Just look at what the library has to offer! (From Barry And District News)

Just look at what the library has to offer!

LIBRARIES in the Vale of Glamorgan have launched a new service for visually impaired people.

Barry, Cowbridge and Penarth libraries now have a CCTV service which magnifies and presents text in a format suitable for many people with sight problems.

The equipment can be used to read books or to view photographs.

The three libraries also have a 'Scannar' which converts printed words to speech, so that people with no vision at all can now 'listen' to their letters or to the local paper.

A number of people are already making good use of the new service which is introduced to clients by Angela Edmunds, the Council's Rehabilitation Officer.

Angela said: "I am able to demonstrate that sight loss does not necessarily mean individuals will be cut off and helpless, and that they can be pro-active in dealing with their own correspondence etc.

"Once in the building, they can then access other activities run by the library, and this will be of great benefit to them."

The equipment was funded through a grant from Cymal, the Welsh Assembly Government's policy division for Libraries, Museums and Archives.