For Immediate Release:

The Irish National Braille and Alternative Formats Authority (INBAF) is delighted to celebrate World Book Day today, March 6th, 2025. This day is dedicated to encouraging children and adults alike to discover new books and foster a lifelong love of reading.

World Book Day offers a wonderful opportunity to remind us of the transformative power of reading and its ability to open new worlds and inspire young minds. For children with vision loss, the ability to access books in formats that are tailored to their needs is crucial.

INBAF acknowledges the excellent work of producers of alternative formats in Ireland, especially our founding members: ChildVision, Vision Ireland, and Arbour Hill’s Braille production service. They continuously engage with the mainstream publishing world, and simultaneously with those in the blind and low vision community throughout Ireland, where we have readers ranging in age from toddlers through to older adults, to ensure that materials produced in alternative formats are state-of-the-art and meet their reader’s requirements.

INBAF congratulates the many publishers who, as part of World Book Day, are already making their books available in accessible formats through Bookshare Ireland. By doing so, they have committed to ensuring that literature and the joy of reading reach as many people with sight loss as possible.

Stuart Lawler, Executive Director of INBAF, emphasised the importance of this day, stating, “World Book Day gives us all an opportunity to reflect on the wealth of reading material available in accessible formats, especially for our young readers. For children and young people who have no or low vision, if they are to be treated equally and fairly, it is vital that books are available to them in alternative formats, at the same time as their sighted peers are reading print versions, so that they, just like their sighted friends and family, can experience the magical, transformative power and indeed, sheer joy, that books can bring, not to mention their ability to transport the reader to new and inspirational worlds.”

Brian Dalton, Community Engagement Officer at INBAF, shared his personal experience, “There is no greater joy than being able to read a bedtime story to your children, in Braille. It’s something that allows me to bond with them in a profound way.”

For further information, please contact Stuart Lawler, Executive Director, via email at press@inbaf.ie or by telephone at 087 9926360.

www.inbaf.ie

Notes for Editors

The Irish National Braille and Alternative Formats Authority (INBAF) exists to support and advocate for those who rely on alternative formats as they relate to people with sight loss in Ireland. INBAF is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to the joy of reading, regardless of their visual ability.

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