 Serving public libraries in Cayuga, Cortland, Seneca, Tioga and Tompkins Counties
|
Outreach Services
Resources for Individuals with Physical or Visual Disabilities
Mail-It Service ~ Library Materials of Interest ~ NYS Talking Books and Braille Library ~ Other Special Needs Lending Libraries ~ Local Resources ~ Disability-Related Links
Mail-It Service
Can't get to the library? Library materials are as close as a mailbox with Mail-It!
This program sends library materials by mail to qualified individuals free of charge. It is open to individuals who are unable to visit or access a local library due to a disability or medical condition.
You can borrow books, audiobooks and more. To return the materials, simply turn over the address card on the reusable blue bag and send it out with your mail.
How to apply:
Please fill out and mail
the following application: Mail-It Application.pdf.
If you have questions, please contact the Outreach Associate at 607-273-4074, x 247 or
mailit@flls.org.
Library Materials of Interest
Large
Print Catalog Search Instructions - Download this pdf to learn how
to find materials in the catalog.
FLLS's collections include many materials
for people with special needs. All of the materials listed below can be
requested through the library catalog and picked up at any local
library:
Large Print Books:
Over 15,000 large print titles are available in our system. To find
titles in the catalog, limit or narrow the search to "large print"
format.
Audiobooks:
Recorded books are available in several formats:
~ CDs
~ Playaways - These are pocket-sized, all-in-one players used with
headphones.
~ Digital Books - To download free ebook and audiobook files, visit our
Overdrive Digital Media Center.
To find titles in the catalog, limit or narrow the search to "audio book" format.
Descriptive Videos:
These are special editions of feature films designed for low-vision
viewers. They include a special audio narration to describe key visual
elements. If you are interested in viewing a sample clip of a
video with in this format, WGBH's Media Access Group has posted
a clip of
Disney's The Lion King with descriptive
narration.
To search the catalog for titles in our collection, search for the subject "Descriptive videos for the visually impaired".
Children's Braille Resources:
Our collection includes a Read-to-Me Braille Kit and a small selection
of Braille picture books. These can be requested through the library
catalog and picked up at any member library. To search the catalog for
these titles, search for the subject "Blind--Books and reading--Juvenile
fiction". For adult titles and a wider selection of children's
materials, please contact the New York State Talking Books and Braille
Library (see below).
Children's Sign Language Resources:
Our collection includes a Baby Sign Language Kit and Kid's Signing Times
DVDs. Both are available through the library catalog and can be picked
up at any member library.
New York State Talking Books and Braille Library (NYTBBL)
General Information:
-
Are you unable to read printed materials, even with corrective lenses?
-
Do you have a physical limitation that prevents you from holding a book?
-
Do you have a physically-based reading disability?
If you answered yes to any of the questions above, then you may qualify to borrow recorded books and Braille books by mail through this free state program. For more information about the program and how to apply, please visit the New York Talking Books and Braille Library website.
As a sublending agency to NYTBBL, FLLS has
spare players available locally if your machine needs to be replaced or
repaired. We can also provide applications, fliers and general
information about the service. For more information, please contact the
Outreach Associate at 607-273-4074, x 247 or
mailit@flls.org.
Information about the New Digital Players:
In 2009, NYTBBL began distributing new digital talking book machines (DTBMs)
and digital books. The older cassette players will continue to be
available for many years, and patrons may possess both types of players
at once. To request a digital machine, please
call NYTBBL at (800) 342-3688.
More detailed
information about these new players is available on the NYTBBL website.
If you would like FLLS to provide a group demonstration for these new players or participate in a health fair or related event, please contact Corinne Weible at 607-273-4074, x228.
Other Special Needs Lending Libraries
Bookshare.org -
This online library offers thousands of digital books
and periodicals in accessible formats to people who cannot use standard
print materials, including Braille, large print and synthetic speech.
Membership is free to all U.S. students; other individuals may purchase an
annual membership for $50.00.
Choice Magazine Listening - If you qualify for the NYS Talking Books and Braille Library, then you are also eligible to receive recorded tapes of many current magazine and newspaper articles for free. Content is drawn from publications such as Sports Illustrated, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and U.S. News & World Report. To subscribe, fill out an online application, or contact FLLS staff for a paper application.
Described and Captioned Media Program - This program provides provides free loans of captioned and described educational media to K-12 students who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind. Members can watch streaming media content online, or can request postage-paid DVDs by mail. Membership is free to qualified students, family members, teachers and other professionals. U.S. Department of Education–funded.
The Kenneth Jernigan Library for Blind Children - This free lending library provides children's and YA books in Braille and Twin Vision format through the mail to individuals, schools and teachers.
Open Library - This organization offers 1 million+ books in DAISY format for people with print disabilities, including many contemporary titles. The books can be freely downloaded to devices that translate the text and read it aloud. To access these books, a United States resident with print disabilities just has to register with the Library of Congress's National Library Service (NLS): 1-800-424-8567.
Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic - RFBD maintains the nation's largest accessible audiobook library of textbooks and literature titles. Membership is free to students with print disabilities such as visual impairment and dyslexia.
Tifolibros - A digital library of Spanish materials for people who cannot use print materials due to blindness or a physical disability. Membership is free (small donation requested for regular users). A description written in English is available here.
Local Resources
Independent
Living Centers (ILCs):
Affiliated with VESID, ILCs provide an array of services that assist New Yorkers with disabilities to live integrated and self-directed lives. ILCs assist with living, learning, and earning and work to remove barriers to full participation in to the local community and beyond. For more information, please click on the ILC in your county:
Cayuga and Seneca Counties
- Options
For Independence
Cortland
County -
Access to Independence
Tioga County - Southern
Tier Independence Center
Tompkins County
- Finger
Lakes Independence Center
Challenge Industries:
This organization, based in Ithaca, NY, helps people
with disabilities and employment barriers find rewarding work.
Disability-Related Links
DisabilityInfo.gov - Information and resources about disability programs, services, laws and benefits from the federal government.
DisabilityResources.org - A comprehensive guide to disability resources on the web.
Disability Resource Links, NYS Talking Books and Braille Library - An excellent list of resources for living with blindness, visual impairment, or other physical disabilities.
DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) - The DAISY Consortium creates digital talking book technology for people with print disabilities and works to ensure that published information is fully accessible to everyone. Watch a short introduction to this exciting technology here: DAISY Makes Reading Easier (YouTube Video), transcript.
Lawhelp.org/NY: Disability - Learn about your disability-related legal rights, find free legal information and aid, get information about the courts, and more. Topics include: Disability Rights, Disabled Veterans, HIV/AIDS-Related Benefits, Mental Health, Social Security Disability, SSI for Disabled Adults, SSI for Disabled Children.
Lighthouse International - This nonprofit provides clinical services, education, research, and advocacy for people with low vision and blindness.
Media Access Group at WGBH - The Media Access Group at WGBH is dedicated to providing access to present and future media for people with disabilities. They offer many resources, including a list of mainstream films that have been released on DVD with closed captioning and/or descriptive narration.
MoPix - Find movie theaters with accessible features, such as closed captioning and descriptive narration.
My Web, My Way - Do you have trouble reading, hearing or seeing web pages, or with using your computer equipment? This site has step-by-step instructions for tailoring your browser, computer, keyboard and mouse settings to make the web more accessible to you. Published by the BBC.
NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) - This free screen reader allows people with low vision to access computers running Windows. Major features include feedback via synthetic speech and Braille, support for over 20 languages, and the ability to run entirely from a USB drive with no installation.
New York State Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH) - CBVH provides vocational rehabilitation and other direct services to legally blind New York State residents, including children, adults, and seniors. They also maintain an excellent online list of resources and links.
Raising and Educating a Deaf Child - International experts answer your questions about the choices, controversies, and decisions faced by parents and educators of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Provided by the Rochester Institute of Technology.