From: U.S. Department of the Treasury <subscriptions@subscriptions.treas.gov>
Date: Thu, Aug 28, 2014 at 11:44 AM
Subject: Treasury Launches the U.S. Currency Reader Program to Help the Blind and Visually Impaired Denote Currency
To: iammejtm@gmail.com
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The Department of the Treasury's Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) is taking a number of steps to introduce technologies and features to make our nation's paper currency more accessible to all individuals. As part of this effort, the BEP began issuing currency readers, through the U.S. Currency Reader Program, to eligible attendees at the July and August summer conventions of the National Federation of the Blind, American Council of the Blind, and Blinded Veterans Association. Under this program, which rolls out nationally in January 2015, U.S. citizens or persons legally residing in the U.S. and its territories who are blind or visually impaired can obtain a currency reader device at no cost. The currency reader, or the iBill® Talking Banknote Identifier, is compact in size, easy to use, and provides a quick response – usually only a couple of seconds. A user simply inserts a Federal Reserve note into the device, presses a button on the side, and the reader identifies the denomination. The device operates on a standard AAA battery and can read U.S. currency in circulation today. The reader can be adjusted to give the note's denomination by voice or a pattern of tones or vibrations. Throughout this process, the BEP has engaged heavily with the stakeholders of this community to gain valuable insight and determine the best plan of action to make this a success. To highlight this important program, members of the implementation team attended several key conventions, as mentioned above, for individuals with vision impairments to share information. Over 1,500 readers have been distributed to eligible attendees. The next milestone for the U.S. Currency Reader Program will be on September 2, 2014, when the BEP will begin a pilot program in partnership with the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress, where NLS patrons can pre-order an iBill® Talking Banknote Identifier. Because NLS patrons have already qualified for free library services, they will not be required to complete an application to request a currency reader. They will simply have to contact their regional library or call NLS's toll-free number at 1-888-NLS-READ (1-888-657-7323) to pre-order a currency reader. Individuals who are not patrons of NLS will be able to apply for a currency reader beginning January 2, 2015, by completing an application form, which will be available on BEP's website at that time. The U.S. Currency Reader Program follows BEP's successful development and launch of two free mobile applications that operate through a mobile device's camera to scan and denominate U.S. currency: EyeNote®, which operates on the Apple iOS platform can be downloaded for free from the Apple iTunes Store, and the IDEAL Currency Reader, which operates on the android-based platform, is available on Google Play. To date these apps have been downloaded more than 18,000 times. These apps created an alternative for those that wish to use their cell phone rather than carry another device. The U.S. government is researching the addition of a raised tactile feature to the next redesigned Federal Reserve note and will continue to add large, high-contrast numerals and different colors to each redesigned note denomination that it is permitted by law to alter. The process for redesign Federal Reserve notes is complex and time intensive. Notes with these new features are not expected to be in circulation before 2020. More information about the meaningful access program can be found at the BEP's website at http://www.bep.gov/uscurrency/meaningfulaccess.html.
Rosie Rios is the Treasurer of the United States
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Jeremy Tobias Matthews
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