11 JULY 1981, Page 17

Leading the blind

Sir: My attention has been drawn to the fear expressed (Notebook, 13 June) that we are depriving the blind of the right to listen to recordings of books by C.S. Lewis, Alistair MacLean and Joy Adamson. Tapes of these books are in fact available through the Royal National Institute for the Blind, which uses a technique that is not in conflict with commercial recordings. Calibre, who supply recordings for the disabled, do so through standard apparatus and although they have permission to use a great many of our titles we feel obliged to withdraw our consent when making exclusive licences to commercial organisations. However, if EMI have no objection to such a breach of exclusivity we shall be happy, if the authors agree, to let Calibre also have licences for titles recorded by EMI.

Adrian House Collins Publishers, 14 St James's Place, London SW1