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- The Talking Books
program of the Library
of Congress provides recorded cassettes and players
free of charge to qualified individuals. If you are
permanently or temporarily visually impaired, unable
to hold a book, or have a reading disability such
as dyslexia, you may qualify for the Talking Books
program.
- Each library branch has a computer work station
equipped with ZoomText, a software that can magnify
text. Branches also offer closed-circuit television
magnifying systems (CCTV) that allow people with low
vision to perform everyday tasks, such as balancing
checking account statements or reading newspaper print.
- Access Services and Reston
Regional Library each have a reader scanner that
scans and reads print. Access Services also features
JAWS, a speech program that reads what is on the screen.
- Audio-described
videos that narrate a film's action are available
from Access Services. Support groups for adults who
are visually impaired or blind meet regularly in Fairfax
County libraries and other county locations.
- Access Services Quarterly Newsletter Loud
and Clear, available from Access Services
in large print, braille, on cassette and as an e-mail.
- Some library meeting rooms are
equipped with built-in assistive listening systems.
An audio-loop system is available at Reston
Regional Library. Infrared systems are available
in the meeting rooms at Centreville
Regional,
Pohick Regional, Sherwood
Regional,
and Kings Park libraries.
FM Assistive listening systems serve meeting rooms
at Chantilly Regional, George
Mason Regional, Great
Falls,
Herndon Fortnightly, Kingstowne
and Patrick Henry
libraries. Request the use of the system at the time
the meeting room is reserved.
- All other library meeting or conference
rooms can be made accessible with an infrared, loop,
or FM portable assistive listening system available
from Access Services with one week's reserve notice.
Listening systems consist of a transmitter and microphone
worn by the program presenter and a receiver and
earphones, or neck loop, worn by the user. Individual
library branches may have built-in or portable systems
available for meetings or programs. Contact your
local branch for information.
Individuals who would like to borrow an FM, loop,
or infrared portable system for use at a meeting
or program may pick it up and return it at Access
Services in Suite 123 of the Fairfax County Government
Center. The borrowing period is three weeks.
- The George Mason Regional Library
owns a collection of videos to assist in
learning sign language. Titles can
be found in the library's catalog with other interpreted
videos under Video
recordings for the hearing impaired. Videos
from this ASL Access collection are identified in
the catalog as being at the George Mason Regional
Library in the Signcoll location. You may reserve
individual titles and have them delivered to your
local branch.
- Access Services loans a portable
TTY. Reston Regional
Library
has a portable Telecommunication Device for the Deaf
(TDD) that attaches to a public phone.
- Check the library catalog for books on coping with
deafness and hearing loss. Useful
catalog subject headings include:
- Sign language interpretation is
available for library programs. Computer Assisted
Realtime Captioning (CART) is also available. Contact
the branch library where the program will take place
two weeks before the program date to make arrangements.
- People who can't get to the library
may qualify for the Homebound Delivery Program.
- Book collections at senior residences,
nursing homes, senior centers, adult day care centers
and other facilities used by people who can't come
to the library. Popular titles in large and regular
size print, as well as special requests. Multimedia
nostalgia programming kits are also available.
- Coping Collection
Access Services houses the Coping Collection of books
and materials, which includes:
- up-to-date material on practical
issues such as coping with a disability, or rehabilitation
- resource directories
- catalogs of assistive devices,
buying guides and much more
- information about community
services, support groups, and organizations concerned
with health, disabilities and rehabilitation.
- Loud & Clear
Loud
& Clear, a quarterly newsletter, for everyone
who uses Access Services.
- Volunteers
A corps of dedicated volunteers provide invaluable
assistance to Access Services patrons and staff in
many different ways. Call Access
Services to volunteer.
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Last Modified:
Friday, September 28, 2007
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Blind
or Visually-Impaired
