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National Braille Press
View on WikipediaThe National Braille Press is a braille publisher in Boston, MA. It prints and publishes braille works in numerous forms. It publishes a magazine for blind or visually impaired readers and runs a children's book club. The press has experienced a period of decline due to an overall shift away from reading braille.
Key Information
History and operations
[edit]The National Braille Press was founded in 1927, originally as a weekly newspaper.[1] It was founded by Francis Ierardi, a blind Italian immigrant, to increase access to news about braille.[2] It is a non-profit publisher[3] of braille books.[1] Prior to 1982, The National Braille Press only produced braille books through contract printing.[4] However, the press began to publish and sell its own books in 1982, which allowed braille readers to purchase books directly from The National Braille Press,[4] making it the first braille press in the United States to do so.[4]
The focus of The National Braille Press is to support blind authors and publish their work for readers who are also blind.[5] At its current location, the National Braille Press carries out all its "own editing, plate making, proofreading, printing, and mai]ing operations".[4] It mostly produces printed texts such as books, magazines, textbooks, and manuals,[2] but they do make other forms of braille materials as well.[5] The National Braille Press uses various plate-embossing devices to produce the works it publishes, including an Heidelberg printing press and an electronic embosser.[5]
Building
[edit]
The National Braille Press is located in Boston, MA. In 1946, it moved into its current location in the Fenway/Kenmore neighborhood.[2] It is currently housed in a 4-story building[5] that sits on St Stephens St., just between Opera Pl. and Gainsborough St. The home of the National Braille Press is the same building as a former piano factory.[5] This building contains offices on the upper floors and printing machines in the basement.[4] It has many historical features, such as the "1950s-vintage frosted-glass partitions,"[4] which can be seen in the upstairs offices.
Programming
[edit]The National Braille Press's magazine is called Our Special, and fates from 1930, with a target audience of visually impaired women.[6] Children's braille books are distributed around the country monthly.[4] The press partners with the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind's internship program, which hires visually impaired interns.[3] Fundraising accounts for 30% of the Press' income,[5] and has included partnerships with the Boston Marathon.[7]
In recent years, there has been a decline in the need for braille printed works,[5] due to an increase in blind children entering public schools, which do not necessarily teach braille, rather than specialized schools.[5] This occurrence has resulted in the press also experiencing a phase of decline.[5]
Notable published works
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Braille printing at National Braille Press". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
- ^ a b c Henning, Julia (2022-05-13). "National Braille Press creates new technology for blind community in 21st century". The Huntington News. Retrieved 2025-02-19.
- ^ a b "National Braille Press's Joe Quintanilla Delivers Inspirational Message to Mass. Commission for the Blind Interns". Mass.gov. Archived from the original on 2023-10-01. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
- ^ a b c d e f g Mehegan, David (1 July 2002). "RECONNECTING WITH THE DOTS REVERSING DECLINE IN USE OF BRAILLE IS MISSION OF BOSTON-BASED PUBLISHER". Boston Globe.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Sullivan, James (29 April 2014). "Pressing On: Amid Decline in Braille Literacy and Shifts in Technology, Boston Nonprofit Remains a Top Publisher for the Blind". Boston Globe. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
- ^ "Magazines by National Braille Press". Paths to Literacy. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
- ^ "National Braille Press | Boston Athletic Association". www.baa.org. Retrieved 2025-01-28.