Currency, accessibly

Jesus Christ on a pizza crust with kimchi and goat cheese!

 

RantWoman received information about the new currency identifier devices now, finally, after a lawsuit by the American Council of the Blind and much foot-dragging by the Bureau of Printing and Engraving, there is a path, well two paths to greater currency #accessibility: there is a new bill identifier available through the Bureau of Printing and Engraving to qualified individuals. Or there are Android and iOS apps. RantWoman encourages her readers just to stick with the apps if at all possible.

 

Why?

 

First the Android app is dead simple. RantWoman installed it and got a warning that the app was designed for an earlier version of Android, but it installed and worked fine as far as RantWoman can tell in Android 9. . One just places one’s phone over the bill aligned with the bill and then raises the phone until the voices determines the denomination and whether front or back. What could be easier?  Well, besides actual accessible currency that one does not need a special device to distinguish, like dozens of other countries already have.

 

Here is the link to the BEP site including fillable application forms in both English and Spanish, with promo text.

 

“The Bureau of Engraving and Printing makes available a free currency reader, that a bill can be inserted into, that will say the denomination of US Currency, to all blind or visually impaired persons that are US Citizens or Legal US Residents: https://www.bep.gov/uscurrencyreaderform.html  “

 

Or if one is already a customer of the WA Talking Book and Braille Library or other NLS affiliate library, one can apply for the device on that basis. Or come to the STAR Center in person…

 

 

One point on the application that is making RantWoman’s head explode: there is a question about whether the applicant is a US citizen or legal permanent resident. The Friendly Neighborhood Center does not ask this question. RantWoman does not want to know in the first place. In the second place, What Difference Does it Make???? One’s citizenship or permanent residence status has nothing at all to do with whether one needs this device! If one is blind and spends cash in the US, one needs this capability. Or, to be repetitive, the Bureau of Printing and Engraving could just make accessible currency.

 

End of Tirade.