Our History

THE NATIONAL BRAILLE CLUB   |   National Braille Club (NBC) is founded in New York City.

THE BULLETIN BEGINS   |   NBC begins publication of the Bulletin to serve as a communicating link for members.

THE BULLETIN PREVENTS RE-TRANSCRIPTION   |   The Bulletin begins listing books transcribed by members in an effort to prevent re-transcription.

NBC'S FIRST CONFERENCE   |   NBC holds its first conference, providing volunteers an opportunity to meet face to face to discuss transcribing problems and to attend workshops explaining the new braille codes. For a time, conferences were held annually. Eventually, the meeting program evolved to regional meetings each year specifically tailored to meet needs within a region, and a biennial national conference in the spring of odd-numbered years.

THE FIRST 1000 MEMBERS   |   NBC membership approaches 1,000.

NBC PUBLISHES ITS FIRST AIDS FOR TRANSCRIBERS   |   NBC publishes its first aids for transcribers, An Alphabetical Index of Nemeth Code Symbols and Reference List of Signs for Arithmetic.

NBC PUBLISHES ADDITIONAL MANUALS   |   NBC publishes the Foreign Language Manual and the Training Manual for Arithmetic.

NBC'S FIRST DIRECT SERVICE TO THE BLIND   |   The NBC Mathematics Committee establishes its Master File and Duplicating Service. The Master File lists transcriptions available anywhere in the U.S. and the Duplicating Service provides thermoform copies of masters which have been deposited with NBC. The Duplicating Service, NBC’s first direct service to the blind, will eventually become the Braille Book Bank. The NBC Mathematics Committee establishes a system of area representatives to provide guidance for math transcribers nearer to home. Tape Recording is added to the list of NBC standing committees.

THE NATIONAL BRAILLE ASSOCIATION   |   The National Braille Club becomes the National Braille Association (NBA).

NBA ADDS LARGE TYPE   |   NBA adds Large Type to its standing committees and begins to conduct workshops for local groups on a limited basis. Membership passes the 2,000 mark.

THE NBA BRAILLE BOOK BANK IS ESTABLISHED   |   The NBA Braille Book Bank is established (in New Jersey) to provide thermoform copies of college level texts. NBA publishes the Plan for Foreign Language Workshops to be Conducted by Local Groups.

REFERENCE LIST OF MATHEMATICAL SIGNS NEMETH CODE SYMBOLS   |   NBA publishes Reference List of Mathematical Signs Nemeth Code Symbols.

ONE MILLION PAGES OF DUPLICATED BRAILLE   |   The Braille Book Bank produces its one millionth page of duplicated braille.

THE REVISED MANUAL ON FOREIGN LANGUAGES   |   NBA publishes the revised Manual on Foreign Languages.

THE TAPE RECORDING MANUAL   |   NBA publishes the Tape Recording Manual. This is the first NBA manual to have its entire printing purchased by the Library of Congress for free distribution to volunteers.

THE NBA BRAILLE TECHNICAL TABLES BANK   |   The NBA Braille Technical Tables Bank is established to provide thermoform copies of the tables in its collection and to provide assistance to transcribers in setting up tables for transcription. NBA Music Braille area representatives are appointed.

THE BRAILLE BOOK BANK OPENS IN VERMONT   |   A production unit of the Braille Book Bank is opened in Vermont. NBA publications include a revision of the Manual for Large Type Transcribing, the Tape Recording Lessons, General Reference List of Signs and Symbols of the 1972 Revision of the Nemeth Code and the Presentation and Outcomes of the Computer Notation and Nemeth Code workshops held at the San Francisco Conference. These detailed reports, including simulated braille of answers to questions presented at the workshops, were felt to be too lengthy for inclusion in the Conference Proceedings. The Mathematics Committee would continue to publish “P’s & O’s” and the Textbook Format Committee would subsequently follow suit. The Membership Committee establishes a system of regional membership chairs to provide close contact for NBA members and to place them in touch with one another. NBA becomes a sponsor of the Braille Authority of North America (BANA).

THE BRAILLE BOOK BANK ADDS BRAILLE MUSIC  |  The Braille Book Bank adds braille music to its collection and publishes a music catalog.

GUIDELINES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF GROUPS PRODUCING READING MATERIALS FOR THE VISUALLY HANDICAPPED   |   NBA publishes Guidelines for the Administration of Groups Producing Reading Materials for the Visually Handicapped. The Robert S. Bray Community Workshop Fund is established to provide single-subject workshops to groups in their home cities.

HANDBOOK FOR BRAILLE MUSIC TRANSCRIBERS   |   Handbook for Braille Music Transcribers is published. NBA establishes the Reader-Transcriber Registry to provide a clearing house for braillists looking for transcription assignments and adult readers desiring non-textbook materials.

THE BRAILLE BOOK BANK MOVES TO ROCHESTER, NY   |   The Braille Book Bank collections in Vermont and New Jersey are combined and moved to Rochester, New York. The Library of Congress introduces its lessons for mathematics transcribers at NBA’s conference prior to publication.

THE FIRST GENERAL INTEREST CATALOG   |   The Braille Book Bank publishes its first General Interest Catalog which lists materials transcribed through the Reader-Transcriber Registry. NBA begins a field test of the Braille Textbook Assignment Service whose function is to put students in need of transcriptions of college texts in contact with transcribers able to fill their needs.

FOUR MILLION BRAILLE PAGES   |   The Braille Book Bank thermoforms its four millionth braille page. Tape Recording Manual, Third Edition, and Braille Technical Tables Bank Catalog are published.

NBA'S FIRST INTERNATIONAL MEETING   |   Toronto, Ontario, hosts the first NBA regional meeting outside the United States. NBA is co-sponsor of Helen Keller Centennial Congress in Boston, attended by 74 organizations from 17 countries. Following the establishment of the Library of Congress certification in math transcription, the first certificate is awarded to NBA’s math chair. The Library of Congress places 100 music masters in the Braille Book Bank collection on permanent loan.

TAPE RECORDING MANUAL IS REPRINTED   |   NBA elects its first Canadian board member. The popular Tape Recording Manual is reprinted

FORMATION OF THE NBA BRAILLE MATERIALS PRODUCTION COMMITTEE   |   NBA Braille Materials Production Committee is formed and a committee is appointed for the study of automation of the National Office. NBA is represented at the International Conference for the study of Grade 2 English braille in Washington, DC.

THE NBA NATIONAL OFFICE MOVES TO ROCHESTER, NY   |   Funds are contributed to permit automation of the National Office and the Braille Book Bank acquires its first computer and embosser. To centralize activities, the NBA National Office is moved to Rochester, New York. Braille Authority of North America approves Guidelines for Mathematical Diagrams and requests NBA to handle production and distribution.

FIVE MILLION PAGES OF BRAILLE   |   NBA initiates a disk output service for embossing computer produced material. The Braille Book Bank duplicates its five millionth page of braille. Tape Recording Lessons, Second Edition is published.

NBA APPOINTS AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR   |   The Board of Directors appoints a salaried Executive Director. All direct service programs for members, transcribers, and braille readers now reside under one roof.

THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN   |   The Board of Directors develops and monitors a five-year plan to serve as a guide for shaping NBA’s future. Continuing education for the transcriber remains a major and unique element of NBA’s programs. The evolution of technology includes the development of software programs for the electronic translation of print into braille thought to increase production and improve quality.

50 YEARS OF SERVICE   |   NBA takes a leadership role in offering workshops and writing Bulletin articles to acquaint members with the rule changes published in Braille Formats: Principles of Print to Braille Transcription. NBA celebrates its 50th anniversary.

THE NBA BRAILLE FORMATS COURSE   |   Recognizing a need and heeding the pleas of transcribers, the NBA Board develops the NBA Braille Formats Course. As a corollary, NBA produces the NBA Certification in Braille Textbook Transcribing. NBA partners with other organizations to offer training with publishers’ electronic files and to address the shortage of braille transcribers. NBA celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2005.

DAVID SHAFFER BECOMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR   |   NBA’s first Executive Director, Angela Coffaro, retires after 23 years of service. David W. Shaffer is hired as her replacement.

THE ASK AN EXPERT FORUM   |   NBA develops the online service, Ask An Expert, so that individual transcribers have a place to seek guidance while working on assignments. The format of the fall professional development conferences change to a three-day intensive training in a specific subject area of braille transcription.

THE TRAINING BUREAU   |   NBA develops the Training Bureau, which made our training workshops available to groups on demand at their location.

THE BRAILLE FORMATS STUDY GUIDE   |   NBA produces the Braille Formats Study Guide designed to assist transcribers in learning the new Braille Formats Principles of Print to Braille Transcription, 2011.

70 YEARS OF SERVICE   |   NBA celebrates its 70th anniversary.

WEBINARS   |   NBA begins providing online learning to reach those not able to travel for conferences. Short-length free webinars are offered, as well as longer, paid webinars that delve deeper into topics.

PUBLICATIONS   |   In March, NBA releases the 2018 Braille Formats Study Guide, and the Braille Enthusiast’s Dictionary in braille.

FIRST VIRTUAL CONFERENCE   |   In response to the historic COVID-19 pandemic, NBA hosts the annual Professional Development Conference in a virtual format. During the course of five days, there were 19 workshops presented. In celebration of this year being NBA's 75th anniversary, attendance for the entire conference was made entirely free to anyone in the world.

NBA LAUNCHES THE PRISON BRAILLE PROGRAM   |   To make educational materials more accessible to those transcribing from within prison facilities, NBA launches the Prison Braille Program. The program is intended to help deliver the same content NBA members receive to incarcerated transcribers without internet access.

THE GUIDING LIGHT AWARD FOR DEVOTION IS ANNOUNCED   |   NBA's second educational grant is made available in memory of former board member Margaret "Meg" Wagner. The award provides one recipient each year a Life Membership to the NBA and a waived registration fee for the Professional Development Conference.