Best Practices

Russian Federation

The making of accessible copies for visually impaired people in the Russian Federation is underpinned by an exception to copyright. This permits reproduction of publications in Braille or other special formats for visually impaired people so long as the activity is undertaken on a not-for-profit basis. The exception does not permit electronic copies to be made as these are not a special format for the blind, but is otherwise comprehensive in its coverage so that talking books as well as Braille copies of any published material can be made for example.

With some leadership from the Russian State Library for the Blind (RGBS) in Moscow, there is a well-developed and professionally run network of 72 libraries for the blind across the country. These Russian Special Libraries for the Blind make full use of what is permitted by the exception to copyright producing copies of books in alternative formats for their visually impaired readers. These copies are sent where they are needed throughout the country, without the users being required to pay.

RGBS is connected with databases of the largest libraries all over the world. Every year the fund is replenished with 40,000 units of different types of issues in traditional and alternative formats. The efficient distribution system for accessible copies made by this network of libraries also covers users in a number of other countries, including Germany, Israel, the United States of America and Australia.