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On Mar 05, 2026 12:00 PM
The Accessible Books Consortium has announced the shortlist for the 2026 ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing. The Award recognizes publishers and initiatives that...
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On Jan 02, 2026 7:30 AM
Nicholas Hoekstra, ABC Program Management Consultant, writes of the importance of braille to his life on the occasion of World Braille Day and the launch of the ICEVI – WBU Global Braille Literacy...
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On Dec 22, 2025 3:21 AM
Conrad Harris, Executive Director of the Jamaica Society for the Blind (JSB), was born blind in rural Jamaica. He had some residual vision until the age of 12, when he lost it completely. For him,...
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On Nov 10, 2025 10:00 AM
WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the 2026 ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing. This year’s edition will...
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On Nov 06, 2025 8:00 AM
WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) catalogue is now available through the popular Dolphin EasyReader app, which is used by people with print disabilities to search, download and read digital...
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On Sep 04, 2025 4:00 AM
WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) announced the winners of the 2025 International Excellence Awards for Accessible Publishing during the gala dinner of the World Blindness Summit in São...
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On Jul 31, 2025 6:30 AM
The list of finalists for the 2025 ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing has been released by WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium. Finalists in the publisher category are:...
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On Jul 29, 2025 12:22 PM
For years, Isaako Tuato sat quietly in class in Samoa, listening and grasping at the lessons through sound alone. Born with low vision, he didn’t have the books or resources other children had. “I...
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On May 28, 2025 1:45 PM
Aria Indrawati remembers the sound of cassette tapes turning late into the night. Partially sighted since birth, her family had to record entire textbooks using an old tape recorder just so she...
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On Apr 14, 2025 9:45 AM
Nominations are now open for the 2025 ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing. This global award recognizes a publisher and a project initiative that have demonstrated...
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On Feb 11, 2025 10:36 AM
The Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities has been at the forefront of promoting accessibility in publishing in Australia and New Zealand. Recently, they won the 2024...
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On Jan 03, 2025 7:00 AM
When Peter Hendriks turned 42, his life took an unexpected turn. Gradual loss of sight in both eyes forced him to end his career as a math and physics teacher. He joined a rehabilitation facility...
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On Dec 18, 2024 1:19 AM
The Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) recently sat down with Gerbera Ediciones, the recipient of the 2024 ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing, in the “Publisher” category....
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On Dec 05, 2024 2:00 AM
Gerbera Ediciones of Argentina and the Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities, representing Australia and New Zealand, have been named the winners of the 2024 ABC...
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On Nov 19, 2024 12:50 PM
During a workshop held in Lima, Peru at the Congress of the Latin American Union of the Blind (ULAC), delegates from organizations for the blind from across the region shared their experiences and...
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On Nov 08, 2024 1:54 PM
Disability advocates and government representatives from nine Pacific nations pledged to drive forward uptake of WIPO’s Marrakesh Treaty as well as inclusive reading initiatives during a “Right to...
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On Oct 29, 2024 10:54 AM
The list of finalists for the 2024 ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing has been released by WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium. Finalists in the publisher category are:...
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On Jul 15, 2024 2:22 PM
The Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) commemorated its first decade with a video showcasing the significant role of French organizations for the blind in promoting and utilizing accessible books,...
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On Jul 02, 2024 3:59 PM
Blind and partially sighted readers will have access to more titles thanks to an agreement signed recently by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) of the United Kingdom with the...
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On May 22, 2024 12:28 PM
Nominations are now open for the ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing, which recognizes a publisher and a project initiative that each demonstrate outstanding leadership and...
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On May 13, 2024 1:32 PM
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On Jan 16, 2024 8:14 AM
An exciting new partnership between WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) and Dolphin Computer Access forges a path to make the ABC catalogue available to persons who are print-disabled directly...
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On Dec 21, 2023 8:07 AM
Access Infinity: Bringing Accessible Content to Print Disabled Users in Developing Countries (WIPO Magazine) WIPO Magazine highlights the new agreement between WIPO and Tata Consultancy Services,...
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On Dec 21, 2023 7:56 AM
The International Publishers Association (IPA) recently interviewed one of the winners of the 2023 ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing. Ms. Elin Ljungvall, Head,...
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On Oct 30, 2023 8:00 AM
Publishing house Bokförlaget Hegas AB of Sweden and the Accessible Reading Materials Library, Chetana Charitable Trust of India have won the 2023 ABC International Excellence Awards in the...
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On Oct 05, 2023 7:57 AM
The list of finalists for the 2023 ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing has been released by WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium. Finalists in the publisher category are:...
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On Sep 28, 2023 7:30 AM
This is the second article in WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) “Partner Profiles” series, which highlights the important work that its partners are performing to support people who are...
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On Sep 05, 2023 11:45 AM
The Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) is now inviting applications for training and technical assistance from organizations working to produce books in accessible formats for persons who are blind,...
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On Jul 28, 2023 3:10 PM
Dr. Charudatta Jadhav playing chess
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On Jul 28, 2023 2:56 PM
Three ABC online courses on accessible book production now feature on the WIPO Academy’s e-Learning Center. These courses are available in Arabic, English, French and Spanish and are fully...
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On Jul 12, 2023 11:54 AM
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On Jul 11, 2023 3:33 PM
WIPO is pleased to welcome the China Braille Library and the China Braille Press into the ABC Global Book Service. The new partnerships were announced within the context of the celebration of the...
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On Jul 11, 2023 2:57 PM
The Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) is sad to announce the recent passing of Ms. Caroline Morgan. Ms. Morgan was the CEO of the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations...
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On Jun 30, 2023 1:30 PM
On July 12, 2023, WIPO member states and other stakeholders will come together to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for...
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On Jun 06, 2023 9:00 AM
Nominations are now open for the ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing, which recognizes a publisher and a project initiative that each demonstrate outstanding leadership and...
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On May 30, 2023 3:08 PM
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has established fellowships to assist with the activities of the Accessible Books Consortium (ABC), a public – private partnership led by WIPO to...
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On May 08, 2023 5:00 PM
WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) is launching the first in its “Partner Profiles” series to highlight the important work that its partners are performing to support people who are blind,...
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On Dec 14, 2022 1:23 PM
The partners of the Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) learnt about the recent passing of Scott LaBarre with great sadness. Mr. LaBarre was the World Blind Union representative sitting on the...
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On Nov 29, 2022 3:23 PM
Publishing house Kogan Page of the United Kingdom and Mr. Ashoka Bandula Weerawardhana of Sri Lanka are the winners of the 2022 ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing. Kogan...
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On Nov 09, 2022 3:23 PM
The list of finalists for the 2022 ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing in both the publisher and initiative categories has been released by WIPO’s Accessible Books...
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On Oct 03, 2022 11:00 AM
Nominations are now open for the ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing, which recognizes a publisher and a project initiative that each demonstrate outstanding leadership and...
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On Sep 30, 2022 8:00 AM
WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) has launched an online course covering key accessibility topics to consider in the field of publishing. This new course is designed for publishers, but also...
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On Jul 22, 2022 7:00 AM
During a panel discussion held at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Blind Union, as well as advocates for people who are print disabled from Lesotho, Mexico and Viet...
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On Jul 12, 2022 12:58 PM
The Marrakesh Treaty is an important human rights treaty that came into force in 2016 and currently has 89 contracting parties covering 115 countries. WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium (ABC)...
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On Mar 21, 2022 6:21 AM
The Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) is now inviting Expressions of Interest from organizations for training and technical assistance on how to produce books in accessible formats for persons who...
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On Feb 03, 2022 10:58 AM
The International Publishers Association (IPA) recently interviewed the winners of the 2021 ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing. The interview with Brianna Walker of...
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On Dec 20, 2021 8:19 AM
By Michiel Kolman & Rachel Martin [Blog from an ABC Partner] We are undoubtedly living in turbulent times with the continued global pandemic. It reminds us all about the importance and value of...
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On Dec 17, 2021 10:28 AM
By Kelsey Corlett-Rivera [Blog from an ABC Partner] As the Foreign Language Librarian at the U.S. National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), it’s my job to select books in...
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On Oct 20, 2021 12:01 PM
Taylor & Francis Group of the United Kingdom and National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS) of Canada are the winners of the 2021 ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible...
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On Oct 08, 2021 6:57 AM
WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) is pleased to announce that the ABC Global Book Service hit an important milestone recently with the Pancyprian Organization of the Blind of Cyprus becoming...
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On Sep 22, 2021 6:18 AM
The shortlist for the 2021 ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing has been posted. The WIPO led Accessible Books Consortium will unveil the names of the winners at the awards...
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On Jul 02, 2021 9:30 AM
The Permanent Missions of the Kingdom of Morocco and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) invite you to a virtual side-event to be held during the U.N. High Level Political Forum in...
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On Apr 12, 2021 9:14 AM
WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) has launched a new application that makes accessible digital books available for direct download by individuals who are blind, visually impaired or...
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On Apr 01, 2021 6:00 AM
Nominations are now open for the Accessible Book Consortium’s (ABC) International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing, which recognizes a publisher and a project initiative that each...
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On Mar 24, 2021 12:58 PM
Hugo Setzer, CEO of the Manual Moderno publishing house, and Past President of the International Publishers Association, explains why “born accessible” publications are the wave of the future. Read...
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On Feb 09, 2021 2:17 PM
WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) has launched an online capacity-building course on the production of books in accessible formats for people who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise...
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On Jan 21, 2021 5:38 PM
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a United Nations specialized agency, and its partners created the Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) in 2014 to help implement the Marrakesh...
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On Jan 04, 2021 10:58 AM
January 4th is designated World Braille Day by the United Nations General Assembly to mark the importance of Braille. The WIPO-led Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) encourages the teaching of...
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On Oct 30, 2020 9:33 AM
The 15th Internet Governance Forum is hosted by the United Nations this year and the overarching theme is the Internet for Human Resilience and Solidarity. WIPO is hosting an online seminar on the...