Kim Charlson

Kim Charlson has been involved with Perkins Library since 1985, and has been director since 2001, overseeing the library’s mission of providing accessible reading material to people who are blind, have low vision, or physical or reading disabilities. Charlson also oversees the FCC iCanConnect program, the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program providing free communication technology and training to eligible individuals. She is the co-chair of the Federal Communications Commission’s Disability Advisory Committee, and she serves as the co-chair of the Coalition on Assistive Technology. A distinguished expert on library and information services for people with disabilities, Charlson serves on several committees for the Library of Congress’ National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled and has contributed to numerous publications on braille and accessible library services. She was the first woman president of the American Council of the Blind (2013-2019) and a member of the Accessible Books Consortium to support the Marrakesh Treaty. Charlson is the president of the North America/Caribbean Region of the World Blind Union (WBU) and the chair of the WBU’s World Braille Council. In 2024, Perkins School for the Blind’s CVI Center presented Charlson with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her years dedicated to aiding the disability community, especially those with the leading cause of childhood blindness, Cerebral/Cortical Visual Impairment. In the same year, her work as a global advocate for the rights of people who are blind or have low vision was recognized with two of the highest honors in the blindness community: The American Foundation for the Blind’s prestigious Migel Medal and the American Printing House for the Blind’s Wings of Freedom Award.