federal governments who may not support it as much as the current government does.

So far, neither the Minister nor Canada Post has consulted with NNELS or other groups about the planned change. The lack of consultation and engagement with the groups that would be impacted is a big concern to NNELS, CELA, and other organizations that provide support and services to people who are blind or have visual impairments across Canada.

We would welcome the opportunity to discuss the Literature for the Blind service with the Minister, as requested in our collective letter.

You can read or listen about Bill C-15 and the repeal of the Literature for the Blind Canada Post Service in the news:

• Canada Post commits to free postage for people who are blind as legislation changes (CTV)
• AMI: Audiobook Café Podcast:
  • Audible
  • Spotify
  • Apple
  • TuneIn Radio

What are we doing to help?

NNELS, CELA, and several affected organizations have sent a letter to Joël Lightbound, the Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement, Public Services and Procurement Canada. You can read the letter and the list of signees here.

What can you do?

This issue is urgent, as the House of Commons will begin its holiday recess on Friday. Please speak to your MP about your concerns as soon as possible.

We have a template letter you can use to contact Minister Joël Lightbound and/or your local MP.

About the Framework

The framework introduces clear guiding principles and three dimensions of accessibility—physical, sensory, and social-emotional. Together, they support library teams in better understanding and anticipating the diverse needs of patrons and staff with disabilities.

Alongside the framework, we’ve launched two supporting resources designed for hands-on use:

• Library Accessibility Assessment Tool which helps identify barriers in physical library spaces
• Library Accessibility Assessment Activity Book which includes guided group activities to support staff learning and application

Video

You can also watch a short introduction video featuring the BC Libraries Cooperative’s Executive Director, Kevin Millsip. A transcript with visual descriptions is available in both Word and PDF formats.

Download the video transcript with visual descriptions (PDF)

Download the video transcript with visual descriptions (Word)

All resources are now available on our website, and we invite library teams to explore them, use them, and adapt them to their local context.

Thank You

The Public Libraries Accessibility Working Group (PLAWG) would like to thank the Disability Alliance of British Columbia (DABC) and the Province of British Columbia for providing the funding that made this project possible. We are thankful to Untapped Accessibility for their partnership in the development of this tool, and to the many library staff and community members who contributed to and inspired the creation of this resource.

Read Local BC is ringing in the holiday season with a new pilot project. Until December 5th, readers can explore three curated Book Boxes that each reflect a different facet of BC’s literary landscape. We spoke with Asna Shaikh, Program Manager at Books BC, about how the project came together, the role of local curators, and the broader mission of supporting BC authors and publishers.

Q&A with Asna Shaikh, Program Manager at Books BC

Can you give us a quick introduction to Read Local BC and the work you do?

Read Local BC is a Books BC project that celebrates the vibrant community of authors, publishers, booksellers, libraries, and readers that make up our province’s literary landscape. Visit our website at ReadLocalBC.ca for themed book lists, author and bookseller interviews, literary events, BC bestseller lists, and other news and resources about the BC book scene. Read Local BC is your gateway to the regional literary world.

Amongst our many offerings is the Read Local BC eBookshelf in partnership with the BC Libraries Co-op, the new ebook collection available to all BC Library patrons via Libby.

How did the idea for the holiday Book Box pilot come about?

The Read Local BC Book Boxes are the brainchild of Kirstin Richter, who worked with Books BC as part of her mid-career master’s in publishing at SFU. The idea of the project is to directly connect readers with BC publishers and authors and make it easy for them to read and buy local.

How did you curate the three boxes, and what makes each of them unique?

We partnered with local independent booksellers to thoughtfully curate these limited edition book boxes.

• Hilary Atleo of Iron Dog Books curated the Indigenous Voices Box, selecting three titles that provide “an exhilarating tour through the breadth of Indigenous creativity.”
• The BC Culinary Box was curated by Mary-Ann Yazedjian of Book Warehouse + Black Bond Books, who selected two cookbooks that demonstrate the personal and playful aspects of cooking by tradition and innovation.
• Kerri Doyle from Books & Shenanigans curated the Early Readers Box, selecting three children’s books with stunning illustrations that will teach kids about local plants and animals, and help them develop a respectful relationship with nature.

You can read more on the curation process in our curators guide to the book boxes.

Anything coming up next that you’d like libraries to know about?

Thank you!

Read more:

• Introducing the Read Local BC eBookshelf: A Collection of BC-published eBooks
• Expanding Braille Access: Q&A with Riane Lapaire
• Member Spotlight: Whistler Public Library
• Member Spotlight: South Central Regional Library
• Member Spotlight: Powell River Public Library

Powell River Public Library

Melani Williams, Assistant Chief Librarian at Powell River Public Library (PRPL), answers our questions on their member experience, new projects and the library’s assistive devices program which offers free 3D printed assistive devices for patrons.

What challenges have the services offered by BC Libraries Co-op helped your library with?

MW: Assisting us with formatting our new Community Page to include images, accessing Matomo analytics, connecting with vendors. We do attend Co-op training sessions and connect directly with other libraries when we want to follow up on their good ideas!

What accessibility challenges have the services helped you with?

MW: The Support team ‘turned on’ our Accessibility features so they are easily accessible from our main page on our website.

What learnings of the past months would you like to share with other member libraries?

MW: We’ve really appreciated the support from the Co-op (we have a lot of questions), and we also really appreciate all of the other library people we have connected with (at BCLA and elsewhere) or spoken to about accessibility, navigating intellectual freedom challenges, volunteerism, inclusive programming, and safe spaces.

Tami [Tami Setala is BCLC’s Licensing & Business Development Manager] and the Support Team have been amazing, answering questions and providing advice, tech support, and a lot of patience!

What events or projects are you most excited about in the coming months?

Improving our website, reviewing our ILS and room booking software, continuing to improve wayfinding and accessibility in our library spaces.

We are hoping to reorganize our web content to make the website more intuitive and easier to navigate. We will declutter old pages or make sure they are connected to parent pages. We will add more graphics/images, and ideally add a book carousel on our main page. We are currently updating signage and once our collections project is complete (we are expanding our children’s collection footprint), we would like to add some fun wayfinding options. We are also looking at creating a scavenger hunt to help customers learn more about our collections and spaces.

Can you tell us more about your assistive devices available at the library?

Karen Wootten, Accessibility Coordinator at PRPL: We started this program for National AccessAbility Week (May 25 -31). It was well-received in the community. Patrons were excited to create devices that would address their specific needs to make their daily lives easier. We also had local care homes reach out for devices for their residents, and they were pleased with the results. After hearing about the program, a local resident received a Makers Making Change Grant from the Neil Squire Society and is now also 3D printing assistive devices here in Powell River. She will be hosting a workshop at the Library to talk about the process in September. We are excited that new technology is being used to help people live healthy, independent lives!

Any local businesses or other co-ops you partner with and would like to highlight for their work in the community?

We really love working with LIFT Community Services and Inclusion Powell River.

Ways to connect with Powell River Public Library:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Youtube

More on the blog:

• Member Spotlight: Whistler Public Library
• Member Spotlight: South Central Regional Library
• Expanding Braille Access: Q&A with Riane Lapaire

A message from Sarah Felkar:

“I want to thank everyone for their trust and support over the past year. It has been a wonderful experience getting to work with the Cooperative’s staff and members. 

There are so many highlights in the work that has happened this past year, from the migration to the cloud, the successful Equitable Access to Reading Program Federal Grant for NNELS, the feature-rich update to Sitka Evergreen this spring, and to the way that Consortia Manager is already making licensing tasks easier. Of course, getting to see the new Strategic Plan launched was especially fun – so many people contributed to this guiding document, and I’m so excited to see where the Co-op ends up in three years.

It was especially wonderful to get to meet so many co-op members at the BC Library Conference and the Beyond Hope Library Conference and hear about how co-op staff have helped them over the years through excellent training and support. 

I’ll be returning to my role at West Van with a deeper understanding of the value that the Co-op brings to members and a renewed commitment to the cooperative and library values that the BC Libraries Cooperative exemplifies.”

– Sarah Felkar 

We are pleased to welcome back Kevin Millsip, returning to his role as Executive Director. With fresh energy and a clear vision, he is excited to step back into his work with the Co-op and to reconnect with our members and partners. 

A message from Kevin Millsip:

“Hi folks! My past year was a full one supporting other non-profits as they worked through some organizational transitions. I’m excited to be back with the lovely board and staff team at the Co-op, and to pick up from Sarah’s great work this past year. With our new Strategic Plan, our upcoming work on values, the launch of Consortia Manager, the Palace Project and so much more at the Co-op, I see a full year ahead for our team. 

Over the past year, the world has become a much more chaotic and less safe place for many people. I think a lot of us are seeking places of community and connection, and spaces that are an expression of collective care. As I dig back into the co-op’s work, I’m reminded that what we do here helps support you—our member organizations—in being those places of community and belonging that are so deeply needed right now. This understanding gives our work a deep sense of meaning and purpose. 

My thanks to all of you for the essential work that you do, in service to your communities through these troubled times.”

– Kevin Millsip 

Thank you!

Q&A with Riane Lapaire, Braille Coordinator at NNELS

What is the new embossed braille service, and why is it an important addition?  

RL: The embossed braille service provides another way for readers to access braille. Using existing braille files in the NNELS collection or obtained from partner organizations, books can be embossed on demand. Unlike traditional library loans, these embossed copies are single-use, meaning readers don’t need to return them once finished. NNELS ships the books directly to patrons, which is especially helpful for those who can’t easily visit a library or don’t want to wait for interlibrary loans. Braille readers can request titles themselves, or library staff can submit requests on their behalf. 

How did the partnership with CELA on this project come about?  

RL: The partnership with CELA came about through our shared commitment to increasing access to braille materials for readers across Canada. We saw an opportunity to combine resources. This is a great project, which will run until the end of this funding agreement, end of March 2027.

How does this service help reduce barriers for braille readers across Canada? 

RL: This service reduces barriers by making braille more convenient and accessible. Since the embossed braille is single-use and mailed directly to readers, it’s especially valuable for people in remote communities, those who are homebound, or anyone who finds it difficult to transport large boxes of braille from the library. Another benefit is that the braille doesn’t need to be returned — readers can keep it to reread or recycle once they’re done reading. 

How has the early response been?

RL: Our first shipment of books is going out this week to libraries in BC, and the interest in the program has been very encouraging. Libraries are excited to have another simple, practical way to bring braille into their communities and are eager to see the impact this service will have once patrons start using it. 

Who is currently eligible to request embossed braille books through NNELS?  

RL: Anyone with a NNELS account is eligible to request embossed braille books. This includes library staff, who can make requests either for their library or on behalf of a braille reader. 

In addition, NNELS is also providing braille and tactile activity pages to evacuation centres and libraries across Canada that are supporting people displaced by this summer’s wildfires. These can be requested by emailing braille@nnels.ca. 

Can you walk us through the process of how a braille reader can request a book?  

RL: Braille readers can request a book directly from the NNELS website. From the home page, they can go to the Grant Projects section in the menu, select Braille Projects, then Embossed Braille Service, and finally open the request form for an embossed braille title. The form can also be accessed through this link directly. Readers, or library staff submitting a request on their behalf, can simply fill out the form with the necessary details so NNELS staff can emboss the book and send it to the correct location. 

Are there any costs involved for individuals or libraries using this service?  

RL: No – there are no costs for individuals or libraries. Like all NNELS braille programs, this service is completely free, thanks to funding from the Government of Canada’s Equitable Access to Reading Program. Shipping is also free through  Canada Post’s Literature for the Blind service. 

What is required from libraries to becoming a host library for the Distributed Braille Collection? 

RL: The Distributed Braille Collection is different from the Embossed Braille Service. Instead of single-use braille, it provides high-quality, permanent braille books in English and French. These books are embossed or printed on durable braille paper, comb bound into volumes with plastic covers, and include printed title pages and braille labels. The collection also includes print-braille books and titles with tactile graphics. Because they are designed for multiple uses, these books are returned after each loan. 

Since NNELS doesn’t have a physical building that braille readers can easily access, braille titles are distributed across public libraries nationwide, making use of their existing systems—local borrowing, programming, staffing, and interlibrary loans. Currently, 25 libraries host titles from the Distributed Braille Collection, and we are looking to add more. 

To participate, host libraries are asked to: 

• Provide shelf space for the titles. 

• Add the braille titles to their catalog and collections (MARC records are available on request). 

• Make the books available for borrowing without restrictions. 

• Ship books to other libraries on request using Canada Post’s Literature for the Blind service. 

• Share circulation stats or feedback when requested. 

NNELS supports host libraries by answering questions, supplying MARC records, and repairing or replacing worn titles when needed. Libraries interested in joining the Distributed Braille Collection can contact braille@nnels.ca. 

What’s involved in setting up and hosting a Little Free Braille Library? 

RL: A Little Free Braille Library works much like the familiar Little Free Library concept, but inside a public library space. Libraries can request a selection of single-use, grab-and-go braille titles through the Embossed Braille Service. These books don’t need to be catalogued or formally circulated. Instead, the library sets up a small, visible, and well-advertised space where readers can freely take braille books home. 

Unlike a traditional Little Free Library, there’s no need for book exchanges or tracking statistics. When supplies run low, libraries can simply request more titles. Through NNELS’  library request form, staff can choose specific genres, languages, surprise selections, or individual titles. All books are shipped free of charge using Canada Post’s Literature for the Blind service. 

What are your hopes for the future of braille access in Canada through programs like this one? 

RL: We hope for a future where braille readers can easily access high-quality braille and tactile graphics in whatever format they prefer—just as print readers do. This could include physical braille available in libraries or delivered to their door, electronic braille on an affordable display, or even braille offered in bookstores or local coffee shops. Print is everywhere for sighted readers, and braille readers should have the same seamless access. Programs like the Distributed Braille Collection, the Embossed Braille Service, and electronic braille titles in the NNELS repository are important steps toward making this a reality. 

And lastly, what was the proudest moment you’ve experienced in advancing accessibility in your work for the Co-op and NNELS? 

RL: I used to think my proudest moments were about working with Canadian publishers to release books in print and braille simultaneously. But now I see it’s really about all the partnerships we’ve built to advance a more equitable braille landscape—including projects like our Braille for Forthcoming Publications initiative. 

The Braille for Forthcoming Publications Project allows NNELS to collaborate with Canadian publishers to release titles in braille at the same time as print editions. This raises awareness among publishers and authors about braille and ensures high-quality electronic and physical braille is available for equitable access. quality electronic and physical braille books to be available at the same time the print is available for more equitable access for braille readers. 

We also have sharing agreements with organizations like the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) and the Provincial Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired (PRCVI) in BC. These partnerships prevent duplication of expensive braille transcription and help readers access titles outside NNELS’ collection. 

Other exciting collaborations include:  

• Elections Canada’s Inspire Democracy Program, providing accessible materials, including braille, so everyone can participate in the democratic process. 

• Braille Literacy Canada’s Braille Zoomers, offering adults opportunities to practice braille reading. NNELS is providing reading materials, with five short novels joining the collection this fall. 

• Andrew Harbridge Music Publishing and the Canadian Conservatory of Music, making new piano repertoire available in music braille for students, teachers, and examiners. 

• Development of eBRF (eBraille) with APH, Humanware, the DAISY Consortium, and other stakeholders. This new electronic braille file type will provide modern eBook functionality and improved navigation on braille displays. 

Each year, NNELS also leads World Braille Day celebrations with partners like the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA), the Provincial Resource Centre of the Visually Impaired (PRCVI), Braille Literacy Canada (BLC), Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC), CNIB, Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB), and Alternate Educational Resources Ontario (AERO). These events include webinars, panels, downloadable braille activities, and library programming ideas, with 2026 plans already underway. 

What I’m most proud of is NNELS’ ongoing commitment to working with people with lived experience and building community partnerships. Being involved in these initiatives and working together within so many communities helps expand access to braille and supports a more equitable reading landscape. 

Thank you!