Go to navigation
Information for people with disabilities
If you are visually impaired
Want to try something new?
Medway Libraries holds a wide selection of large-print books for
adults and young people and talking books on cassette and CD.
There are also pre-loaded MP3 players available from Strood Library. You can
find them in the catalogue.
Postal service
The postal service provides spoken-word cassettes and CDs to
registered blind or partially-sighted residents of Medway. Postage
is free and there is a wide range of fiction and some non-fiction,
including titles for young people. For more information, pick up a
leaflet, phone your local library or complete
the postal
audio service eform and a member of staff will contact you.
Drop-in advice sessions for Deaf and Hard of hearing
Hi-Kent offer sound support for deaf and hard of hearing people.
To learn more about the help they can offer, please visit during
one of their drop-in sessions at Medway Libraries during May
2012.
You may also visit the Hi-Kent website.
Make a noise in libraries June 2012
To celebrate Make a noise in libraries fortnight
(MANIL), on Tuesday, 19 June, at 2.30pm, Strood library will
host a free talk from leading publisher WF Howes about how an audio
book is produced. Actor Saul Reichlin, who has twice been awarded
the prestigious CrimeFest Sounds of Crime Award, will make a
special appearance. Places are free, but booking is
essential.
MANIL fortnight is an annual campaign from the Royal National
Institute of Blind people (RNIB) to bring public libraries and
blind and partially sighted people together to improve access to
books and information. More information about MANIL can be found on
the
RNIB website.
Visually impaired readers groups
The VIP readers' group is a reading group for people with a
visual impairment who share their talking-book likes and dislikes.
Groups meet up in Chatham Community Hub and Rochester Community
Hub. For more information about when the groups meet up, please
check the readers' groups page.
Monomouse can help
If
you find the writing on bills too small to read, you may be able to
benefit from a new resource available in some of Medway's
libraries. Monomouse is an electronic magnifier that is attached to
a television screen. It looks like a computer mouse and whatever it
is moved over appears magnified on the TV screen. It is perfect for
reading newspapers, magazines, books, bank statements, letters and
bills.
There is a monomouse at Chatham Community Hub and Twydall Library and it is
free to use.
Are you unable to leave your home?
Medway's Libraries provide a home library service to residents
who are unable to visit a library in person. If you have
caring responsibilities or a disability that prevents you from
leaving your home and no one can visit the library on your
behalf, Medway Libraries' home library service may be able to help
you. Please complete the
home library service eform and a member of staff will contact
you.
How the home library service has made a difference
A survey of home library service users was conducted
during the second quarter of 2010/11 and was completed by 6 per
cent of those receiving the at home service from Medway
Libraries.
Medway Libraries’ Home Library Service comes highly recommended
by respondents to this survey, and they value the service
enormously for the contribution it makes to their quality of
life.
The social and literary enjoyment that service users seem to
enjoy is in part due to the helpful staff and couriers that help to
run the service, and this ensures retention of customers over long
periods.
Are you entitled to be exempt from charges?
If you have a visual impairment or other disability, you may be
exempt from charges, such as those for returning items
late. Ask in your local library for more information.
Volunteering at Medway Libraries
Medway's libraries welcome volunteers to assist with many
of the services we offer.
Healthy living
Visit our healthy
living page for information on how Medway Libraries can help
you enjoy a healthier life.
Are you a carer?
If you have the responsibility for caring for someone you may
find it harder to access library services. Information about what
the library can offer you is available on the page, Are you a carer?
Add this page to my Quick Links:
Add page
Send this page to a friend:
Send