Many Central New Yorkers probably don’t know that downtown’s central library is one of the few places in the state where a visually impaired person can print documents in braille. Most of us probably take for granted what we can see on a screen or printed page.
But for the visually impaired and others with disabilities, the recent grand re-opening of the branch serves as a reminder of the broad services it offers to people of all abilities and interests. Program and outreach coordinator Mark Allnatt says they actually got the grant to purchase the braille computer equipment in 2005.
"It's not a high demand service, probably doesn't get a lot of publicity," Allnatt said. "But we've brailled some things for the Onondaga County Scoial Services Department because some of their clients have to have things in braille. So we started brailling them, and then New York State took notice. Now people anywhere in the state can just check a little box on their form, and can get their government documents in braille, large print, audio, whatever they need."
But he says it’s not restricted to government documents.
"People from a church maybe have a hymnal, or a little constitution, want to come in and have a braille copy. Or, some of the training places...CNY Works have job training classes, and might have a student who can't see, so they want to come in and print off a braille copy of their handouts, things like that."
The braille program and printer are just one part of the Special Technologies and Adaptive Resources, or STAR lab on the new first floor of the library in the Galleries. Allnatt, who is legally blind, says the lab includes a magnification program.
"It'll magnify up to 60 times, so if you really need large print...there's your spin wheel," Allnatt said as he demonstrated the program. "I've had people who need something that big. Then they can go out to the web..."
For those with motor difficulties, Allnatt says they have a track ball mouse to help patrons navigate.
"If you have trouble with your hands, you move the mouse, get it where you want, and click the button, you wind up moving the mouse on the screen. This separates the movement from the buttons."
Allnatt says patrons can also come in and learn keyboarding skills. The library is now on floors one through three in the Galleries after $8.7 million in renovations and upgrades.
