This service is so successful that in 2012 the government changed the Social Welfare Law to include digital book readers as a legal entitlement for all visually impaired people in Mongolia. The library records books into DAISY (digital) format and teaches people to use digital readers. Before the service, no visually impaired people were visiting rural libraries, but after just one year (2010/11), 21 rural libraries reported an average of three visitors a day. Book titles include skills manuals – for example, on massage and handicrafts – and the service is helping visually impaired people into employment and further education.

The service was initiated with support from the EIFL Public Library Innovation Programme (EIFL-PLIP) in 2010. This two-page case study is based on impact assessment conducted by the library in May 2011.