Dublin City Public Libraries has a wide range of assistive technology and computer-based solutions to assist:

• Blind and visually impaired people
• People with learning/intellectual disabilities
• People whose first language is not English

The Technologies

MAGic

MAGic is targeted at people with visual impairment. It enables a person to magnify whatever is on the screen. With the aid of headphones, they can choose to listen to the words on the screen read back to them.

JAWS

JAWS is a screen reading software aimed at people who are completely blind. A blind person can use this software to assist them to do whatever they want on the computer.

Kurzweil

Kurzweil 1000 is suitable for people who are visually impaired.  They can use the scanner to scan a page from a book onto the screen. They can magnify the text on the screen and change the text and background colour. With headphones, they can have the text read back to them and even choose from a range of voices. It is also possible to save whatever they have scanned to the hard or floppy disk.

Kurzweil 3000 is similar to Kurzweil 1000 except that the scanned text and toolbars look different on the screen. This is because the software is targeted primarily at people who have reading difficulties. People can increase/decrease the amount of words read back to them per minute.  They can even click on a word to get a definition and even the pronunciation read back to them.
Kurzweil 3000 also satisfies the needs of those wishing to improve their English pronunciation as they can scan text from any book onto the screen and listen to it as it is read back to them.

The different software also complement one another. For example, MAGic can be used to magnify the Internet to read mail; then Kurzweil 3000 in tandem with a scanner can be used to scan a page of text onto the screen and then copied and pasted into an e-mail message before forwarding.

Optical Scanner PC

Optical Scanner PC is aimed at people with a visual impairment and people who are totally blind. It uses a flatbed scanner and Optical Character Recognition software to input printed material onto the PC for magnification or to be read aloud using screen reader software, such as JAWS.

MAGic, JAWS, Kurzweil and Optical Scanner PCs are available at the Central Library, Pearse Street Library, Charleville Mall Library, Cabra Library, Ballyfermot Library, Ballymun Library, Coolock Library, Raheny Library, Rathmines Library and Walkinstown Library.

Right: Library locations providing assistive technology and computer-based solutions will display this logo.

Affinity CCTV

Affinity CCTV is aimed at people with visual impairment. It enables the person to magnify documents/images (books, maps, letters, photographs etc.) onto a monitor screen. Additional features include auto-focus, the ability to change background/text colour and a special photo or text mode.

Affinity CCTV Scanners are available in the Central Library, Pearse Street Library, Cabra Library, Ballyfermot Library, Ballymun Library, Charleville Mall Library, Coolock Library, Donaghmede Library, Drumcondra Library, Finglas Library, Inchicore Library, Kevin Street Library, Pembroke Library, Phibsboro Library, Raheny Library, Rathmines Library, Ringsend Library, Terenure Library and Walkinstown Library

Keyboards and Mice

Large key keyboards are available at all branch libraries and the Learning Bus.

Assistive Technology Mice are available in Ballyfermot Library, Ballymun Library, Cabra Library, Central Library, Charleville Mall Library, Coolock Library, Donaghmede Library, Dolphin's Barn Library, Drumcondra Library, Finglas Library, Inchicore Library, Kevin Street Library, Pearse Street Library, Pembroke Library, Rathmines Library, Raheny Library, Terenure Library and Walkinstown Library.

For further details phone 6744843.