2023: Message from the President
Reviewing the achievements of the past year, I’m pleased to report on the significant progress and tangible results that the DAISY Consortium has accomplished in 2023.
In the fields of standards, tools and member support, our core business, our staff was highly successful and attained the goals which were set. In this way we contributed to the successful production of accessible content by our Members and to greater access to reading materials for persons with print disabilities.
The countdown to the implementation of the European Accessibility Act (EAA) in 2025 has led to raised awareness and need for knowledge and support in the publishing industry. In our role as the global authority on accessible publishing and thanks to our tools and activities the DAISY Consortium and our Members are increasingly delivering this support.
Also in 2023, we were able to execute a number of special projects, thanks to the contributions and participation of funds and member organizations.
In a project funded by Microsoft we developed solutions that make low-cost production and reading of accessible materials possible in some of the world’s most underserved regions. In the eBraille project a large group of members and friends works on a new standard file format for digital braille for a better braille reading experience. In the Music Braille project production tools have been developed and a network of music braille producers has been formed. The European Inclusive Publishing Forum brings together organizations from Europe and beyond in exchanging information and experiences in the preparation of the implementation of the EAA.
You’re welcome to read more about our activities and achievements in this Annual Report.
Our board meetings in 2023 were generously hosted by NLS in Washington and by RNIB and Google in London. The board welcomed David Andrews representing the National Federation of the Blind, following the sad loss of Scott LaBarre at the end of 2022. In May 2023 we combined our board meeting with the Annual General Meeting and a joint meeting with the Braille Authority of North America. The General Meeting approved the application from the American Printing House for the Blind to convert from Associate Membership to Full Membership effective from July 1, 2022. The days following the November board meeting in London we organized together with RNIB the Accessible Publishing Conference and the DAISY Technical Meeting.
The common denominator in all our meetings is the high level of interaction between the participants. Besides the formal business items, the value of these meetings is in the high amount of networking, exchange of knowledge, discussions, triggers for collaboration.
The year 2023 was the last year of my first term as president of the DAISY Consortium. In last General Meeting I have been elected as president for another 4 years. I thank the eligible members for their confidence. It will be an honour and pleasure working together with the board and staff of the DAISY Consortium for success in interesting and challenging times.
Maarten Verboom
President of the DAISY Consortium
Next: Vision, Mission and Key Activities and Community
2023 Annual Report Index: