CNIB Foundation

CNIB Foundation

The CNIB Library was founded in 1906 by the first blind university graduate in Canada, and merged with CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) in 1918. In 2014, the Canadian Urban Libraries Council in collaboration with CNIB, launched the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) to transfer responsibility for accessible library service from CNIB, a charity, to the public library sector.

CNIB is Canada’s primary producer of accessible format literature for people with print disabilities including materials in DAISY audio, e-text, braille and print/braille books for children, braille music and descriptive videos. CNIB also provides support for accessible reading technology, literacy programs, and advocacy for inclusive publishing and capacity building to support literacy development.

CELA, a national non-profit organization, is CNIB’s trusted partner in accessible literacy. CNIB produces published works in accessible formats, which are then provided to CELA for distribution through the public library system. The service is used by approximately 28,000 Canadians with print disabilities, and offers access to over 500,000 titles, with over 5,000 new titles added each year.

Visit CNIB’s website to learn more about its Literacy and Accessible Publishing programs.