Published: December 05, 2008 06:01 pm      

Early Christmas for Crosby Library

PICAYUNE — Christmas came early this year for low-vision adults and children in the Pearl River County Library System. The library system was awarded a 2009 L.S.T.A. (Library Services & Technology Act) Grant for General Library Services Development. This government grant, administered by the Mississippi Library Commission has enabled the library system to purchase two Topaz Desktop Video Magnifiers, one each for the Margaret Reed Crosby Memorial Library in Picayune and the Poplarville Public Library.

“The grant, entitled ‘I Can Read Too: An Aid to Reading Project for Low –Vision Adults and Children’, focuses on a group in our population that we feel is not being adequately served by the library system,” said Linda Tufaro, library system director and grant author. She continued, “There are many adults, all of us probably know of someone, who cannot see well enough to read regular print materials, even with prescription lens. There are many children with poor vision who have a very hard time learning to read and older people who have had to give up the pleasure of reading books, magazines, and newspapers. Television and radio, though wonderful for keeping us entertained and informed, are poor substitutes for the true book lover.”

The Topaz machine from Freedom Scientific is a wonderful device for giving back a measure of independence and freedom to such adults. And for children with low vision capability it can provide the means for them to finally be able to learn to read. The Topaz machine has 16 levels of magnification and 28 color combinations to help diminish as much glare as possible. The machines have been placed in the magazine and newspaper browsing area of each library to facilitate their usage. Patrons can also bring their own reading matter (correspondence, mail, prescriptions, etc.) to the library to read on the machines. A stationary lock can even enable the user to write his/her own letters, sign checks, write and address Christmas Cards, and do many other little tasks that one might otherwise have to ask someone else to do for them.

Innovations such as these make life a little easier and a lot more enjoyable for many people in our community. Come by to experience the Topaz freedom for yourself. Call 601-798-5081 or 601-795-8411 for more information or to set up an appointment to see a demonstration of the Topaz machine and its capabilities. Pass the word around to your friends and neighbors about this new technology available at your local library, the place where all the community comes together. There’s something for everyone @ your library!