The Chapel Hill Public Library began offering desktop and handheld magnification equipment and headsets for those with low vision and hearing in February.
“It expands our capabilities to allow folks to enjoy the library from a seeing and hearing perspective,” Libbie Hough, a spokesperson for the library, said.
The new equipment was made possible by grant funding given under the Library Services and Technology act through the State Library of North Carolina.
The idea to apply for grant funding came from the community. Hough said customers, especially parents of children with low vision or hearing, asked what the library offered for their children’s needs.
This spring, the public library will also provide a new computer software making internet access easier. Hough said the library also looks to obtain iPads with certain applications for those who are sight impaired.
“We’re just trying to be more welcoming — providing better service than what we have been to folks who may have difficulty accessing our services otherwise,” Hough said.
