2024-1-5 The NDL Launches a new service: Mina Search

The NDL has launched a new search service called the National Diet Library Materials Search for Persons with Disabilities, or Mina Search for short. Following the March 2023 release of the beta version, we continued to improve Mina Search functionality in response to comments from our patrons and are now pleased to launch the official version on January 5, 2024. The nickname “Mina Search” means “Everyone’s Search” in Japanese and expresses our desire to make our library accessible to all.

Mina Search is designed specifically to provide those who are blind, visually impaired, dyslexic, or otherwise print disabled with a single interface from which to search for reading materials in a variety of accessible formats, including braille, DAISY, text data, large print books, easy-to-read books, e-books, and barrier-free videos.

Mina Search homepage

Both individuals with print disabilities and institutions serving such individuals are able to register to use the NDL’s Data Transmission Service for Persons with Print Disabilities, via which they are able to download and use 2.47 million text files that were generated using optical character reading technology from the NDL’s digitized materials for use in full-text searches.

The newly launched Mina Search now includes online user registration for the Data Transmission Service for Persons with Print Disabilities, making it more convenient than ever to register to use this service.

Mina Search is your gateway to a barrier-free reading environment.