How Benetech is supporting a life of service

Access to reading and learning creates opportunity. For John Todd, losing that access could have ended a life devoted to service and education. Instead, it marked the beginning of a new chapter.

John lost his vision during the Vietnam War. While his injuries ended his military service, he was committed to making sure they didn’t stop him from growing personally and serving his community. 

After returning home, John attended Georgetown University and later earned his law degree. He spent the next 42 years teaching political science and law, ultimately retiring as Professor Emeritus.

Beyond his career in academia, John wanted to continue supporting his fellow veterans. Blending his time in the Army with his passion for law, he worked with the Blinded Veterans Association to help secure protections for the families of disabled veterans. The legislation he guided continues to support families today.

For decades, John accomplished all of this with limited assistive technology. To access books and academic materials, he often relied on others to read aloud or to locate the information he needed. Meanwhile, independent reading proved difficult and time-consuming.

Everything changed in 2010. When John discovered Bookshare, he gained independent access to the books that had fueled his career and curiosity for decades within minutes.

Through Bookshare, John reads across genres, for recreation and for his continued commitment to shining light on those who served through lectures he gives to college students across Michigan. 

Today, John continues to share his story with other veterans adjusting to life after service. “These veterans are building a life after service. They need access,” John says. “Bookshare can change their lives the way it changed mine.”

For John, Bookshare restored independent access to reading. It also reinforced what he had always believed: access to information is not a luxury. It is essential to learning, teaching, and continuing to serve others.

How many others are building lives like John’s, but still facing the barriers he left behind? If you know a veteran, educator, or someone struggling to access books, introducing them to Bookshare could change their life the way it changed John’s.

To learn more about Bookshare, visit Bookshare.org.