St. Louis County Library cardholders can now check out visual accessibility kits at all 20 county library branches.
Each kit includes a video magnifier, an adjustable LED lamp and a LED angled hand held magnifier.
The library’s goal is to eliminate barriers to access for people with visual impairments, said Kristen Sorth, the director and CEO of the county library district.
“This is really a new approach for us,” she said “We’ve never had the ability to provide resources for patrons to check out.”
The kits were made possible with the help of the Winnefred A. Lesandrini Trust.
Residents can also apply to check out three specialized pieces of equipment from its collection, including an automatic text-to-speech reader and electronic portable HD video magnifier. Applicants will be randomly selected in a lottery drawing. Individuals chosen will be able to check out one of the devices for three months.
“If you’re curled up on the couch or sitting in bed reading before you go to bed at night, all of those things, I think we want people to be comfortable and to read wherever they want to,” Sorth said.
The deadline to apply is March 23.
