Frequently Asked Questions about TIGAR

 

What is TIGAR?

TIGAR stands for Trusted Intermediary Global Accessible Resources. Launched in November 2010 by the WIPO Stakeholders’ Platform, TIGAR is a three-year pilot project that seeks to facilitate cross-border transfer of copyrighted works in accessible formats among various national institutions or Trusted Intermediaries (TIs), notably national libraries serving those with print disabilities.

How did the TIGAR come about?

In 2008, the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) acknowledged the special needs of visually impaired persons (VIPs) or those with print disabilities, and stressed the importance of addressing without delay the possible ways and means of facilitating and enhancing access to copyright protected literary works, taking into account an analysis of limitations and exceptions, including the establishment of a Stakeholders’ Platform at WIPO.

Since January 2009, the Stakeholders’ Platform of right holders and representatives from the visually impaired community has played a key role in exploring how best to increase cross-border access for VIPs to copyrighted works in accessible formats in a reasonable time frame. This led to the launch, in November 2010, of the TIGAR project (WIPO Press Release PR/2010/668).

Who is involved in TIGAR?

The WIPO-led Stakeholders’ Platform of right holders and representatives of the visually impaired sponsors the TIGAR project. The project is funded through a combination of in-kind contributions from participating organizations and cash donations from donor organizations and other individuals.

The conception and development of the TIGAR project is the result of close collaboration between WIPO and organizations representing persons with print disabilities, authors and publishers, including the World Blind Union (WBU), the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), the Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) Consortium, the International Publishers Association (IPA) and the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations (IFRRO), among others.

A number of trusted intermediaries have been invited to participate in the TIGAR Project.

Ongoing consultations are progressing with worldwide trusted intermediaries and right holder organizations, and their participation will be reported in the 'Latest News' section

What will TIGAR do?

The TIGAR project seeks to facilitate cross-border transfer of accessible versions of copyrighted works between national institutions or TIs, notably national libraries serving persons with print disabilities, in an efficient and timely manner. The project focuses on developing partnerships and building trust among stakeholders, as well as developing and piloting technical solutions, an ICT infrastructure, and processing and business models.

It supports both business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C) operations. B2B operations include transfer of publisher files from right holders to TIs, as well as exchange of accessible versions of copyrighted works between TIs. B2C operations cover search, discovery and access to works requested by customers of participating TIs.

What will TIGAR look like?

The TIGAR project will create a global virtual collection of copyrighted works in accessible formats. TIs will be able to search and exchange electronic files from each other’s collections. Customers of participating TIs will ultimately be able to search, select and electronically download these works worldwide. TIGAR will not be involved in the physical distribution of works.

What happens after the TIGAR project is completed?

The TIGAR system network built during the project phase will be made operational for production use. The system’s operational support arrangements will be periodically reviewed and updated in accordance with the sustained business models developed during the project phase.

What is the relationship between TIGAR and the international enabling legal framework under discussion at the WIPO SCCR?

The TIGAR project and the international enabling legal framework are complementary initiatives that it is intended will proceed in parallel – one does not (and cannot) replace the other. The TIGAR project seeks to achieve concrete results by putting into place operational and practical arrangements, inter alia technical solutions, processing and business models that can be applied consistent with and supported by the enabling legal framework at the national or international level, in order to facilitate access by VIPs to copyright protected works.

Is there any cooperation between TIGAR and similar projects/initiatives?

One of the TIGAR project’s principal activities is to foster partnerships with organizations whose products and services are relevant to the project’s objectives, as well as to share information, experiences and expertise that can help to build synergies collaboratively and avoid unnecessary overlap and duplication.

As an example, the TIGAR project and the European Trusted Intermediary Network (ETIN) initiative are complementary and mutually supportive. An Information Note provides a high level reference to the key similarities, differences and complementary relationship between the two.

What are the benefits of joining TIGAR? 

Organizations can join the TIGAR project as a TI or a right holder.

The benefits of joining the TIGAR project as a TI include, inter alia:

  • Reducing or eliminating duplicate efforts to make available the same materials by sharing electronic files for existing collections of works in accessible format, along with information on works that are planned to be produced.
  • Receiving access to a growing body of accessible materials made available by other TIs.
  • Reducing production costs by using publisher files in the production process.
  • Participating in the development and use of new ICT and service solutions that can facilitate search, discovery and delivery of accessible format titles.
  • Contributing to global efforts to improve accessibility to copyrighted works for people with print disabilities.

The benefits of joining the TIGAR project as a right holder include, inter alia:

  • Promoting copyrighted works to a larger audience, including the visually impaired community.
  • Contributing to global efforts to improve accessibility to copyrighted works for people with print disabilities. 

How much will it cost my organization to join TIGAR? 

Due to the large variety of environments in which TIs and right holders work, it is difficult to specify the precise financial and human resources required to join TIGAR. Consulting the TIGAR project management team can help in assessing a particular organization’s precise resource needs and costs. Below is a rough estimate.

For participating TIs, much of the work required should be quite similar to what is already done in the course of the TI’s daily operations. This can include:

  • Book or title selection;
  • Cataloguing (including data on work-in-progress, WIP);
  • Production of accessible versions of works;
  • Distribution of accessible works to end users;
  • ICT infrastructure to support and/or integrate these functions; and
  • Project management and administrative support.

It is also recommended that participating TIs assign a project coordinator to oversee their contribution to the project.

For participating right holders, their efforts will be concentrated in three main areas: administration and clearance of rights; establishment of agreements allowing TIs to exchange copyrighted works; and the provision of master/publisher files and support of metadata. Much of this work will be familiar, in particular the clearance of rights and provision of master/publisher files.

It is also recommended that each right holder assign a project coordinator to oversee its participation in the project. 

How is TIGAR funded?

The TIGAR project is funded through a combination of in-kind contributions from participating organizations and cash donations from donor organizations and other individuals. WIPO has created an account for donations to the TIGAR project.

How can I contribute to TIGAR?

Individuals and organizations can contribute to the TIGAR project in several ways, including:

Who are the Trusted Intermediaries?

Trusted Intermediaries (TIs) participating in the TIGAR project are not-for-profit organizations – such as national libraries or charities serving the visually impaired community – that provide specialized services related to training, education, adaptive reading or information access for people with print disabilities.

Who are the right holders?

Right holders or right holder organizations participating in the TIGAR project are either publishers or authors, or organizations that represent publishers or authors, including publishing associations, authors associations or reproduction rights organizations (RROs).

What is the definition of "print disabled"?

For the purposes of the TIGAR project, any definition existing in a statutory exception or a licensing agreement in the country of the TI that distributes accessible copies to people with print disabilities takes precedence. In the event that neither exists, the accepted definition is:

Any natural person who:

  • is blind; or
  • has an impairment of visual function that cannot be improved by the use of corrective lenses to a level normally acceptable for reading without a special level or kind of light; or
  • is unable, through physical disability, to focus or move his or her eyes to an extent acceptable for reading; or
  • is dyslexic; and whose disability results in an inability to read a commercially available standard edition of a work; and who can be helped to read if the content is reformatted (but, to avoid doubt, requires only a change in the graphic presentation of the original text and not that the text itself be rewritten in simpler terms to facilitate comprehension). 

What does Visually Impaired Persons mean?

Within the context of the TIGAR project, the terms visually impaired persons (VIPs) and people with print disabilities are interchangeable.

What does accessible format mean?

Within the context of the TIGAR project, the term accessible format or alternative format refers to a version of print material that can be read by people with print disabilities. Examples of such formats are Braille, large print, audio books, E-PUB, and DAISY (audio and text) books.

What happens if my organization becomes a major lender of alternative materials? 

It will be a big gift to the TIGAR communities!

The benefits of participating in the TIGAR project as a TI include, inter alia:

  • Reducing or eliminating duplication in producing accessible materials.
  • Receiving access to a growing body of accessible materials available through other TIs.
  • Contributing to global efforts to improve accessibility to copyrighted works for people with print disabilities.

Some additional cost will be involved in the supply of electronic files to other TIs under business to business (B2B) arrangements, but this will be reduced once business to customer (B2C) operations are in place. It is anticipated that all TIs will be able to receive files in accessible formats from other TIs as well as providing them. The project will be considering sustainability in ongoing operations that will include the position of net providers of files.

If I cannot find the answers to my questions in the FAQs what should I do?

Please send an email to tigar@wipo.int.

TIGAR Project