A Public Library Brings Opportunity to the Blind

In Honduras, tens of thousands of people have hearing disabilities. The National Autonomous University of Honduras has developed software that converts spoken language into an avatar on the computer who signs for the hearing impaired. Teachers in classrooms can teach hearing impaired students with this new software.

Minnesota is purchasing “track chairs” with all-terrain treads for its parks that people with disabilities can use for free to access more areas and trails.

Using the camera of a smartphone, individuals who are blind or visually impaired can receive quick and easy help from volunteers. The Danish company, Be My Eyes uses a smartphone application to connect those who are blind or visually impaired to an international network of sighted volunteers ready to assist. The on-demand access to assistance provides visually impaired individuals with more independence in their daily lives.

A community library built in Lagos, Nigeria by a nonprofit called Pyramid Educational Advancement (PEA) is filling a literacy gap in the area due to the low number of government-owned public libraries. Aside from simply providing a space to read and the books to learn from, PEA offers services like reading clubs for all ages, career counseling, and friendly competitions. Since it opened in 2014 the library has been such a success that PEA is now opening three other local and the Nigerian government is replicating some of their services in their own libraries.

As part of a larger effort to make the city of West Sacramento more friendly to their aging population, an on-demand ride-sharing app was developed to make transportation more accessible for seniors who cannot easily use public transportation. The response has been overwhelming, and the project will soon be able to support itself financially. The city is also using another app to help connect seniors with volunteer opportunities that make use of their skills, which was something else they learned was desired by doing focus groups.

Through the use of smart glasses, the London’s National Theatre is making theater going accessible to the hard of hearing. A play’s dialogue is displayed in the glasses, and software links the timing of the words being displayed with when they are actually being said on stage.

Using audio descriptions of a movie’s action, the XL Cinema app increases the accessibility of movies to a vision impaired audience. The free app has been used thousands of times and production studios are interested in working with XL Cinema to expand its offerings.

Web applications designed for people with disabilities have helped users to live fuller lives and reduce the stigma attached to living with a disability. The apps have spread information, make education more effective, and created connections between people.

The first Human Library emerged in 2000 in Copenhagen, and has since exploded in popularity to the point of operating chapters in more than 70 different countries. The concept is that readers should not judge a book by its cover, so in this library, actual people are the books available to read with titles like "Polyamorous", "Soldier (PTSD)", and "Refugee". The 30-minute "reading sessions" (face-to-face conversations) allow people to learn in a judgement-free zone and put a real person behind the story they are hearing.

The Salt Lake City Public Library employed in-house social workers and built out an area in the library dedicated to providing a variety of resources for people experiencing homelessness and anyone else looking for support. The staff helps people find individualized paths forward, and partner organizations host office hours for things like harm reduction services and workforce services.