Monterey County Free Libraries offering MORE Services
Last year, Monterey County Free Libraries designed, wrote, and was awarded a grant to offer Materials Options and Resources for Everyone (MORE) with a focus on improving our services to people with sensory disabilities, and older adults.
The grant had multiple facets including adding magnifying equipment, adding new material to the collection, and establishing a partnership with the Braille and Talking Book Library at the California State Library in order to assist community members in getting access to those services.
MCFL added new print magnifier machines to three branches, Carmel Valley, Greenfield and Prunedale to enable people to bring print material in for easier reading. The equipment is user friendly, and staff have learned to use the equipment in order to assist patrons who may need help.
Funds from the MORE Grant enabled MCFL to purchase and add to the collection over 400 audiobooks in the new form of a Playaway. Playaways are audiobooks preloaded onto a small device allowing readers easy portability to listen to books while walking, gardening, cooking, or lying in bed. For those who may be intimidated by downloading audiobooks onto a smart phone or tablet, Playaways are a great solution. A demonstration video of how to use a Playaway is on the MCFL Virtual Program Channel. New descriptive videos for the visually impaired are also being added to the collection.
MCFL is now a demonstration hub for the Braille and Talking Book Library (BTBL). That means patrons can come to the library to see how to use a Talking Book player and discover the vast collection of Talking Books and Magazines available from BTBL. Library staff can also provide patrons with applications for BTBL and can sign the form as a certifying authority. The Talking Book Players and BTBL Talking Books are now at the Seaside Branch Library and will travel to other branches throughout the year.
Other services are in the works. Make sure you visit or call your local Branch Library to see what new services are available to you at Monterey County Free Libraries.
The MORE Grant project was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act administered by the California State Librarian.
For more information please contact:
Be Astengo astengobc@co.monterey.ca.us
Alison Day dayaj1@co.monterey.ca.us
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