Providing an Advanced Device That Enables the Reading of The Memory of  The Nation in Braille

The National Archives Opens a New Channel That Makes Its Publications Accessible to People With Visual Impairment



As the National Archives continues to care for people with visual impairment, it added to its holdings a braille-reading device, named BRAILLENOTE TOUCH PLUS, which enables this segment of society to access and read its publications.

His Excellency Dr. Abdulla Alraisi, Director General of the National Archives emphasized that this care falls within the framework of the National Archive's societal and humanitarian responsibility towards people with visual impairment and providing them with important chapters of the UAE's deep-rooted history and cultural heritage to strengthen their sense of belonging to the homeland and loyalty to its wise leadership.

About this device, His Excellency Abdulla Majed Al Ali, Executive Director of the National Archives, said: “This device constitutes a part of an integrated system, by which the National Archives aims to provide access to its national publications through all means. To benefit people with visual impairment, the National Archives has provided these publications in paper form and in audio books, as well as making them available on smart applications. This comes within its tireless efforts to reach all segments of readers. As for the Braille reading device that has been recently acquired, the National Archives opens a new channel for people with visual impairment by giving them access to its publications in Braille, a tactile reading and writing system. This modern technical device instantly converts texts written in a specific format into embossed Braille letters, through which the National Archives ensures the provision of its national publications to this segment of society.”

It is worth noting that the device, which is similar in design to traditional tablets, can be loaded with the material in WORD files, but in DOC format, which it then translates instantly into Braille letters readable for the visually impaired. The National Archives has allocated a special suitable place for  device users in the Customer Happiness Hall at its headquarters; thus, they are able to use it easily to read the downloaded contents in Braille. The National Archives will spare no efforts to optimally take advantage of this device by using it in the training courses and reading workshops which it organizes for people with visual impairment in book fairs and in other venues.

It should be noted that a few months ago, the National Archives, in cooperation with the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, launched its book (Zayed: From Challenges to Union) printed in Braille to enable this segment of society to read chapters from the rich record of the founding leader Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s achievements.

Prior to this book, which has hundreds of pages, the National Archives had also printed three educational booklets in Braille, namely: “Zayed: From Challenges to Union”, “Khalifa: A Journey to the Future” and “Qasr Al Hosn, 1795-1966”.

The National Archives collaborates with official authorities concerned with people with visual impairment in several areas such as organizing lectures with patriotic content and participating in major events of interest to them.



The National Archives



The National Archives of the Ministry of Presidential Affairs was first established in 1968 upon the directives of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, with the aim of collecting documents and information relating to the history and heritage of the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf region. Forty years later, HH Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE President, issued Federal Law No. (7) of 2008 changing its name to the National Center for Documentation and Research (NCDR), and assigning it to organize the archives of the various UAE government entities. Finally, HH Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued Federal Law No. (1) of 2014, renaming it the National Archives.

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