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Blind and Visually Impaired Community

Full History - 2018 - 11 - 07 - ID#9v2qr5
2
Could you please help me make a public library easier to use? (self.Blind)
submitted by JennyReason
Hi everyone! I'm a sighted person and I've just taken over as the manager a branch of a public library in a large American city. I'm excited that I finally have the power to make some changes, and one of the things I'd like to do is to make the library easier to use for people who are blind or visually-impaired. Obviously there is a lot about the library (like print books) that are never going to be useful to someone who doesn't see, but I figure that people still want to be able to come to meetings in the meeting rooms, attend library programs, and maybe use a computer or check out audiobooks. If you have time, I'd be grateful for anything you can tell me about useful things that our library could get or do, ways that you use libraries, etc. Thank you very much!
bright_side1977 9 points 4y ago
A lot of people who are visually impaired can use print books with magnification. I take my son to libraries that have desktop video magnifiers he can use. They’re very expensive, so most libraries only have one (at the most). Also audiobooks.
JennyReason [OP] 1 points 4y ago
Thank you! Any suggestions on making audiobooks easier to find?

A previous library where I worked had a great digital magnifier for reading print books, but my new library has nothing. It’s high on my list of purchase requests.
Imdarkj 2 points 4y ago
Honestly for me, the main thing i really appreciate is someone coming to me and asking if i need help. It can be hard to find people and if i do it can be embarrassing. (This might only be me since im newer to the whole being blind thing)
JennyReason [OP] 2 points 4y ago
I am so glad you posted this! I think it’s easy for me to get caught up in worrying that I am being patronizing, and hesitate to help people because I worry that they’ll be offended. It’s good to have a reminder of the damage I might be doing when I let that get in the way.
Drop9Reddit 2 points 4y ago
For the computers you could have a free screen reader such as NVDA loaded and kept up to date with a useful keyboard shortcut to launch it

I would also feel free to ask those that come in with any disability what improvements theyd want
JennyReason [OP] 1 points 4y ago
Thanks! I am in a constant battle with our city IT dept over the lack of accessibility features on our public computers. Gathering a list of Citizen requests for those services would probably help me make my case.
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