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The Louis Database Field Representative will travel extensively across the United States, demonstrating and teaching students, educators, parents, and administrators how to use the Louis Database of Accessible Materials for People Who are Blind or Visually Impaired. One of the most interesting aspects of the training will be the use of technology that will enable visually impaired individuals to search the database independently. With the aid of speech software and a voice synthesizer, blind individuals will be able to browse through all the pieces of information that Louis offers. In this way, Louis will open new doors to visually impaired individuals. Browsing through the thousands of records in the Louis database can be just as rewarding as doing research in a library full of books, graphics, music, and a number of other products that everyone, regardless of their eye condition, can enjoy.
Our goal is to make Louis accessible to everyone. If you or someone you know would like to learn more about the Louis Database, please contact us. We will provide information, training, or set up workshops according to your needs. Contact Maria Delgado at 502-895-2405 ext. 340, or send your request by e-mail to louisrep@aph.org. We will be glad to offer our Louis training services anywhere in the U.S.
Louis is a database that provides users with a centralized source of information about accessible media materials. Louis concentrates location information for more than 145,000 titles of books, music, and educational materials for people who are blind or visually impaired. These titles include the publications of over 200 agencies. Contributors include volunteer, government, non-profit, and commercial agencies from across the nation.
Louis gives blind and visually impaired students a practical tool to increase independence. With speech software and a voice synthesizer, blind individuals are able to browse through the information in the database. Searching Louis allows students to find new materials, and products that may awaken further interests, essential in their personal development. Teachers and administrators can help us reach out to students who will benefit from this program. If you or someone you know would like to host a workshop for your staff and students, contact Maria Delgado, Louis Database Field Representative. We would like you to be a part of this unique training, and help us make a difference for your students.
"The American Printing House for the Blind, one of the most important sources of material for blind individuals in the world." I recall hearing these words when I first came to Kentucky. And here I am now, working for APH. My name is Maria Esther Delgado, and on July 20th, 1998, I became the Louis Database Field Representative.
July has always been an exciting month for me. About twenty-nine years ago in July, I was born in Valles, a town in the state of San Luis Potosi, Mexico. However, my family lived in the largest city in the world, Mexico City, and this is where I grew up. When I was in high school, I joined an exchange program to learn English. I went to Shelbyville, Kentucky, where I met and made friends with people who made a significant difference in my life.
Back in Mexico, after a unique learning experience in Shelbyville, I became blind at 21. A rare eye illness, uveitis, changed the ordinary life I had in Mexico. Two years went by, and after struggling with the limited resources I had in Mexico as a blind individual, I realized I had to look for an alternative, or keep depending on my family. At this point, my friends in Shelbyville put me in touch with the Kentucky Department for the Blind in Louisville. So, at the age of 23, I decided to move to Louisville, Kentucky, where I successfully completed the rehabilitation program of the Department for the Blind.
This program opened many doors for me. In July 1993, a very exciting event took place. I went to Guiding Eyes for the Blind in New York and came back with a wonderful eighty pound black labrador retriever called Dave, or "Mr. Dave," as he prefers to be called. The rehab program also gave me the opportunity to go to college. From 1993 to 1997, I lived in Lexington, attending the University of Kentucky. I obtained a degree in Communications, graduating summa cum laude.
Through the years, I have realized that one of the most important things a blind individual can have is the ability to be independent. I have also realized that the best way to educate others about blindness is by setting an example, and that, because I am blind, my daily life is that example. However, I am aware that lack of accessibility often impedes independence. Today, I am happy to be working for a place whose main purpose is to create accessible materials and media for blind and visually impaired individuals. As the Louis Database Field Representative, I will be teaching people not only in Kentucky but also in the rest of the United States how to use an invaluable resource for those students, teachers and institutions that value independence as much as I do. I look forward to making a difference, especially for those students who will be setting an example for future generations."
©2003, American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.