Newsletter - December 2025

In This Issue

1. President's Mesage (Daphne Hitchcock, BLC President)
2. World Braille Days (WBD) 2026
3. It's that time of year: Renew your BLC membership!
4. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
5. Book Titles for Adults New to Learning Braille
6. Join NNELS for an Exciting Webinar for Braille Readers: Braille Features on iOS and Android Mobile Devices
7. Save the date! Sixth Annual Braille Literacy Canada virtual Symposium!
8. Plan to attend our AGM
9. Rejoignez NNELS pour un webinaire passionnant pour les lecteurs de braille: Fonctionnalités braille sur les appareils mobiles iOS et Android
10. À vos agendas! Sixième symposium virtuel annuel de Littératie braille Canada!
11. Participez à notre assemblée générale annuelle
12. Social Media Links

President's Mesage

By Daphne Hitchcock, BLC President

Dear BLC Members,

On behalf of the BLC Board, I wish you a restful holiday season that is filled with happiness, joy, and peace. Thank you for your support of our organization. Read on to learn about some upcoming BLC events and opportunities to celebrate braille literacy during World Braille Days. Wishing you all the best in the New Year!

Sincerely,
Daphne Hitchcock, President

World Braille Days (WBD) 2026

Louis Braille famously said, "Braille is knowledge, and knowledge is power". Each January on his birthday, we celebrate the gift Louis Braille gave the world, The Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC), Alternate Education Resources Ontario (AERO), Braille Literacy Canada (BLC), the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB), the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA), the CNIB Beyond Print, CNIB Foundation, the National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS), and the Provincial Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired (PRCVI) are pleased to collaborate on a celebration of World Braille Day for the month of January. There are synchronous and asynchronous ways to celebrate for everyone, including Braille Boost tactile activities for braille readers, braille-infused programming ideas for libraries, and webinar(s) on using braille on mobile devices for braille readers and education support teams.

Follow these links to learn more information about WBD events and to register for the webinar(s) on January 21 (French registration link) and January 22 (English registration link)

It's that time of year: Renew your BLC membership!

Are you already a member of BLC or would you like to join us? As we approach the end of the year, now is the time to join or renew your membership for 2026. The new membership year begins on January 1st! The easiest way is to fill out our online membership form. Here is the link on the BLC website: https://www.brailleliteracycanada.ca/en/membership/join.

You can pay online through PayPal.

If you prefer to send an Interac email transfer or get instructions for sending a cheque, please email treasurer@blc-lbc.ca for more information.

If you have questions or suggestions for BLC or need assistance, please contact us any time at info@blc-lbc.ca. We always love hearing from you!

Here's to another year full of braille!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Once enough snow has fallen, you can build a snowman. This snowman pattern consists of three balls of different sizes; the bottom one is the largest. The arms are indicated on the middle ball as small hemispheres, one on each side. There is a total of five dots on the two large balls, representing buttons. You'll find eyes and a nose on his funny face. He wears a rectangular hat on his head.

• Line 1: two spaces, dot 4, dots 1-2-3-4-5-6, dots 1-2-3-4-5-6, dot 1
• Line 2: two spaces, dot 6, dots 1-2-4-5, dots 1-2-4-5, dot 3
• Line 3: two spaces, dots 1-2-3, dots 1-5-6, dots 2-3-4, dots 4-5-6.
• Line 4: two spaces, dots 3-4, dots 2-5, dots 2-5, dots 1-6
• Line 5: dots 2-4-6, dots 2-3-4, two spaces, dot 1, one space, dots 1-5-6, dots 1-3-5
• Line 6: one space dots 1-6, two spaces, dot 1, one space, dots 3-4
• Line 7: one space, dot 6, dots 2-4, dots 1-4, dots 1-4, dots 1-5, dot 3
• Line 8: dot 6, dot 1, two spaces, dot 1, one space, dot 4, dot 3
• Line 9: dots 1-2-3, three spaces, dot 1, two spaces, dots 4-5-6
• Line 10: dot 4, dot 3, two spaces, dot 1, one space, dot 6, dot 1
• Line 11: one space, dot 4, dots 2-5, dots 3-6, dots 3-6, dots 2-5, dot 1

Our thanks for this snowman pattern sourced from: https://einfachmachbar.de/projekt-braillebilder

Book Titles for Adults New to Learning Braille

In partnership with Braille Literacy Canada (BLC), NNELS has prepared a small collection of titles in both contracted and uncontracted Unified English Braille, with options for double-spaced lines. While this collection is ideally suited for BLC's Braille Zoomers, these titles can be enjoyed by all braille readers. This collection of books can be borrowed through your local public library or delivered in single-use embossed braille through NNELS' Embossed Braille Service or CELA's Braille on Demand.

Check out this special collection through the NNELS website link: https://nnels.ca/relations/titles-adults-new-learning-braille

Join NNELS for an Exciting Webinar for Braille Readers: Braille Features on iOS and Android Mobile Devices

Le français suit

Software updates for Android and iOS devices have come a long way over the years, especially for braille readers. Whether you want to learn to type more quickly, or practice your braille writing skills, this workshop is for you! Our presenters will go in-depth into the braille features available on both iOS and Android mobile devices, including braille screen input.

• Register for the French presentation on Wednesday, January 21: 1 PM Eastern (10am Pacific, 11am Mountain, 12pm Saskatchewan/Central, 2pm Atlantic, 2:30pm Newfoundland/Labrador)
• Register for the English presentation on Thursday, January 22: 1 PM Eastern (10am Pacific, 11am Mountain, 12pm Saskatchewan/Central, 2pm Atlantic, 2:30pm Newfoundland/Labrador).

Save the date! Sixth Annual Braille Literacy Canada virtual Symposium!

Le français suit

Braille Literacy Canada (BLC) will be holding its sixth annual virtual braille symposium on Friday, May 22, 2026, from 1 - 5 PM EDT.

This event will be of interest to braille readers, educators, transcribers, parents and anyone else who is passionate about braille literacy!

Wherever you are located, the international braille community is strong. As we look ahead into the bright future of braille literacy, there is much to celebrate and share.

Plan to attend our AGM

Le français suit

Calling all BLC members! On Saturday, June 6, 2026, at 1:00 pm EDT, you are invited to attend the BLC Annual General Meeting. This is your opportunity to hear about the accomplishments and plans of your organization. Save the date!

Rejoignez NNELS pour un webinaire passionnant pour les lecteurs de braille: Fonctionnalités braille sur les appareils mobiles iOS et Android

English precedes

Au fil des ans, les mises à jour logicielles pour les appareils Android et iOS se sont beaucoup améliorées, en particulier pour les lecteurs de braille. Que vous souhaitiez apprendre à taper plus rapidement ou pratiquer vos compétences en braille, cetatelier est pour vous! Nos présentatrices et présentateurs approfondiront les fonctionnalités braille offertes sur les appareilsmobiles iOS et Android, y compris la saisie de l'écran braille.

• Inscrivez-vous à la présentation en français le mercredi 21 janvier : 13 h heure de l'Est (10 h heure du Pacifique, 11 h heure des Rocheuses, 12 h heure du Centre, 14 h heure de l'Atlantique et 14 h 30 heure de Terre-Neuve et Labrador).
• Inscrivez-vous à la présentation en anglais le jeudi 22 janvier : 13 h heure de l'Est (10 h heure du Pacifique, 11 h heure des Rocheuses, 12 h heure du Centre, 14 h heure de l'Atlantique et 14 h 30 heure de Terre-Neuve et Labrador).

À vos agendas! Sixième symposium virtuel annuel de Littératie braille Canada!

English precedes

Littératie braille Canada (LBC) tiendra son sixième symposium virtuel annuel sur le braille le vendredi 22 mai 2026, de 13 h à 17 h HAE.

Cet événement s'adresse aux lecteurs de braille, aux éducateurs, aux transcripteurs, aux parents et à tous ceux qui se passionnent pour la littératie en braille!

Où que vous soyez, la communauté internationale du braille est vivante. Alors que nous nous tournons vers l'avenir prometteur de la littératie en braille, beaucoup de choses doivent être célébrées et partagées.

Participez à notre assemblée générale annuelle

English precedes

Avis à tous les membres de LBC! Le Samedi 6 juin 2026, à 13 h heure de l'Est, vous êtes conviés à l'assemblée générale annuelle de LBC. Ce sera l'occasion pour vous d'en apprendre plus sur nos réalisations et nos plans. À vos agendas!

Social Media Links

Here are a few of the items we have posted on our social media platforms in recent weeks.

• Light a Candle for Louis Braille's 217th Birthday and Support the ICEVI WBU #Braille Literacy Global Campaign: https://icevi.org/campaigns/icevi-global-braille-literacy-campaign/
• Bill C-15 threatens Library Book Rate and free mailing of materials for people who are blind: https://librarianship.ca/news/bill-c15-canada-post/
• Bill C-15 Proposes Ending Free Mailing for Accessible Materials | National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS): https://t.co/t9RMqkEriR
• The Tactile Times Accessible Advent Calendar Is Back! https://t.co/FajqMGNXlT
• Introducing new IPA braille: Join us at 20:00 UTC on Monday 26 January for our upcoming presentation on this exciting new document! Please register to attend this session. Whether you are a linguist or you just want to learn about another way that braille contributes to literacy and independence, this session is for you. https://t.co/MFy6Xrkxr5