Vision loss doesn’t have to be a barrier to books. There are a number of options available at Carnegie Public Library to help bridge the gap between vision impairment and still being able to enjoy reading. One option can be found readily available on the shelves: large print books! Large print books can be enjoyed by all, but are a great option for those with vision impairment. Another option that is readily available on the shelves are books on CD! Read on the go in the car or with a CD player with books on CD.

A more mobile option is digital books, which can be found on Libby and Hoopla. With the library’s reading apps, you can instantly make any book large print by customizing the font size, font type, and contrast to your preference. Also available with Libby and Hoopla are audiobooks! Unlike books on CD, audiobooks don’t require a CD player and are available on your phone, tablet, or computer. Audiobooks provide a truly mobile option that can be enjoyed in the car, outdoors, and around the house while doing chores. They are a great choice for those with vision loss to still enjoy a good book!

Recently, we hosted a Talking Books Demo for patrons to learn about, how to use, and find out if they’re eligible to receive Talking Books. Similar to audiobooks, Talking Books are published novels read aloud by voice actors for the benefit of people with vision loss. With the Talking Books program, if you are eligible, Talking Books will be sent straight to your house. These come with their own player and arrive loaded with up to 24 books that are of interest to the reader.

This totally free program bridges the gap between vision loss and books, in a convenient and easy to use way. Other options that are available through the Ohio Library for the Blind and Print Disabled are Braille books, Braille and Audio Reading Downloads (BARD), and BARD Mobile. Keep an eye on our calendar and newsletter for future Talking Books Demo programs and visit the library anytime Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. or Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. to learn more about the Talking Books program and grab an application.

Coming up in April, the library will be closed on April 8 for the Solar Eclipse. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and thereby obscures the view of the Sun from a small part of the Earth, in totality. Fayette County is near the Path of Totality. To help the community safely view the eclipse, the library has free eclipse-viewing glasses to give away on a first-come, first-served basis to Fayette County residents.

As always, unless noted, all library programs are free.

24/7 Pick-Up Lockers, library book return, and our online resources are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Information about all of our resources can be found on the library’s website, www.cplwcho.org, or by calling the library at 740-335-2540. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @cplwcho.