Liblouis Joins Software Freedom Conservancy
Essential Tool for Visually Impaired Users Establishes Nonprofit Home
March 17, 2025
The liblouis project and Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC) are excited to announce that liblouis has joined SFC as a member project, with the goal of ensuring sustainability and a framework for long-term stewardship of this library that is embedded in many assistive technologies including screen readers, braille displays, and on Android and iPhone mobile devices. As a nonprofit home of liblouis, SFC will provide a home for fundraising, legal assistance, and governance that will benefit all users of the project.
Liblouis is an essential tool for blind and visually impaired users, as it enables the translation of printed text into braille, making digital content accessible through tactile reading. By supporting braille codes for many languages, it ensures that users around the world can read books, documents, and web content in braille. This allows users to interact with computers, smartphones, and other digital devices, promoting independence, education, and equal access to information for those who rely on braille. It is licensed under the LGPL (Lesser General Public License), which means it is freely available for modification, redistribution, and incorporation into other projects.
By choosing the LGPL, the creators of liblouis have ensured that the software will always remain freely available. This was a deliberate choice to safeguard the long-term availability of braille translation tools for the blind community, ensuring that the technology would be continuously improved and adapted without proprietary barriers. The LGPL not only helps maintain a free and open-source approach but also contributes to the creation of a thriving ecosystem of accessible, assistive technologies that support independence and inclusion for all users.
Developments over the past few years, including the passing of liblouis founder and long-time contributor John Boyer, inspired the liblouis volunteers to think carefully about the future and succession of the leadership for this important project. By joining SFC, liblouis gains access to strategic advice and governance expertise to recruit new volunteers and raise funds to support work on liblouis development, as well as stable ownership of project-related assets and infrastructure.
Each SFC member project is led by a Project Leadership Committee (PLC). Each individual member of the PLC participates in their own capacity, although they may have professional or other affiliations. The founding PLC includes Bert Frees, Christian Egli, and Anthony Tibbs.
To make a financial donation to the liblouis project, you can donate via PayPal, or visit the SFC donations page for more information on other ways to donate.
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